Magic The Gathering Comprehensive Rules Part 20

Echo is a triggered ability. "Echo [cost]" means "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, sacrifice it unless you pay its echo cost." Urza block cards with the echo ability were printed without an echo cost; these cards have been given errata to have an echo cost equal to their mana cost. See rule 502.19, "Echo."

Effect

"Ability" and "effect" are often confused with one another. When a spell or ability resolves, it may create one or more one-shot or continuous effects. Static abilities may create one or more continuous effects. Some effects are replacement effects or prevention effects. State-based effects are not created by spells or abilities; they are generated by specific states of the game. See rule 416, "Effects."

Emperor

Emperor is a multiplayer variant with its own rules. The Emperor variant involves two or more teams of three players each. Each team sits together on one side of the table. Each team has one emperor, who sits in the middle of the team. The remaining players on the team are generals whose job is to protect the emperor. In addition to the normal rules for winning and losing, a team loses if its emperor loses the game. See rule 607, "Emperor Variant."

The Emperor variant uses the following default options: (a) The range of influence is limited to 2 for emperors and 1 for generals (see rule 601), (b) Emperor games use the deploy creatures option (see rule 603), and (c) a player can attack only an opponent seated immediately next to him or her.

Enchant

Enchant is a static ability, written "Enchant [permanent or player]." The enchant ability restricts what an Aura spell can target and what an Aura can enchant. See rule 212.4, "Enchantment," and rule 502.45, "Enchant."

Enchant Opponent, Enchant Player

Auras with the "enchant opponent" or "enchant player" ability can target and be attached to players. Such Auras can't target permanents and can't be attached to permanents. Rules 212.4d-k apply to an Aura with enchant player or enchant opponent in relation to players as they normally would for permanents. See also Aura, Enchant.

Enchantment

Enchantment is a type. The active player may play enchantments during his or her main phase when the stack is empty. See rule 212.4, "Enchantments." See also Aura.

Enchantment Type

Enchantment subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: "Enchantment Shrine." Enchantment subtypes are also called enchantment types.

The list of enchantment types, updated through the Time Spiral set, is as follows: Aura, Shrine.

End of Combat Step

The end of combat step is the fifth step of the combat phase. A player may play spells and abilities during this step whenever he or she has priority. See rule 311, "End of Combat Step."

End of Turn Step

This is the first step of the end phase. A player may play spells and abilities during this step whenever he or she has priority. See rule 313, "End of Turn Step."

End Phase

The end phase is the fifth and final phase of the turn. It has two steps: end of turn and cleanup. See rule 312, "End Phase."

Ending the Turn

One card (Time Stop) ends the turn when its resolves. When an effect ends the turn, follow these steps in order: Remove every object on the stack from the game. Remove all attacking and blocking creatures, if any, from combat. Check state-based effects. The current step and/or phase ends. The game skips straight to the cleanup step. See rule 509, "Ending the Turn."

Entwine

Entwine is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. "Entwine [cost]" means "You may choose to use all modes of this spell instead of just one. If you do, you pay an additional [cost]." When the spell resolves, if the entwine cost was paid, follow the text of each of the modes in the order they're written on the card. See rule 502.32, "Entwine."

Epic

Epic represents both a static ability and a delayed triggered ability. "Epic" means, "For the rest of the game, you can't play spells," and "At the beginning of each of your upkeeps, copy this spell except for its epic ability. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for the copy." See rule 502.44, "Epic."

Equip

Equip is an activated ability. "Equip [cost]" means "[Cost]: Attach this Equipment to target creature you control. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery." See rule 502.33, "Equip," and rule 212.2, "Artifacts."

Equipment

Some artifacts have the subtype "Equipment." These artifacts can be attached to (can "equip") creatures. They can't equip objects that aren't creatures. An Equipment is played and comes into play just like any other artifact. Equipment doesn't come into play equipping a creature. The equip keyword ability moves the Equipment onto a creature you control. (See rule 502.33, "Equip.") The creature an Equipment is attached to is called "equipped." The Equipment is attached to, or "equips," that creature.

An Equipment that's also a creature or an Equipment that loses the subtype "Equipment" can't equip a creature. An Equipment can't equip itself. An Equipment that equips an illegal or nonexistent permanent becomes unattached from that permanent, but remains in play. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)

Evasion Ability

Evasion abilities restrict what creatures can block an attacking creature. These are static abilities that modify the declare blockers step of the combat phase. See rule 501, "Evasion Abilities."

Event