Reach is a somewhat unusual keyword abilities for a few reasons. Like a few other keyword abilities, it has been around since the start of Magic–it just didn’t become a keyword ability until much later. Another unusual fact about reach is that it is specifically mentioned in the rules governing another keyword ability: flying. Reach, […]
Category: Keywords
Transform (double-faced cards) is different from Morph.
Flipping cards over is not a new thing in Magic–the morph mechanic has been around since the Onslaught block. However, turning a card face-down is very different from transforming a double-faced card. These two effects are very different and do not interact at all (in fact, it’s impossible to ever turn a double-faced card face-down). […]
What Transform means and how it works.
Transform is a keyword action that appears on the all of the double-faced cards and . Transform is not a keyword ability, as the word itself does not signify the entire ability; rather, it is a keyword action like cast, exchange and exile. When a creature transforms, it turns over. Its base characteristics are those […]
Lifelink is not cumulative.
Giving a creature the lifelink ability more than once will not do anything more than if it had the ability once. The ability is not cumulative and creatures that have the ability more than once will not cause their controller to gain more life than the damage dealt. For example, gives a targeted creature +2/+2 […]
How Fight works.
Fight is a keyword action that covers a concept that has been around for awhile. It means that two creatures each deal damage to each other equal to their power. Its pretty straight forward, and the word ‘fight’ is a lot shorter than saying something like “these two creatures deal damage to each other equal […]
How Morbid works.
Morbid is an new ability word introduced in Innistrad. Ability words used to connect abilities but without putting specific rules that govern the ability in the comprehensive rules. Everything you need to know about how Morbid works appears on each card. Morbid abilities can be static, triggered or activated and they can continuous, one-shot or […]
How Flashback works
Flashback, a keyword ability that appears on instant and sorceries, is making its third trip back to Magic expansions tomorrow when Innistrad is released. To get you prepared for the prerelease here are some general rules on how Flashback works. Flashback is actually two different static abilities. The first creates an alternate play cost and […]
What ‘cast’ means
Casting a spell means to take a card (and sometimes a copy of a card) from the zone that it is in and put it on the stack, pay all necessary costs and wait for it to resolve and affect the game. Cast was initially an informal term and the official phrase was to ‘play […]
How Storm works.
Storm is a keyword ability that first appeared in Scourge and made a return visit in Time Spiral block. Storm is also a triggered ability that triggers when a spell with storm is cast. This trigger will go on the stack on top of the spell itself and it will resolve first. When this trigger […]