These Magic rules apply to any Magic game with two or more players, including two-player games and multiplayer games.

A two-player game is a game that begins with only two players.

A multiplayer game is a game that begins with more than two players. See section 8, “Multiplayer Rules.”

To play, each player needs their own deck of traditional Magic cards, small items to represent any tokens and counters, and some way to clearly track life totals.

In constructed play (a way of playing in which each player creates their own deck ahead of time), each deck has a minimum deck size of 60 cards. A constructed deck may contain any number of basic land cards and no more than four of any card with a particular English name other than basic land cards.

In limited play (a way of playing in which each player gets the same quantity of unopened Magic product such as booster packs and creates their own deck using only this product and basic land cards), each deck has a minimum deck size of 40 cards. A limited deck may contain as many duplicates of a card as are included with the product.

Commander decks are subject to additional deckbuilding restrictions and requirements. See rule 903, “Commander,” for details.

Some casual variants require additional items, such as specially designated cards, nontraditional Magic cards, and dice. See section 9, “Casual Variants.”

Each player may also have a sideboard, which is a group of additional cards the player may use to modify their deck between games of a match.

In constructed play, a sideboard may contain no more than fifteen cards. The four-card limit (see rule 100.2a) applies to the combined deck and sideboard.

In limited play involving individual players, all cards in a player’s card pool not included in their deck are in that player’s sideboard.

In limited play involving the Two-Headed Giant multiplayer variant, all cards in a team’s card pool but not in either player’s deck are in that team’s sideboard.

In limited play involving other multiplayer team variants, each card in a team’s card pool but not in any player’s deck is assigned to the sideboard of one of those players. Each player has their own sideboard; cards may not be transferred between players.

If a deck must contain at least a certain number of cards, that number is referred to as a minimum deck size. There is no maximum deck size for non-Commander decks.

Most Magic tournaments (organized play activities where players compete against other players to win prizes) have additional rules covered in the Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules (found at WPN.Wizards.com/en/resources/rules-documents). These rules may limit the use of some cards, including barring all cards from some older sets.

Tournaments usually consist of a series of matches. A two-player match usually involves playing until one player has won two games. A multiplayer match usually consists of only one game.

Players can use the Magic Store & Event Locator at Wizards.com/Locator to find tournaments in their area.

Certain promotional cards and cards in the Unglued, Unhinged, and Unstable sets are printed with a silver border. These cards are intended for casual play and may have features and text that aren’t covered by these rules.

Whenever a card’s text directly contradicts these rules, the card takes precedence. The card overrides only the rule that applies to that specific situation. The only exception is that a player can concede the game at any time (see rule 104.3a).

When a rule or effect allows or directs something to happen, and another effect states that it can’t happen, the “can’t” effect takes precedence.
Example: If one effect reads “You may play an additional land this turn” and another reads “You can’t play lands this turn,” the effect that precludes you from playing lands wins.

Adding abilities to objects and removing abilities from objects don’t fall under this rule. (See rule 113.10.)

Any part of an instruction that’s impossible to perform is ignored. (In many cases the card will specify consequences for this; if it doesn’t, there’s no effect.)

If multiple players would make choices and/or take actions at the same time, the active player (the player whose turn it is) makes any choices required, then the next player in turn order (usually the player seated to the active player’s left) makes any choices required, followed by the remaining nonactive players in turn order. Then the actions happen simultaneously. This rule is often referred to as the “Active Player, Nonactive Player (APNAP) order” rule.
Example: A card reads “Each player sacrifices a creature.” First, the active player chooses a creature they control. Then each of the nonactive players, in turn order, chooses a creature they control. Then all creatures chosen this way are sacrificed simultaneously.

If an effect has each player choose a card in a hidden zone, such as their hand or library, those cards may remain face down as they’re chosen. However, each player must clearly indicate which face-down card they are choosing.

A player knows the choices made by the previous players when making their choice, except as specified in 101.4a.

If a player would make more than one choice at the same time, the player makes the choices in the order specified. If no order is specified, the player chooses the order.

If a choice made by a nonactive player causes the active player, or a different nonactive player earlier in the turn order, to have to make a choice, APNAP order is restarted for all outstanding choices.

If multiple players would make choices or take actions while starting the game, the starting player is considered the active player and each other player is considered a nonactive player.

A player is one of the people in the game. The active player is the player whose turn it is. The other players are nonactive players.

In a two-player game, a player’s opponent is the other player.

In a multiplayer game between teams, a player’s teammates are the other players on their team, and the player’s opponents are all players not on their team.

A spell or ability may use the term “your team” as shorthand for “you and/or your teammates.” In a game that isn’t a multiplayer game between teams, “your team” means the same thing as “you.”

At the start of a game, the players determine which one of them will choose who takes the first turn. In the first game of a match (including a single-game match), the players may use any mutually agreeable method (flipping a coin, rolling dice, etc.) to do so. In a match of several games, the loser of the previous game chooses who takes the first turn. If the previous game was a draw, the player who made the choice in that game makes the choice in this game. The player chosen to take the first turn is the starting player. The game’s default turn order begins with the starting player and proceeds clockwise.

In a game using the shared team turns option, there is a starting team rather than a starting player.

In an Archenemy game, these methods aren’t used to determine who takes the first turn. Rather, the archenemy takes the first turn.

One card (Power Play) states that its controller is the starting player. This effect applies after this determination has happened and supersedes these methods.

After the starting player has been determined, each player shuffles their deck so that the cards are in a random order. Each player may then shuffle or cut their opponents’ decks. The players’ decks become their libraries.

If a player is using a sideboard (see rule 100.4) or cards being represented by substitute cards (see rule 713), those cards are set aside before shuffling.

If a player wishes to reveal a card with a companion ability that they own from outside the game, they may do so after setting aside their sideboard. A player may reveal no more than one card this way, and they may do so only if their deck fulfills the condition of that card’s companion ability. (See rule 702.139, “Companion.”)

In a Commander game, each player puts their commander from their deck face up into the command zone after having the opportunity to reveal a card with a companion ability and before shuffling. See rule 903.6.

In a Conspiracy Draft game, each player puts any number of conspiracy cards from their sideboard into the command zone before shuffling. See rule 905.4.

Each player begins the game with a starting life total of 20. Some variant games have different starting life totals.

In a Two-Headed Giant game, each team’s starting life total is 30.

In a Vanguard game, each player’s starting life total is 20 plus or minus the life modifier of their vanguard card.

In a Commander game, each player’s starting life total is 40.

In a two-player Brawl game, each player’s starting life total is 25. In a multiplayer Brawl game, each player’s starting life total is 30.

In an Archenemy game, the archenemy’s starting life total is 40.

Each player draws a number of cards equal to their starting hand size, which is normally seven. (Some effects can modify a player’s starting hand size.) A player who is dissatisfied with their initial hand may take a mulligan. First, the starting player declares whether they will take a mulligan. Then each other player in turn order does the same. Once each player has made a declaration, all players who decided to take mulligans do so at the same time. To take a mulligan, a player shuffles the cards in their hand back into their library, draws a new hand of cards equal to their starting hand size, then puts a number of those cards equal to the number of times that player has taken a mulligan on the bottom of their library in any order. Once a player chooses not to take a mulligan, the remaining cards become that player’s opening hand, and that player may not take any further mulligans. This process is then repeated until no player takes a mulligan. A player can take mulligans until their opening hand would be zero cards, after which they may not take further mulligans.

In a Vanguard game, each player’s starting hand size is seven plus or minus the hand modifier of their vanguard card.

If an effect allows a player to perform an action “any time [that player] could mulligan,” the player may perform that action at a time they would declare whether they will take a mulligan. This need not be in the first round of mulligans. Other players may have already made their mulligan declarations by the time the player has the option to perform this action. If the player performs the action, they then declare whether they will take a mulligan.

In a multiplayer game and in any Brawl game, the first mulligan a player takes doesn’t count toward the number of cards that player will put on the bottom of their library or the number of mulligans that player may take. Subsequent mulligans are counted toward these numbers as normal.

In a multiplayer game using the shared team turns option, first each player on the starting team declares whether that player will take a mulligan, then the players on each other team in turn order do the same. Teammates may consult while making their decisions. Then all mulligans are taken at the same time. A player may take a mulligan even after a teammate has decided to keep their opening hand.

Some cards allow a player to take actions with them from their opening hand. Once the mulligan process (see rule 103.4) is complete, the starting player may take any such actions in any order. Then each other player in turn order may do the same.

If a card allows a player to begin the game with that card on the battlefield, the player taking this action puts that card onto the battlefield.

If a card allows a player to reveal it from their opening hand, the player taking this action does so. The card remains revealed until the first turn begins. Each card may be revealed this way only once.

In a multiplayer game using the shared team turns option, first each player on the starting team, in whatever order that team likes, may take such actions. Teammates may consult while making their decisions. Then each player on each other team in turn order does the same.

In a Planechase game, the starting player moves the top card of their planar deck off that planar deck and turns it face up. If it’s a phenomenon card, the player puts that card on the bottom of their planar deck and repeats this process until a plane card is turned face up. The face-up plane card becomes the starting plane. (See rule 901, “Planechase.”)

The starting player takes their first turn.

In a two-player game, the player who plays first skips the draw step (see rule 504, “Draw Step”) of their first turn.

In a Two-Headed Giant game, the team who plays first skips the draw step of their first turn.

In all other multiplayer games, no player skips the draw step of their first turn.

A game ends immediately when a player wins, when the game is a draw, or when the game is restarted.

A player still in the game wins the game if that player’s opponents have all left the game. This happens immediately and overrides all effects that would preclude that player from winning the game.

An effect may state that a player wins the game.

In a multiplayer game between teams, a team with at least one player still in the game wins the game if all other teams have left the game. Each player on the winning team wins the game, even if one or more of those players had previously lost that game.

In an Emperor game, a team wins the game if its emperor wins the game. (See rule 809.5.)

A player can concede the game at any time. A player who concedes leaves the game immediately. That player loses the game.

If a player’s life total is 0 or less, that player loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)

If a player is required to draw more cards than are left in their library, they draw the remaining cards and then lose the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)

If a player has ten or more poison counters, that player loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)

An effect may state that a player loses the game.

If a player would both win and lose the game simultaneously, that player loses the game.

In a multiplayer game between teams, a team loses the game if all players on that team have lost the game.

In a multiplayer game using the limited range of influence option (see rule 801), an effect that states that a player wins the game instead causes all of that player’s opponents within the player’s range of influence to lose the game. This may not cause the game to end.

In an Emperor game, a team loses the game if its emperor loses the game. (See rule 809.5.)

In a Commander game, a player that’s been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same commander over the course of the game loses the game. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704. See also rule 903.10.)

In a tournament, a player may lose the game as a result of a penalty given by a judge. See rule 100.6.

There are several ways for the game to be a draw.

If all the players remaining in a game lose simultaneously, the game is a draw.

If a game that’s not using the limited range of influence option (including a two-player game) somehow enters a “loop” of mandatory actions, repeating a sequence of events with no way to stop, the game is a draw. Loops that contain an optional action don’t result in a draw.

An effect may state that the game is a draw.

In a multiplayer game between teams, the game is a draw if all remaining teams lose simultaneously.

In a multiplayer game using the limited range of influence option, the effect of a spell or ability that states that the game is a draw causes the game to be a draw for that spell or ability’s controller and all players within their range of influence. Only those players leave the game; the game continues for all other players.

In a multiplayer game using the limited range of influence option, if the game somehow enters a “loop” of mandatory actions, repeating a sequence of events with no way to stop, the game is a draw for each player who controls an object that’s involved in that loop, as well as for each player within the range of influence of any of those players. Only those players leave the game; the game continues for all other players.

In a multiplayer game between teams, the game is a draw for a team if the game is a draw for all remaining players on that team.

In the Emperor variant, the game is a draw for a team if the game is a draw for its emperor. (See rule 809.5.)

In a tournament, all players in the game may agree to an intentional draw. See rule 100.6.

If a player loses the game, that player leaves the game. If the game is a draw for a player, that player leaves the game. The multiplayer rules handle what happens when a player leaves the game; see rule 800.4.

One card (Karn Liberated) restarts the game. All players still in the game when it restarts then immediately begin a new game. See rule 719, “Restarting the Game.”

There are five colors in the Magic game: white, blue, black, red, and green.

An object can be one or more of the five colors, or it can be no color at all. An object is the color or colors of the mana symbols in its mana cost, regardless of the color of its frame. An object’s color or colors may also be defined by a color indicator or a characteristic-defining ability. See rule 202.2.

Rulebook

1) Game Concepts

100) General

101) The Magic Golden Rules

102) Players

103) Starting the Game

104) Ending the Game

105) Colors

106) Mana

107) Numbers and Symbols

108) Cards

109) Objects

110) Permanents

111) Tokens

112) Spells

113) Abilities

114) Emblems

115) Targets

116) Special Actions

117) Timing and Priority

118) Costs

119) Life

120) Damage

121) Drawing a Card

122) Counters

2) Parts of a Card

200) General

201) Name

202) Mana Cost and Color

203) Illustration

204) Color Indicator

205) Type Line

206) Expansion Symbol

207) Text Box

208) Power/Toughness

209) Loyalty

210) Hand Modifier

211) Life Modifier

212) Information Below the Text Box

3) Card Types

300) General

301) Artifacts

302) Creatures

303) Enchantments

304) Instants

305) Lands

306) Planeswalkers

307) Sorceries

308) Tribals

309) Planes

310) Phenomena

311) Vanguards

312) Schemes

313) Conspiracies

4) Zones

400) General

401) Library

402) Hand

403) Battlefield

404) Graveyard

405) Stack

406) Exile

407) Ante

408) Command

5) Turn Structure

500) General

501) Beginning Phase

502) Untap Step

503) Upkeep Step

504) Draw Step

506) Combat Phase

507) Beginning of Combat Step

508) Declare Attackers Step

509) Declare Blockers Step

510) Combat Damage Step

511) End of Combat Step

512) Ending Phase

513) End Step

514) Cleanup Step

6) Spells, Abilities, and Effects