Magic The Gathering Comprehensive Rules Part 15

Artifact subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: "Artifact Equipment." Artifact subtypes are also called artifact types. However, if an artifact creature card has subtypes printed on its type line, those subtypes are creature types. If an artifact land card has subtypes printed on its type line, those types are land types.

The list of artifact types, updated through the Time Spiral set, is as follows: Equipment.

"As though"

Text that states a player may do something "as though" some condition were true or a creature can do something "as though" some condition were true applies only to the stated action. For purposes of that action, treat the game exactly as if the stated condition were true. For all other purposes, treat the game normally.

Example: Giant Spider reads, "Giant Spider can block as though it had flying." Treat the Spider as a creature with flying, but only for the purpose of declaring blockers. This allows Giant Spider to block a creature with flying (and creatures that "can't be blocked except by creatures with flying"), a.s.suming no other blocking restrictions apply. For example, Giant Spider can't normally block a creature with both flying and shadow.

If two cards state that a player may (or a creature can) do the same thing "as though" different conditions were true, both conditions could apply. If one "as though" effect satisfies the requirements for another "as though" effect, then both effects will apply.

a.s.sign Combat Damage

As the combat damage step begins, the active player or team announces how each attacking creature will a.s.sign its combat damage. Then the defending player(s) announce how each blocking creature will a.s.sign its combat damage. All a.s.signments of combat damage go on the stack as a single entry. See rule 310, "Combat Damage Step.

Attach

To attach an Aura or Equipment to a permanent means to take it from where it currently is and put it onto that permanent. If the Aura or Equipment no longer exists or the object it will move onto is no longer in the correct zone when the effect would attach it, nothing happens. Similarly, an Aura or Equipment can't be attached to a permanent it couldn't enchant or equip. The Aura or Equipment stays where it is, with one exception: If an Aura is coming into play from the stack and there is no legal permanent for it to enchant, the Aura is put into its owner's graveyard instead of coming into play. If an effect tries to attach an Aura or Equipment to the permanent it's already attached to, the effect does nothing.

Attaching an Aura in play to a different permanent causes the Aura to receive a new timestamp. Nothing else about the Aura changes. The Aura never left play, so no comes-into-play or leaves-play triggered abilities will trigger. If an ability of the moved Aura affecting "enchanted [permanent]" was on the stack when the Aura moved, it will affect the new enchanted permanent when it resolves, not the old one. The same is true for moved Equipment.

Attack

A creature attacks when it's declared as an attacker during the combat phase. (See rule 308, "Declare Attackers Step.") Playing a spell or ability (even during the combat phase) is never considered to be an attack.

Attack Alone

A creature is attacking alone when it's the only creature declared as an attacker in a given combat phase. See rule 306.4.

Attack Left Option

Some multiplayer games use the optional "attack left" rules. If the attack left option is used, a player can attack only an opponent seated immediately to his or her left. If a player's nearest opponent to the left is more than one seat away, the player can't attack. See rule 604, "Attack Left and Attack Right Options."

Attack Multiple Players Option

Some multiplayer games allow the active player to attack multiple opponents. Each of the attacked players is a defending player. Each defending player can block only the creatures attacking him or her. See rule 602, "Attack Multiple Players Option."

Attack Right Option

Some multiplayer games use the optional "attack right" rules. If the attack right option is used, a player can attack only an opponent seated immediately to his or her right. If a player's nearest opponent to the right is more than one seat away, the player can't attack. See rule 604, "Attack Left and Attack Right Options."

Attacking Creature

A creature becomes an attacking creature when (a) it's declared as part of a legal attack during the combat phase and (b) all costs to attack, if any, have been paid. It remains an attacking creature until it's removed from combat, it stops being a creature, its controller changes, or the combat phase ends. Attacking creatures don't exist outside of the combat phase. See rule 308, "Declare Attackers Step."

Attacks and Isn't Blocked

An ability that triggers when a creature "attacks and isn't blocked" triggers when the creature becomes an unblocked attacking creature. See rule 309.2f.

Aura

Some enchantments have the subtype "Aura." An Aura spell requires a target whose properties are indicated by its enchant keyword ability. An Aura permanent comes into play attached to the permanent or player the spell targeted. See rule 212.4, "Enchantments," and rule 502.45, "Enchant."

An Aura can enchant only a permanent or player whose properties are indicated by its enchant keyword ability. An Aura attached to an illegal permanent or not attached to a permanent is put into its owner's graveyard. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)

Banding, "Bands with Other"

Banding is a static ability that modifies the rules for declaring attackers and a.s.signing combat damage. "Bands with other" is a specialized version of the ability. See rule 502.10, "Banding," and rule 502.11, "Bands with Other."

Basic

Basic is a supertype. Any land with the supertype basic is a basic land. Any land without that supertype is a nonbasic land. See rule 205.4, "Supertypes."

Basic Land Type

There are five basic land types: Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. Every basic land type has a mana ability a.s.sociated with it. (See rule 212.6, "Lands.")

Becomes

Some trigger events use the word "becomes" (for example, "becomes tapped" or "becomes blocked"). These trigger only at the time the named event happens-they don't trigger if that state already exists or retrigger if it persists. For example, "becomes tapped" triggers only when a permanent's status changes from untapped to tapped.

Beginning of Combat Step