(Originally published on 2025-11-12; last reviewed on 2025-11-12; last updated on 2025-11-12)
With each new set release, Wizards of the Coast (WotC) update the Comprehensive Rules (CR) and the Oracle text of any number of cards. These updates include support for new mechanics, error fixes, and improvements to the wording of rules and cards. In the past, WotC regularly published update bulletins which summarized and explained these changes. They stopped this practice in the fall of 2023, and update bulletins now release only sporadically.
In my opinion, this is not a major loss, since there had already been a trend toward simplified bulletins that merely note the introduction of new rules, without commenting on their design, and because fixes for existing errors have become practically nonexistent. As such, a CR diff found on Academy Ruins contains just as much information as I would expect from an official update bulletin these days. The truly interesting parts were the ones that explained why a new rule or a rules change was written the way it was, as they help immensely in understanding the intent behind a rule.
Of course, one can still analyze these updates and draw their own conclusions, with or without an official update bulletin. As a rules enthusiast, I quite enjoy reading through these updates and trying to understand the reasons behind them and what corner cases the new rules cover or don’t cover. If you are also interested in Magic‘s game rules and you miss the old update bulletins, this article may be for you.
Disclaimer: I have no special insight into the inner workings of WotC’s rules team, so any observations are based solely on the published updates and my own knowledge of and experience with Magic’s rules system. While I strive for completeness and correctness, I may have missed some changes; in particular, my process for archiving and comparing Gatherer revisions is still a work in progress.1
Comprehensive Rules changes
For this section, I recommend having a CR diff open in another window, such as the one found on Academy Ruins.
Rules support for harness
Two cards in the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man release (The Soul Stone and The Terminus of Return) feature the new harness keyword action, which grants a permanent the new harnessed designation.
The harness action’s definition is pretty much self-explanatory. The rules entry for harness is 701.64.
The harnessed designation is covered by subrule 701.64b and follows the standard rules for designations.
Rules support for the infinity symbol
The Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man card The Soul Stone features the new ∞ keyword ability.
The ∞ ability’s definition is pretty much self-explanatory. The rules entry for ∞ is 702.186.
Rules support for mayhem
The Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man release introduces the mayhem keyword ability.
The rules entry for mayhem is 702.187. It contains two definitions: one for mayhem with a cost and one for mayhem without a cost. The latter covers the land cards Oscorp Industries and Exclusive Nightclub, while the former covers all other cards featuring mayhem. The definitions themselves are pretty much self-explanatory.
Two cards (Sandman’s Quicksand and Miasmic Mist) have an ability that cares about whether the card’s mayhem cost was paid. Notably, there is no subrule that restricts those abilities to a specific mayhem ability, so any mayhem ability—whether derived from the cards’ rules text or granted by another effect—will satisfy those abilities’ conditions.
Rules support for web-slinging
The Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man release introduces the web-slinging keyword ability.
The web-slinging ability’s definition is pretty much self-explanatory. The rules entry for web-slinging is 702.188.
Some cards have abilities which care about whether the card was “cast using web-slinging.” Notably, there is no subrule that restricts those abilities to a specific web-slinging ability, so any web-slinging ability—whether derived from the cards’ rules text or granted by another effect—will satisfy those abilities’ conditions.
Rules support for Selfless Police Captain and Crime-Scene Instructor
The Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man release introduces two cards (Selfless Police Captain and Crime-Scene Instructor) with a triggered ability which puts those cards’ +1/+1 counters on another creature when they leave the battlefield.
Abilities which trigger from a permanent leaving the battlefield and which put that permanent’s counters on another permanent are well established; Selfless Police Captain and Crime-Scene Instructor are the first cards though where the ability cares only about a specific kind of counter.
WotC amended rules 122.8 and 122.9 to cover such variants; in the case of rule 122.9, which deals with activated abilities, the amendment acts as future-proofing. (And, since rules enthusiasts are never content with a purely positive change, WotC balanced out this future-proofing by giving it a slightly different wording, frustrating those who care about symmetry.)
614.12b (functional)
With the Edge of Eternities update, WotC had addressed a quirk in the rules governing the interactions between enters-the-battlefield replacement effects. Effectively, that quirk allowed sacrificing the same creature for multiple replacement effects or discarding the same card for multiple replacement effects.
With the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update, WotC covered a related oddity. Just as a player could choose to sacrifice the same permanent for two or more replacement effects, a player could choose to spend other resources in such a way that the total sum exceeded the available resources.
As an example, a player might have 3 life as two Temple Gardens enter the battlefield simultaneously under their control. While applying the first Temple Garden’s replacement effect to the upcoming event, that player might choose to pay 2 life; since that life payment does not occur until the Temple Gardens actually enter the battlefield, the player could choose to also pay 2 life while applying the other Temple Garden’s replacement effect. When the event occurs, the two Temple Gardens enter the battlefield untapped and the player is instructed to pay 4 life. That last part is impossible; the most likely thing to happen would be that the player pays as much life as possible, which is 3 life.
WotC inserted a new subrule 614.12b that addresses such scenarios; the existing subrule with that number became 614.12c. While applying multiple replacement effects, a player may not make choices in such a way that the combined cost cannot be paid. In the example scenario, the player could choose to pay 2 life for one of the replacement effects, but not for both.
The new rule’s wording is overly specific for my taste, as it restricts the rule to scenarios where multiple replacement effects modify how multiple permanents enter the battlefield. Given that the other quirk resulted from a rule saying “a single permanent” instead of “one or more permanents,” I cannot help but think that this new rule would be better off if it similarly applied to one or more replacement effects modifying how one or more permanents enter the battlefield.
My other issue with this rule is that it relies on the term “cost.” There are replacement effects that have a player spend some resource, but spending that resource is not a cost in the sense of the game term; if multiple such replacement effects would result in spending more resources than available, the new rule would not cover them. Then again, finding a good wording that covers both actual costs and pseudo-costs seems daunting, so this might be the best attempt.
Impending IV: The Final Chapter (functional)
As befits a keyword coming from a horror-themed set, impending gets yet another sequel update, complete with a retcon change to its definition.
Previously, the ability that had the permanent enter the battlefield with time counters on it functioned on the stack. This was unique for such an ability; all other such abilities function on the battlefield (or, if you prefer this wording, while the permanent with the ability enters the battlefield). As a result, if the permanent would not have any abilities on the battlefield, it would still enter with time counters on it.
With the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update, WotC normalized that ability. It now functions on the battlefield.
This update finally aligns the functional parts of impending’s definition with other (keyword) abilities. If WotC revert the change from the Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY update, the nonfunctional parts will be aligned, too.
701.44d (nonfunctional)
With the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update, WotC corrected a typo in this subrule. The original text introduced in the Tarkir: Dragonstorm update ended with a comma instead of a period.
701.53b (nonfunctional)
With the Edge of Eternities update, WotC had updated the definitions of predefined tokens to match the templating guidelines for self-references in rules text. A duplicate definition in rule 701.53b had been left unchanged.
With the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update, WotC updated that duplicate wording to also match current templating guidelines.
702.41a (nonfunctional)
This rule defines the affinity keyword ability.
With the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update, WotC updated the rule’s wording to current templating guidelines by removing the word “you.”
702.180a (nonfunctional)
This rule defines the harmonize keyword ability.
With the Edge of Eternities update, WotC had updated the first ability’s definition so that it functions in the graveyard rather than on the stack—which allows a player to actually cast a card with harmonize from their graveyard. At the time, the ability’s wording had not been updated to say “this card” rather than “this spell.”
With the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update, WotC updated that wording to “this card.”
Double-faced cards (functional)
Saving the best part for last—both in quantity and quality—the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man release introduces modal double-faced cards with abilities that can cause those cards to transform.
To support those cards, WotC updated the vast majority of rules dealing with double-faced cards. As a result, any modal double-faced card can now transform, just like a transforming double-faced card, but the changes hardly stop there.
Terminology
Since transforming double-faced cards are not the only cards capable of transforming anymore, WotC renamed them to “nonmodal double-faced cards.” Similarly, transforming tokens do not appear in the CR anymore; they have been integrated into a larger set called “double-faced tokens.” All mentions of transforming double-faced cards or tokens in the CR have been either updated to the new terms or broadened to just “double-faced cards” to facilitate the new behavior.
(WotC also took the opportunity to fix incorrect game terms in those rules and to improve some inelegant wordings. Ever committed to sustainability, they left about half of all issues untouched, so that future generations may also enjoy the occasional error-fixing rules update.)
Mana value
Rule 202.3b previously defined the mana value of the back face of a nonmodal double-faced object. WotC changed this rule to instead define the mana value of the back face of the back face of a nonmodal double-faced object. It’s not made clear what the back face of the back face is, but likely candidates are the front face or the blue core inside a Magic card.
Transform [a permanent]
As hinted above, all permanents represented by double-faced cards or tokens can transform [CR 701.27a][CR 712.9]. Permanents represented by meld cards are explicitly excluded [CR 712.4c]. This leaves the following permanents as able to transform:
- permanents represented by a single double-faced token,
- permanents represented by a single nonmodal double-faced card,
- permanents represented by a single modal double-faced card, and
- merged permanents with a non-meld double-faced component [CR 729.2i].
Permanents represented by a single token or card receive a new timestamp whenever they transform; merged permanents do not receive a new timestamp when they transform [CR 613.7g][CR 729.2i].
Transformed permanent
WotC expanded the definition of a “transformed permanent” in rule 701.27g to any double-faced permanent with its back face up. Melded permanents are explicitly excluded. This leaves the following permanents as candidates for transformed permanents:
- permanents represented by a single double-faced token,
- permanents represented by a single nonmodal double-faced card,
- permanents represented by a single modal double-faced card, and
- permanents represented by a single meld card.
Put [this card] onto the battlefield transformed
Previously, only nonmodal double-faced cards could enter the battlefield transformed. WotC expanded rule 712.14a to allow any double-faced card to enter the battlefield transformed. Specifically, this means that modal double-faced cards and meld cards are now put onto the battlefield with their back face up instead of staying in their current zone.
Rule 712.14b was not updated and may or may not interfere with this new process for modal double-faced cards: if it applies, modal double-faced cards with an instant or sorcery front face still remain in their current zone, even if they would enter with a permanent back face up.
The characteristic values of a meld card’s back face are undefined unless it is part of a melded permanent [CR 712.4b]. A meld card that enters the battlefield transformed will have no name, no mana cost, no color, no card type, subtype or supertype, and so on.
The definition of the daybound ability in rule 702.145b was expanded to include all double-faced cards. If a modal double-faced card or a meld card enters the battlefield with daybound while it is night, the permanent will enter transformed. Double-faced tokens are still excluded; if a double-faced token with daybound enters the battlefield while it is night, the token enters with its front face up and transforms directly after.
Cast [this object] transformed
Previously, any object could be cast transformed, but only nonmodal double-faced cards and copies of them had a rule which defined how this affected the spell. WotC expanded rule 712.11a to cover all double-faced cards and their copies.
Rule 712.11b was not updated and may or may not cause a conflict when casting a modal double-faced card or a copy of one: if that rule applies, the player casting the spell may choose which face to cast, even if instructed to cast the spell transformed. In all other regards, casting a modal double-faced spell functions exactly as before.
Casting a meld card transformed is quite peculiar. The card is put onto the stack with its back face up, and that face is used to determine whether the spell may be cast [CR 712.11c]. For all other purposes, the spell’s front face is used [CR 712.8b]. When the spell resolves, it enters with its back face up [CR 712.13].
[A permanent] becomes a copy of [a double-faced object]
This is about the only part that remains unchanged. If a continuous copy effect copies a double-faced object’s characteristic values, it only copies the object’s current values. It does not copy both faces, even if the effect will apply to a double-faced permanent.
Create a token that’s a copy of [a double-faced object]
Previously, only a token created as a copy of a nonmodal double-faced object would be double-faced itself. WotC expanded rule 707.8a so that copying any double-faced object will result in a double-faced token.
If the token is created as a copy of a double-faced object represented by a single
- nonmodal double-faced card,
- modal double-faced card,
- meld card, or
- double-faced token,
then the token is double-faced. The characteristic values of each face match the copiable values of the original’s corresponding face. The token enters with the same face up that is currently up for the original.
If the token is created as a copy of a melded permanent, it is also double-faced. The back face’s characteristic values match the copiable values of the melded permanent’s combined back face [CR 712.4b]. For the token’s front face, there are two original front faces whose copiable values could be used. The CR do not provide instructions on how to meld merge combine those two sets, but anything that works for Grusilda, Monster Masher or It Came from Planet Glurg should be fine.
Previously, a double-faced token was also a transforming token. WotC removed this distinction, so that all double-faced tokens are simply double-faced tokens, regardless of how they are created. Notable consequences are:
- Tokens created as copies of nonmodal double-faced objects do not use the special rules for calculating the back face’s mana value.
- Tokens created as copies of meld cards or melded permanents can freely transform.
Copy [a double-faced spell]
Previously, only a copy of a nonmodal double-faced permanent spell would be double-faced itself. WotC expanded rule 707.10g so that copying any double-faced permanent spell will result in a double-faced copy.
The characteristic values of each face match the copiable values of the original’s corresponding face. The copy is put onto the stack with the same face up that is currently up for the original.
As with double-faced tokens, a copy of a nonmodal double-faced permanent spell is not designated as nonmodal anymore, and the token it becomes during resolution is not designated as nonmodal either.
Copies of modal double-faced permanent spells have nothing special going on.
If the spell is represented by a meld card, the copy will be double-faced. As with double-faced tokens, the copy’s back face will have no characteristic values. If the copied spell has its back face up, the copy’s back face will also be up. However, since that copy is not a meld card itself, the back face’s characteristics are actually used for the spell’s characteristics. The back face has no card type and the CR do not provide instructions on how to resolve a typeless spell; as a result, nothing happens to the spell during its resolution and it remains on the stack. Unless a player counters the spell or otherwise removes it from the stack, the game enters a loop of mandatory actions and is a draw [CR 731.4].
Copies of double-faced instant or sorcery spells continue to not be double-faced themselves.
Copy [a double-faced card]
Previously, only a copy of a nonmodal or modal double-faced card would be double-faced itself. WotC expanded rule 712.11a to imply that copying any double-faced card will result in a double-faced copy.
Notably, a copy of a meld card is now a double-faced object. The characteristic values of its front face match the copiable values of the original’s front face, while its back face has no characteristic values.
Conclusion
So, these are quite a lot of changes to how double-faced cards function. They look bizarre and inconsistent and more unintuitive compared to the previous behavior. Furthermore, many of these points are not made explicit by the CR, but have to be carefully derived from the combination of two or three different rules (or the absence of a rule).
And yet, this rules update may be the best one in quite a while, for it shows to me that WotC’s rules team has finally caught up with the rest of R&D:
The rise of the Commander format made WotC rethink how much complexity players are willing to handle. Over the past decade, they have “embraced the complexity,” and adjusted their work processes accordingly: more text on cards, higher numbers of alternate artworks, more frequent product releases, a wider variety of products, more Magic stories.
About the only area where complexity stagnated or even went down were Magic’s game rules. For the last few years, rules updates have been pretty bare-bones, with rules added to cover new mechanics, but little in the way of correcting or improving existing rules.2 Combined with the well-known fact that judges and other rules-minded people never actually play the game itself, it becomes clear that this important community segment lost out on all those innovations in complexity.
The Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update is a promising start into a grand new future where the complexity of CR updates is once again on par with the rest of Magic.
Compared with the actual update, merely thinking about how previous generations of the rules team might have implemented transforming modal double-faced cards almost puts me to sleep.
Such a rules team might have decided that transforming, being transformed, and all the stuff about double-faced copies should be restricted to nonmodal and modal double-faced cards—objects with an actual complete back face. They would have introduced a new term to distinguish those two kinds of double-faced cards from meld cards, and used that term consistently throughout the CR.3
Or perhaps that team would have taken the more radical approach of reverting part of the March of the Machine update. Prior to that update, meld cards and melded permanents had not been classified as double-faced objects, but as their own distinct group (albeit with many similar rules). This approach would have automatically come with terms to distinguish nonmodal and modal double-faced cards from meld cards: “double-faced cards” and “meld cards.”
Of course, that last approach is not feasible, since it would be a functional change. Today, thousands of players all over the world rely on Overgrown Pest to get Urza, Lord Protector from their library into their hand; legions need The Mightstone and Weakstone to trigger Tetzin, Gnome Champion’s ability; entire formats are built around the interaction between Invasion of Pyrulea and Titania, Voice of Gaea. Extracting meld cards from the group of double-faced cards would invalidate all these strategies overnight, and WotC would never upset their fans in such a way.
Thankfully, the era of boring rules design, of explicit terms and clear sentences, seems to be over. The future belongs to bold and exciting rules updates, with convoluted and fragmented rules that will challenge the understanding of even the most dedicated fans. If a rules update takes longer to solve than the new Standard metagame, the rules enthusiasts’ utopia will be at hand.
Changes to card types, supertypes, and/or subtypes
New artifact types: Infinity and Stone.
New creature types: Symbiote and Villain.
Changes to glossary entries
New glossary entries: Harness, harnessed, infinity, mayhem, and web-slinging.
Changed glossary entries: Incubator token, modal double-faced cards, and transforming double-faced cards.
Renamed glossary entries: Nonmodal double-faced card (note the nonstandard singular).
Legal information
WotC added the following paragraph to the legal information at the end of the CR:
© 2025 MARVEL.
Oracle changes
Note: Most of the time, I will list only the changed parts of a card’s Oracle text, rather than the complete text of the card.
Reducing card name usage in rules text, part V (nonfunctional)
The Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update features two new cards with unusual but justifiable wordings, two new cards whose wordings do not conform to WotC’s guidelines, and four “feature reductions” for existing cards.
Gwen Stacy
Gwen Stacy’s enters-the-battlefield ability uses “this creature” rather than the card’s name. This wording is likely due to the card’s transform ability; it clarifies that the exiled card may be played after the permanent has transformed into Ghost-Spider, when its name is no longer Gwen Stacy.
When Gwen Stacy enters, exile the top card of your library. You may play that card for as long as you control this creature.
Lizard, Connors’s Curse
Lizard, Connors’s Curse uses its full name in the enters-the-battlefield ability, rather than the shortened name. This is likely to distinguish it from the Lizard creature type also appearing in the ability’s text.
Lizard Formula – When Lizard, Connors’s Curse enters, up to one other target creature loses all abilities and becomes a green Lizard creature with base power and toughness 4/4.
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter uses its full name rather than the shortened name, which is inconsistent with the templating guidelines.
Whenever a creature an opponent controls with the greatest power among creatures that player controls dies, draw a card and put a +1/+1 counter on Kraven the Hunter.
Cren of the Spider Brood
Cren of the Spider Brood uses its full name rather than the shortened name, which is inconsistent with the templating guidelines.
{2}: Put a +1/+1 counter on Cren of the Spider Brood. He gains hexproof and becomes colorless until end of turn.
Cyclopean Giant, Moorland Rescuer, and Skyfisher Spider
As part of the Aetherdrift update, WotC had changed the second self-reference in Cyclopean Giant’s text to “this creature,” which was inconsistent with the templating guidelines.
With the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update, WotC changed that self-reference to “this card,” thus making the wording guideline-compliant.
The same applies to self-references in the text of Moorland Rescuer and Skyfisher Spider.
Old rules text (example):
When this creature dies, target land becomes a Swamp. Exile this creature.
New rules text (example):
When this creature dies, target land becomes a Swamp. Exile this card.
Zurgo’s Vanguard
The printed text of Zurgo’s Vanguard uses “this creature” as a self-reference, which is inconsistent with the templating guidelines. An ability that functions in all game zones, such as a characteristic-defining ability, should use the card name.
With the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update, WotC changed that self-reference to use the card name, thus making the wording guideline-compliant.
Old ability text:
This creature’s power is equal to the number of creatures you control.
New ability text:
Zurgo’s Vanguard’s power is equal to the number of creatures you control.
Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man errata
WotC issued a large number of pre-release errata which change subtypes to (as yet undefined) card types. These errata affect all cards newly printed in the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man release, as well as all reprint versions that are part of the release.
The errata replace the em dash on the type line with a hyphen-minus. Since the CR define subtypes as appearing after a long dash [CR 205.3b], removing the em dash automatically moves the former subtypes into the card-type part of the type line.
As a result, each card printed with the creature card type and the Spider, Human, and Hero subtypes now has the creature card type, three undefined card types named “spider,” “human,” and “hero,” and no subtypes. Other cards and reprint versions are affected accordingly.
More card versions which lose their subtypes (functional)
Card versions from FINAL FANTASY Through the Ages received updates similar to the errata detailed above: WotC removed the subtypes of those card versions and replaced them with identically named, undefined card types. Other versions of those cards retain their subtypes.
This update applies to the FINAL FANTASY Through the Ages versions of: Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Ranger-Captain of Eos, Sram, Senior Edificer, Urza, Lord High Artificer, Venser, Shaper Savant, Syr Konrad, the Grim, Yawgmoth, Thran Physician, Ancient Copper Dragon, Godo, Bandit Warlord, Purphoros, God of the Forge, Azusa, Lost but Seeking, Nyxbloom Ancient, Jodah, the Unifier, Tymna the Weaver, Winota, Joiner of Forces, Traxos, Scourge of Kroog, Danitha Capashen, Paragon, Kenrith, the Returned King, Loran of the Third Path, Mangara, the Diplomat, Wall of Omens, Laboratory Maniac, Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor, K’rrik, Son of Yawgmoth, Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire, Captain Lannery Storm, Najeela, the Blade-Blossom, Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, Fynn, the Fangbearer, Primeval Titan, Atraxa, Grand Unifier, Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder, Inalla, Archmage Ritualist, Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker, Isshin, Two Heavens as One, Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy, Kraum, Ludevic’s Opus, Muldrotha, the Gravetide, Thrasios, Triton Hero, Vial Smasher the Fierce, Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow, and Smuggler’s Copter.
Renamed Adventures (functional)
With the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update, WotC changed the names of the Adventures of four cards from Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY and Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY Commander.
This update applies to: Lindblum, Industrial Regency, Midgar, City of Mako, Zanarkand, Ancient Metropolis, and Hildibrand Manderville.
Old Oracle text (example):
Lindblum, Industrial Regency
Land – Town
This land enters tapped.
{T}: Add {R}.
//ADV//
Mage Siege
{2}{R}
Instant – Adventure
Create a 0/1 black Wizard creature token with “Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this token deals 1 damage to each opponent.”
New Oracle text (example):
Lindblum, Industrial Regency
Land – Town
This land enters tapped.
{T}: Add {R}.
//ADV//
Siege Siege
{2}{R}
Instant – Adventure
Create a 0/1 black Wizard creature token with “Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this token deals 1 damage to each opponent.”
Yet more cards which lose their rules text (functional)
Continuing what they began in the Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY and Edge of Eternities updates, WotC vanilla-fied another couple of cards by removing their entire rules text.
This update applies to: Aerathi Berserker, Who // What // When // Where // Why, and Strutting Turkey.
Old Oracle text (example):
Aerathi Berserker
{2}{R}{R}{R}
Creature – Human Berserker
Rampage 3 (Whenever this creature becomes blocked, it gets +3/+3 until end of turn for each creature blocking it beyond the first.)
2/4
New Oracle text (example):
Cards which regain their types (functional)
With the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update, WotC partially reversed the removal of card types and subtypes from the Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY update. Specifically, two cards printed with the Room subtype regained their prior types; the remaining twenty-six (former) Room cards and the handful of other cards remain typeless.
This update applies to: Bottomless Pool // Locker Room and Central Elevator // Promising Stairs.
Old Oracle text (example):
New Oracle text (example):
Bottomless Pool
{U}
When you unlock this door, return up to one target creature to its owner’s hand.
Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, draw a card.
Locker Room
{4}{U}
When you unlock this door, return up to one target creature to its owner’s hand.
Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, draw a card.
Enchantment — Room
(You may cast either half. That door unlocks on the battlefield. As a sorcery, you may pay the mana cost of a locked door to unlock it.)
New rules text for split cards (functional)
As part of the Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY and Edge of Eternities updates, WotC had removed the rules text of all split cards, making them vanilla sorceries, instants, or enchantments.
With the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man update, WotC reversed course by restoring the rules text of almost all split cards and by giving each half some additional rules text as compensation. Specifically, each half now has its own prior rules text in addition to the other half’s prior rules text; effectively, both halves of a split card now have the same rules text.
This update applies to: all split cards except for Farm // Market, Claim // Fame, Struggle // Survive, Appeal // Authority, Leave // Chance, Reason // Believe, Grind // Dust, Refuse // Cooperate, and Driven // Despair.
Old Oracle text (example):
New Oracle text (example):
Wear
{1}{R}
Instant
Destroy target artifact.
Destroy target enchantment.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Tear
{W}
Instant
Destroy target artifact.
Destroy target enchantment.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Reanimate (nonfunctional)
The second sentence of Reanimate‘s rules text was rewritten to make it clearer that the mana value of the card in the graveyard is used as the basis of the life loss.
Old rules text:
Put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. You lose life equal to its mana value.
New rules text:
Put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. You lose life equal to that card’s mana value.
Defabricate (nonfunctional)
The self-replacement effect of Defabricate‘s first mode was slightly rewritten to match the standard wording for such effects.
Old rules text:
Choose one –
* Counter target artifact or enchantment spell. If a spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it into its owner’s graveyard.
* Counter target activated or triggered ability.
New rules text:
Choose one –
* Counter target artifact or enchantment spell. If that spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it into its owner’s graveyard.
* Counter target activated or triggered ability.
Bestow reminder text (nonfunctional)
The bestow reminder text of cards printed before 2024 was shortened to match the reminder text used for newer cards.
This update applies to: Celestial Archon, Heliod’s Emissary, Hopeful Eidolon, Observant Alseid, Nimbus Naiad, Thassa’s Emissary, Baleful Eidolon, Cavern Lampad, Erebos’s Emissary, Nighthowler, Purphoros’s Emissary, Spearpoint Oread, Boon Satyr, Leafcrown Dryad, Nylea’s Emissary, Eidolon of Countless Battles, Ghostblade Eidolon, Nyxborn Shieldmate, Flitterstep Eidolon, Nyxborn Triton, Herald of Torment, Nyxborn Eidolon, Spiteful Returned, Everflame Eidolon, Nyxborn Rollicker, Noble Quarry, Nyxborn Wolf, Chromanticore, Sightless Brawler, Crystalline Nautilus, Hypnotic Siren, Gnarled Scarhide, Mogis’s Warhound, Spirespine, and Kestia, the Cultivator.
Old ability text (example):
Bestow {3}{G}{W}{U} (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it’s an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it’s not attached to a creature.)
New ability text (example):
Bestow {3}{G}{W}{U} (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it’s an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it’s not attached.)
Gatherer ruling changes (nonfunctional)
Aerathi Berserker
One ruling was removed from Aerathi Berserker’s Gatherer page.
There is a typographical error in the title of the card so that the “Ae” does not appear.
Relentless Assault
The wording of three of Relentless Assault’s rulings got updated.
Old text:
Abilities that trigger when a creature attacks, blocks, or is blocked will trigger during each combat that turn. Thus, a creature with Rampage will get the bonus added during each attack.
A creature that must attack each turn, must only attack once that turn. It is not forced into each attack that turn.
It only creates an additional combat and main phase if it resolves during a main phase.
New text:
Abilities that trigger when a creature attacks, blocks, or is blocked will trigger during each combat that turn.
A creature that attacks each turn if able must attack only once that turn. It is not forced into each attack that turn. However, a creature that attacks each combat if able must attack again if it can.
Relentless Assault creates an additional combat and main phase only if it resolves during a main phase.
Reanimate
The wording of one of Reanimate’s rulings got updated.
Old text:
If a card in a player’s graveyard has {X} in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
New text:
If a card in a graveyard has {X} in its mana cost, X is 0.
Tangle
An almost duplicate ruling was added to Tangle’s Gatherer page.
The creatures that are not going to untap are determined at the time this spell resolves.
Traumatize
One ruling was removed from Traumatize’s Gatherer page.
The player can put the cards in their graveyard in any order they choose.
Who // What // When // Where // Why
One ruling was removed from Who // What // When // Where // Why’s Gatherer page.
Who / What / Where / When / Why is a five-way split card. It works just like other split cards, except there are more options when you cast it.
Mindbreak Trap
One ruling was added to Mindbreak Trap’s Gatherer page.
For Mindbreak Trap’s alternative cost to apply, a single opponent must cast three or more spells. Three opponents each casting a single spell won’t work, for example.
The wording of one ruling got updated.
Old text:
If a spell is exiled, it’s removed from the stack and thus will not resolve. The spell isn’t countered; it just no longer exists. This works on spells that can’t be countered, such as Terra Stomper.
New text:
If a spell is exiled, it’s removed from the stack and thus will not resolve. The spell isn’t countered; it just no longer exists. This works on spells that can’t be countered.
Rite of Replication
Two rulings were removed from Rite of Replication’s Gatherer page.
If the targeted creature is an illegal target when Rite of Replication tries to resolve, it won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won’t create any tokens.
The tokens see each other enter. If they have a triggered ability that triggers when a creature enters, they’ll all trigger for one another.
One ruling was added.
Kicker [cost] means “You may pay an additional [cost] as you cast this spell.”
The wording of four rulings got updated.
Old text:
Each token copies exactly what was printed on the original creature (unless that permanent is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or any Auras or Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its types, color, power and toughness, and so on.
If the copied creature is a token, the new token that’s created copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created the token.
If the copied creature is copying something else, then the token enters as whatever that creature copied.
Any “enters” abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the token enters. Any “as [this creature] enters” or “[this creature] enters with” abilities of the target creature will also work.
New text:
The tokens copy exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else (unless that permanent is itself copying something else; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that permanent is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
If the copied creature is copying something else, then the tokens enter the battlefield as whatever that creature copied.
If the copied creature is a token, the tokens created copy the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created that token.
Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the token enters the battlefield. Any “as [this creature] enters” or “[this creature] enters with” abilities of the creature will also work.
Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
Three rulings were added to Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon’s Gatherer page.
Activating the regeneration ability creates a replacement effect that acts like a shield, replacing the next time Skithiryx would be destroyed that turn. The shield works against effects that try to destroy Skithiryx or lethal damage that would be dealt to Skithiryx.
If the regeneration shield is used, Skithiryx isn’t destroyed, all damage marked on Skithiryx is healed, it becomes tapped, and it’s removed from combat (if applicable).
Skithiryx can regenerate even if it isn’t in combat, it’s already tapped, or it’s undamaged.
The wording of one ruling got updated.
Old text:
Damage that a creature with infect deals doesn’t result in damage being marked on a creature or a player losing life. Instead, it results in that many -1/-1 counters being put on that creature or that many poison counters being given to that player. Damage dealt to planeswalkers still results in that planeswalker losing that many loyalty counters.
New text:
Damage that a creature with infect deals doesn’t result in damage being marked on a creature or a player losing life. Instead, it results in that many -1/-1 counters being put on that creature or that many poison counters being given to that player. Damage dealt to planeswalkers still results in that planeswalker losing that many loyalty counters. Damage dealt to battles still results in that battle losing that many defense counters.
Beast Within
An almost duplicate ruling was removed from Beast Within’s Gatherer page.
If the permanent is still a legal target but is not destroyed (perhaps because it regenerated or has indestructible), its controller still gets the Beast token.
Strutting Turkey
Two rulings were removed from Strutting Turkey’s Gatherer page.
Cards with no mana costs (including cards with augment) have a mana value of 0.
If you exile a card with augment but don’t control a host, the card with augment stays in exile. It won’t enter the battlefield.
Fake Your Own Death
A typo in one of Fake Your Own Death’s rulings was fixed.
Old text:
If the target creature is a token, the ability still triggers when it dies. Its controller won’t return the token to the battlefield, but they will creature a Treasure token.
New text:
If the target creature is a token, the ability still triggers when it dies. Its controller won’t return the token to the battlefield, but they will create a Treasure token.
Saw in Half
The wording of five of Saw in Half’s rulings got updated.
Old text:
Except for power and toughness, the token copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else (unless that creature was copying something else or it’s a token; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that creature was tapped or untapped, whether it had any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, and so on.
If the copied creature had {X} in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
If the chosen creature was a token, the new tokens copy the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created the token, plus the listed exceptions.
If the copied creature was copying something else, then the tokens enter the battlefield as whatever that creature copied, with the exceptions noted above.
Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the tokens enter the battlefield. Any “as [this creature] enters the battlefield” or “[this creature] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the chosen creature will also work.
New text:
Except for power and toughness, the tokens copy exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else (unless that creature was copying something else or it’s a token; see below). They don’t copy whether that creature was tapped or untapped, whether it had any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, and so on.
If the copied creature had {X} in its mana cost, X is 0.
If the copied creature was a token, the new tokens copy the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created the token, with the listed exceptions.
If the copied creature was copying something else, then the tokens enter the battlefield as whatever that creature copied, with the listed exceptions.
Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the tokens enter the battlefield. Any “as [this creature] enters” or “[this creature] enters with” abilities of the copied creature will also work.
Reprieve
The wording of Reprieve’s ruling got updated.
Old text:
If a spell is returned to its owner’s hand, it’s removed from the stack and thus will not resolve. The spell isn’t countered; it just no longer exists. This works against a spell that can’t be countered.
New text:
If a spell is returned to its owner’s hand, it’s removed from the stack and thus will not resolve. This works against a spell that can’t be countered.
Vincent’s Limit Break
The reference to state-based actions was removed from one of Vincent’s Limit Break’s rulings.
Old text:
If the target creature is a token, the ability still triggers when it dies, but you won’t return the token to the battlefield because it’ll cease to exist when state-based actions are checked.
New text:
If the target creature is a token, the ability still triggers when it dies, but you won’t return the token to the battlefield.