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 Welcome to the FAQ for rec.games.trading-cards.magic.rules
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  Last Modified: 14th July 2009

  By Zoe Stephenson (mtg...@daeghnao.com) based on previous versions from:
  Patrik Linell, Laurie Cheers, Bill Dugan.

  Copyright (c) 2009 Zoe Stephenson. All rights reserved. This article is
  freely distributable except that it may not be sold nor included in any
  compilation (book, magazine, disk, CD-ROM, or otherwise) which is for
  sale, without the express written consent of the author.

URL: http://www.daeghnao.com/magic/faq/

Recent Changes:
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  version 5.00: Complete overhaul for Magic 2010 rules.

------------------------------

Subject: 1.0: Introduction

1.0.01 Notation:
------

  Magic uses distinctive symbols for mana of various colors and for
  self-tap costs.  To represent these symbols in text, the following
  conventions are used:

  G: One green mana
  R: One red mana
  W: One white mana
  B: One black mana
  U: One blue mana
  S: One mana from a snow source
  T: The tap symbol
  Q: The untap symbol
  1: One generic or colorless mana - and so on for 2,3,4...
  X,Y,Z: The symbols for variable mana costs

  Note the use of B for Black and U for blUe.  These symbols are combined
  in the same way as on the cards.  So, Seething Song produces RRRRR;
  Savra, Queen of the Golgari costs 2BG; Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree's
  ability costs 2GW, T.  Usually the symbols are written within braces
  (e.g. {2}{G}{W}) to emphasise that they represent the symbols
  on the cards.  This is especially useful for split-mana symbols
  (e.g. {R/G}{R/G} on the Guildpact card Gruul Guildmage).

1.0.02 Structure:
------

  This FAQ is divided into three parts, each with a different focus.
  This introduction is attached to the first part.

  Part 1:

    The first part deals with newcomers to the game.  There are a few
    very common types of question that new players often need answers to;
    this part tries to answer them.  The questions are phrased in very
    general terms, so you may have to read through to find an answer.

    The first part also contains important information about posting to
    the newsgroup and other places to find answers.

  Part 2:

    The second part deals with players returning to the game or only
    playing now and again.  Returning players will often need to know
    what has changed, so this part lists major changes to the rules and
    the cards.

  Part 3:

    The third part deals with complex situations for which the outcome
    is unintuitive or for which the outcome has changed because of
    rules changes.  This goes into some depth and assumes familiarity
    with the rulebook.

------------------------------

Subject: 1.1: Beginner Questions

1.1.01: How do I know what's a target and what's not?
------

  Any spell or ability can have any number of targets.  Look through
  the text for the word target.  It can be used in several ways; look
  for where it's used in front of a noun, rather than as a noun itself
  or as a verb.  Some examples:

  Shock  {R}  Instant
/ Shock deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

  Shock has one target.  The word "target" is used in front of the
  phrase "creature or player" to indicate that the creature or player
  is the target.

  Deflection  {3}{U}  Instant
/ Change the target of target spell with a single target.

  Deflection has only one target.  The word "target" is used in front
  of the phrase "spell with a single target" to indicate that the
  spell-with-a-single-target is the target.  The first use of the word
  "target" is used as a noun, to say what to change.

  Radiate  {3}{R}{R}  Instant
/ Choose target instant or sorcery spell that targets only a single
  permanent or player.  Copy that spell for each other permanent or
  player the spell could target.  Each copy targets a different one
  of those permanents and players.

  Radiate has only one target.  The word "target" is used in front of the
  phrase "instant or sorcery spell that targets only a single permanent or
  player" to indicate that that instant or sorcery spell is the target.
  The first use of the word "target" is like an adjective, the other
  uses are as verbs.

  Each use of the word "target" to denote targets requires the right
  number of different targets.

  Hex  {4}{B}{B}  Sorcery
/ Destroy six target creatures.

  Hex targets six creatures.  It's not legal to target a creature more
  than once in this way.  It has to be six different creatures.

  If the word "target" is used again to denote targets, the same target
  can be chosen as for a previous use of the word "target" to denote
  targets.

  Decimate  {2}{R}{G}  Sorcery
/ Destroy target artifact, target creature, target enchantment, and
  target land.

  Decimate has four targets.  Each has its own use of the word "target".
  If there is one permanent on the battlefield that's an artifact, a
  creature, an enchantment and a land all at once, then Decimate could
  target that one permanent four times.  It would only be destroyed
  once, though.

  When you cast an Aura from your hand, you target the permanent or
  player that it's going to enchant.  Here, the word target won't appear
  in the main part of the text; it's implied by the enchant ability:

  Holy Strength  {W}  Enchantment - Aura  
/ Enchant creature
/ Enchanted creature gets +1/+2.

        The last thing the Holy Strength does when it resolves is to
        put itself onto the battlefield attached to whatever creature it
        was targeting.  Once it does so, it stops targeting the creature.
        If something later stops spells and abilities from targeting the
        creature, this doesn't affect the Holy Strength.  The reference
        to "enchanted creature" (and the similar phrases "equipped
        creature" and "fortified land") doesn't target the creature.
        Another example:

  Firebreathing  {R}  Enchantment - Aura
/ Enchant creature
/ {R}: Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

  When you cast Firebreathing, it targets the creature it's going to
  enchant.  When you activate the ability of Firebreathing, it doesn't
  target the creature it enchants.  Even if the creature enchanted by
  Firebreathing can't be the target of spells or abilities any more,
  Firebreathing's activated ability can still affect it.

  Some spells and abilities feel like they target, but don't actually
  target.  For example:

  Clone  {3}{U}  Creature - Shapeshifter  0/0  
/ You may have Clone enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on
  the battlefield.

  Clone can copy a creature that can't be the target of spells or
  abilities.  At the point where you choose a creature on the battlefield,
  the word target isn't used, so you choose without targeting.

  Many spells and abilities affect things without using the word target:

  Hurricane  {X}{G}  Sorcery
/ Hurricane deals X damage to each creature with flying and each player.

  Hurricane can deal damage to a creature that can't be targeted, as
  long as the creature has flying.  It can also deal damage to a player
  even if that player can't be the target of spells or abilities.

  Wrath of God  {2}{W}{W}  Sorcery
/ Destroy all creatures. They can't be regenerated.

  Wrath of God will destroy creatures even if those creatures can't
  be targeted.  It refers to all creatures; it doesn't use the word
  "target", so it doesn't target.

1.1.02: What things will stop me from targeting?
------

  There are two things that stop targeting.  One is simply static
  abilities that state outright that the targeting isn't allowed:

  Troll Ascetic  {1}{G}{G}  Creature - Troll Shaman  3/2
/ Troll Ascetic can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents
  control.
/ {1}{G}: Regenerate Troll Ascetic.

  This kind of ability is common enough that its simple form has
  its own name, "shroud":

  Deadly Insect  {4}{G}  Creature - Insect  6/1
/ Shroud (This permanent can't be the target of spells or abilities.)

  The other ability that can prevent targeting is protection.

1.1.03: So what is protection?
------

  Protection is a static ability that's usually found on creatures
  and usually confers protection from a particular color.  Protection
  actually does four related things, all bundled up into a neat package.
  Let's take the example of a Hand of Cruelty:

  Hand of Cruelty  {B}{B}  Creature - Human Samurai  2/2
/ Protection from white
/ Bushido 1 (When this blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +1/+1 until
  end of turn.)

  The first part of protection says to prevent all damage dealt to the
  Hand of Cruelty from a white source.  So, if it blocks a white creature,
  the combat damage to the Hand of Cruelty is prevented.

  The second part is that the Hand of Cruelty can't be enchanted or
  equipped by white Auras and Equipment.  If a white Aura ends up on
        a creature with protection from white (this isn't straightforward,
        but can sometimes happen) then it goes to its owner's graveyard.

  Thirdly, white creatures can't block the Hand of Cruelty.  It blazes
  a trail right on by.

  Lastly, the Hand of Cruelty can't be the target of white spells or
  abilities from white sources.  It can be affected by untargeted white
  spells and untargeted abilities from white sources, but it can't be
  named as the target of a white spell or of an ability from a white
  source.  So, the Wrath of God from the first question will destroy
  a Hand of Cruelty.  However, something like Condemn can't target the
  Hand of Cruelty:

  Condemn  {W}  Instant
/ Put target attacking creature on the bottom of its owner's library. Its
  controller gains life equal to its toughness.

1.1.04: How do I stop someone being able to pay for an ability?
------

  Generally, you can't.  The
...

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