5. Turn Structure

500. General
500.1. A turn consists of five phases, in this order: beginning, precombat main, combat, postcombat
main, and ending. Each of these phases takes place every turn, even if nothing happens during the
phase. The beginning, combat, and ending phases are further broken down into steps, which
proceed in order.


500.2. A phase or step in which players receive priority ends when the stack is empty and all players
pass in succession. Simply having the stack become empty doesn’t cause such a phase or step to
end; all players have to pass in succession with the stack empty. Because of this, each player gets a
chance to add new things to the stack before that phase or step ends.
500.3. A step in which no players receive priority ends when all specified actions that take place during
that step are completed. The only such steps are the untap step (see rule 502) and certain cleanup
steps (see rule 514).
500.4. When a step or phase ends, any unused mana left in a player’s mana pool empties. This turnbased
action doesn’t use the stack.
500.5. When a phase or step ends, any effects scheduled to last “until end of” that phase or step expire.
When a phase or step begins, any effects scheduled to last “until” that phase or step expire. Effects
that last “until end of combat” expire at the end of the combat phase, not at the beginning of the end
of combat step. Effects that last “until end of turn” are subject to special rules; see rule 514.2.
500.6. When a phase or step begins, any abilities that trigger “at the beginning of” that phase or step are
added to the stack.
500.7. Some effects can give a player extra turns. They do this by adding the turns directly after the
current turn. If a player gets multiple extra turns or if multiple players get extra turns during a single
turn, the extra turns are added one at a time. The most recently created turn will be taken first.
500.8. Some effects can add phases to a turn. They do this by adding the phases directly after the
specified phase. If multiple extra phases are created after the same phase, the most recently created
phase will occur first.
500.9. Some effects can add steps to a phase. They do this by adding the steps directly after a specified
step or directly before a specified step. If multiple extra steps are created after the same step, the
most recently created step will occur first.
500.10. Some effects can cause a step, phase, or turn to be skipped. To skip a step, phase, or turn is to
proceed past it as though it didn’t exist. See rule 614.10.
500.11. No game events can occur between turns, phases, or steps.
501. Beginning Phase
501.1. The beginning phase consists of three steps, in this order: untap, upkeep, and draw.
502. Untap Step
502.1. First, all phased-in permanents with phasing that the active player controls phase out, and all
phased-out permanents that the active player controlled when they phased out phase in. This all
happens simultaneously. This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack. See rule 702.23, “Phasing.”
502.2. Second, the active player determines which permanents he or she controls will untap. Then he or
she untaps them all simultaneously. This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack. Normally, all of a
player’s permanents untap, but effects can keep one or more of a player’s permanents from
untapping.
502.3. No player receives priority during the untap step, so no spells can be cast or resolve and no
abilities can be activated or resolve. Any ability that triggers during this step will be held until the
next time a player would receive priority, which is usually during the upkeep step. (See rule 503,
“Upkeep Step.”)
503. Upkeep Step
503.1. First, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of the upkeep step and any abilities that triggered
during the turn’s untap step go on the stack. (See rule 603, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”)
503.2. Second, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
504. Draw Step
504.1. First, the active player draws a card. This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack.
504.2. Second, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of the draw step and any other abilities that
have triggered go on the stack.
504.3. Third, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
505. Main Phase
505.1. There are two main phases in a turn. In each turn, the first main phase (also known as the
precombat main phase) and the second main phase (also known as the postcombat main phase) are
separated by the combat phase (see rule 506, “Combat Phase”). The precombat and postcombat
main phases are individually and collectively known as the main phase.
505.1a Only the first main phase of the turn is a precombat main phase. All other main phases are
postcombat main phases. This includes the second main phase of a turn in which the combat
phase has been skipped. It is also true of a turn in which an effect has caused an additional
combat phase and an additional main phase to be created.
505.2. The main phase has no steps, so a main phase ends when all players pass in succession while the
stack is empty. (See rule 500.2.)
505.3. First, but only if the players are playing an Archenemy game (see rule 904), the active player is
the archenemy, and it’s the active player’s precombat main phase, the active player sets the top card
of his or her scheme deck in motion (see rule 701.21). This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack.
505.4. Second, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of the main phase go on the stack. (See rule
603, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”)
505.5. Third, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. The active
player may play a land.
505.5a The main phase is the only phase in which a player can normally cast artifact, creature,
enchantment, planeswalker, and sorcery spells. Only the active player may cast these spells.
505.5b During either main phase, the active player may play one land card from his or her hand if
the stack is empty, if the player has priority, and if he or she hasn’t yet taken this special action
this turn. (See rule 305, “Lands.”) This action doesn’t use the stack. Neither the land nor the
action of playing the land is a spell or ability, so it can’t be countered, and players can’t respond
to it with instants or activated abilities.
506. Combat Phase
506.1. The combat phase has five steps, which proceed in order: beginning of combat, declare attackers,
declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat. The declare blockers and combat damage
steps are skipped if no creatures are declared as attackers or put onto the battlefield attacking (see
rule 508.4). There are two combat damage steps if any attacking or blocking creature has first strike
(see rule 702.7) or double strike (see rule 702.4).
506.2. During the combat phase, the active player is the attacking player; creatures that player controls
may attack. During the combat phase of a two-player game, the nonactive player is the defending
player; that player and planeswalkers he or she controls may be attacked.
506.2a During the combat phase of a multiplayer game, there may be one or more defending
players, depending on the variant being played and the options chosen for it. Unless all the
attacking player’s opponents automatically become defending players during the combat phase,
the attacking player chooses one of his or her opponents as a turn-based action during the
beginning of combat step. (Note that the choice may be dictated by the variant being played or
the options chosen for it.) That player becomes the defending player. See rule 802, “Attack
Multiple Players Option,” rule 803, “Attack Left and Attack Right Options,” and rule 809,
“Emperor Variant.”
506.2b In the Two-Headed Giant multiplayer variant, the nonactive team is the defending team. See
rule 810, “Two-Headed Giant Variant.”
506.3. Only a creature can attack or block. Only a player or a planeswalker can be attacked.
506.3a If an effect would put a noncreature permanent onto the battlefield attacking or blocking, the
permanent does enter the battlefield but it’s never considered to be an attacking or blocking
permanent.
506.3b If an effect would put a creature onto the battlefield attacking under the control of any player
except an attacking player, that creature does enter the battlefield, but it’s never considered to be
an attacking creature.
506.3c If an effect would put a creature onto the battlefield blocking but the creature it would block
isn’t attacking either the first creature’s controller or a planeswalker that player controls, that
creature does enter the battlefield, but it’s never considered to be a blocking creature.
506.4. A permanent is removed from combat if it leaves the battlefield, if its controller changes, if it
phases out, if an effect specifically removes it from combat, if it’s a planeswalker that’s being
attacked and stops being a planeswalker, or if it’s an attacking or blocking creature that regenerates
(see rule 701.11) or stops being a creature. A creature that’s removed from combat stops being an
attacking, blocking, blocked, and/or unblocked creature. A planeswalker that’s removed from
combat stops being attacked.
506.4a Once a creature has been declared as an attacking or blocking creature, spells or abilities that
would have kept that creature from attacking or blocking don’t remove the creature from
combat.
506.4b Tapping or untapping a creature that’s already been declared as an attacker or blocker
doesn’t remove it from combat and doesn’t prevent its combat damage.
506.4c If a creature is attacking a planeswalker, removing that planeswalker from combat doesn’t
remove that creature from combat. It continues to be an attacking creature, although it is
attacking neither a player nor a planeswalker. It may be blocked. If it is unblocked, it will deal
no combat damage.
506.4d A permanent that’s both a blocking creature and a planeswalker that’s being attacked is
removed from combat only if it stops being both a creature and a planeswalker. If it stops being
one of those card types but continues to be the other, it continues to be either a blocking creature
or a planeswalker that’s being attacked, whichever is appropriate.
506.5. A creature attacks alone if it’s the only creature declared as an attacker during the declare
attackers step. A creature is attacking alone if it’s attacking but no other creatures are. A creature
blocks alone if it’s the only creature declared as a blocker during the declare blockers step. A
creature is blocking alone if it’s blocking but no other creatures are.
506.6. Some spells state that they may be cast “only [before/after] [a particular point in the combat
phase],” in which that point may be “attackers are declared,” “blockers are declared,” “the combat
damage step,” “the end of combat step,” “the combat phase,” or “combat.”
506.6a A spell that states it may be cast “only before (or after) attackers are declared” is referring to
the turn-based action of declaring attackers. It may be cast only before (or after) the declare
attackers step begins, regardless of whether any attackers are actually declared. (See rule 508.)
506.6b A spell that states it may be cast “only before (or after) blockers are declared” is referring to
the turn-based action of declaring blockers. It may be cast only before (or after) the declare
blockers step begins, regardless of whether any blockers are actually declared. (See rule 509.)
506.6c Some spells state that they may be cast only “during combat” or “during a certain player’s
combat phase” in addition to the criteria described in rule 506.6. If a turn has multiple combat
phases, such spells may be cast at an appropriate time during any of them.
506.6d Some spells state that they may be cast “only before (or after) [a particular point in the
combat phase],” but don’t meet the additional criteria described in rule 506.6c. If a turn has
multiple combat phases, such spells may be cast that turn only before (or after) the stated point
of the first combat phase.
506.6e If a spell states that it may be cast “only before [a particular point in the combat phase],” but
the stated point doesn’t exist within the relevant combat phase because the declare blockers step
and the combat damage step are skipped (see rule 508.6), then the spell may be cast only before
the declare attackers step ends.
506.6f If a spell states that it may be cast “only during combat after blockers are declared,” but the
declare blockers step is skipped that combat phase (see rule 508.6), then the spell may not be
cast during that combat phase.
506.6g Rules 506.6 and 506.6a–f apply to abilities that state that they may be activated only at
certain times with respect to combat just as they apply to spells that state that they may be cast
only at certain times with respect to combat.
507. Beginning of Combat Step
507.1. First, if the game being played is a multiplayer game in which the active player’s opponent’s
don’t all automatically become defending players, the active player chooses one of his or her
opponents. That player becomes the defending player. This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack.
(See rule 506.2.)
507.2. Second, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of combat go on the stack. (See rule 603,
“Handling Triggered Abilities.”)
507.3. Third, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
508. Declare Attackers Step
508.1. First, the active player declares attackers. This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack. To
declare attackers, the active player follows the steps below, in order. If at any point during the
declaration of attackers, the active player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the
declaration is illegal; the game returns to the moment before the declaration (see rule 715,
“Handling Illegal Actions”).
508.1a The active player chooses which creatures that he or she controls, if any, will attack. The
chosen creatures must be untapped, and each one must either have haste or have been controlled
by the active player continuously since the turn began.
508.1b If the defending player controls any planeswalkers, or the game allows the active player to
attack multiple other players, the active player announces which player or planeswalker each of
the chosen creatures is attacking.
508.1c The active player checks each creature he or she controls to see whether it’s affected by any
restrictions (effects that say a creature can’t attack, or that it can’t attack unless some condition
is met). If any restrictions are being disobeyed, the declaration of attackers is illegal.
Example: A player controls two creatures, each with a restriction that states “[This
creature] can’t attack alone.” It’s legal to declare both as attackers.
508.1d The active player checks each creature he or she controls to see whether it’s affected by any
requirements (effects that say a creature must attack, or that it must attack if some condition is
met). If the number of requirements that are being obeyed is fewer than the maximum possible
number of requirements that could be obeyed without disobeying any restrictions, the
declaration of attackers is illegal. Tapped creatures and creatures that can’t attack unless you
pay a cost are exempt from effects that would require them to attack.
Example: A player controls two creatures: one that “attacks if able” and one with no
abilities. An effect states “No more than one creature can attack each turn.” The only
legal attack is for just the creature that “attacks if able” to attack. It’s illegal to attack
with the other creature, attack with both, or attack with neither.
508.1e If any of the chosen creatures have banding or a “bands with other” ability, the active player
announces which creatures, if any, are banded with which. (See rule 702.19, “Banding.”)
508.1f The active player taps the chosen creatures. Tapping a creature when it’s declared as an
attacker isn’t a cost; attacking simply causes creatures to become tapped.
508.1g If any of the chosen creatures require paying costs to attack, the active player determines the
total cost to attack. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing
permanents, discarding cards, and so on. Once the total cost is determined, it becomes “locked
in.” If effects would change the total cost after this time, ignore this change.
508.1h If any of the costs require mana, the active player then has a chance to activate mana
abilities (see rule 605, “Mana Abilities”).
508.1i Once the player has enough mana in his or her mana pool, he or she pays all costs in any
order. Partial payments are not allowed.
508.1j Each chosen creature still controlled by the active player becomes an attacking creature. It
remains an attacking creature until it’s removed from combat or the combat phase ends,
whichever comes first. See rule 506.4.
508.2. Second, any abilities that triggered on attackers being declared go on the stack. (See rule 603,
“Handling Triggered Abilities.”)
508.2a Abilities that trigger on a creature attacking trigger only at the point the creature is declared
as an attacker. They will not trigger if a creature attacks and then that creature’s characteristics
change to match the ability’s trigger condition.
Example: A permanent has the ability “Whenever a green creature attacks, destroy that
creature at end of combat.” If a blue creature attacks and is later turned green, the
ability will not trigger.
508.3. Third, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
508.4. If a creature is put onto the battlefield attacking, its controller chooses which defending player or
which planeswalker a defending player controls it’s attacking as it enters the battlefield (unless the
effect that put it onto the battlefield specifies what it’s attacking). Such creatures are “attacking”
but, for the purposes of trigger events and effects, they never “attacked.”
508.5. If an ability of an attacking creature refers to a defending player, or a spell or ability refers to
both an attacking creature and a defending player, then unless otherwise specified, the defending
player it’s referring to is the player that creature was attacking at the time it became an attacking
creature that combat, or the controller of the planeswalker that creature was attacking at the time it
became an attacking creature that combat.
508.5a In a multiplayer game, any rule, object, or effect that refers to a “defending player” refers to
one specific defending player, not to all of the defending players. If a spell or ability could apply
to multiple attacking creatures, the appropriate defending player is individually determined for
each of those attacking creatures. If there are multiple defending players that could be chosen,
the controller of the spell or ability chooses one.
508.6. If no creatures are declared as attackers or put onto the battlefield attacking, skip the declare
blockers and combat damage steps.
509. Declare Blockers Step
509.1. First, the defending player declares blockers. This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack. To
declare blockers, the defending player follows the steps below, in order. If at any point during the
declaration of blockers, the defending player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below,
the declaration is illegal; the game returns to the moment before the declaration (see rule 715,
“Handling Illegal Actions”).
509.1a The defending player chooses which creatures that he or she controls, if any, will block. The
chosen creatures must be untapped. For each of the chosen creatures, the defending player
chooses one creature for it to block that’s attacking him, her, or a planeswalker he or she
controls.
509.1b The defending player checks each creature he or she controls to see whether it’s affected by
any restrictions (effects that say a creature can’t block, or that it can’t block unless some
condition is met). If any restrictions are being disobeyed, the declaration of blockers is illegal.
A restriction may be created by an evasion ability (a static ability an attacking creature has
that restricts what can block it). If an attacking creature gains or loses an evasion ability after a
legal block has been declared, it doesn’t affect that block. Different evasion abilities are
cumulative.
Example: An attacking creature with flying and shadow can’t be blocked by a creature
with flying but without shadow.
509.1c The defending player checks each creature he or she controls to see whether it’s affected by
any requirements (effects that say a creature must block, or that it must block if some condition
is met). If the number of requirements that are being obeyed is fewer than the maximum
possible number of requirements that could be obeyed without disobeying any restrictions, the
declaration of blockers is illegal. Tapped creatures and creatures that can’t block unless you pay
a cost are exempt from effects that would require them to block.
Example: A player controls one creature that “blocks if able” and another creature
with no abilities. An effect states “Creatures can’t be blocked except by two or more
creatures.” Having only the first creature block violates the restriction. Having neither
creature block fulfills the restriction but not the requirement. Having both creatures
block the same attacking creature fulfills both the restriction and the requirement, so
that’s the only option.
509.1d If any of the chosen creatures require paying costs to block, the defending player determines
the total cost to block. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing
permanents, discarding cards, and so on. Once the total cost is determined, it becomes “locked
in.” If effects would change the total cost after this time, ignore this change.
509.1e If any of the costs require mana, the defending player then has a chance to activate mana
abilities (see rule 605, “Mana Abilities”).
509.1f Once the player has enough mana in his or her mana pool, he or she pays all costs in any
order. Partial payments are not allowed.
509.1g Each chosen creature still controlled by the defending player becomes a blocking creature.
Each one is blocking the attacking creatures chosen for it. It remains a blocking creature until
it’s removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 506.4.
509.1h An attacking creature with one or more creatures declared as blockers for it becomes a
blocked creature; one with no creatures declared as blockers for it becomes an unblocked
creature. This remains unchanged until the creature is removed from combat, an effect says that
it becomes blocked or unblocked, or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. A creature
remains blocked even if all the creatures blocking it are removed from combat.
509.2. Second, for each attacking creature that’s become blocked, the active player announces that
creature’s damage assignment order, which consists of the creatures blocking it in an order of that
player’s choice. (During the combat damage step, an attacking creature can’t assign combat damage
to a creature that’s blocking it unless each creature ahead of that blocking creature in its order is
assigned lethal damage.) This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack.
Example: Craw Wurm is blocked by Llanowar Elves, Runeclaw Bear, and Serra Angel. The
Craw Wurm’s controller announces the Craw Wurm’s damage assignment order as Serra
Angel, then Runeclaw Bear, then Llanowar Elves.
509.2a During the declare blockers step, if a blocking creature is removed from combat or a spell or
ability causes it to stop blocking an attacking creature, the blocking creature is removed from all
relevant damage assignment orders. The relative order among the remaining blocking creatures
is unchanged.
509.3. Third, for each blocking creature, the defending player announces that creature’s damage
assignment order, which consists of the creatures it’s blocking in an order of that player’s choice.
(During the combat damage step, a blocking creature can’t assign combat damage to a creature it’s
blocking unless each creature ahead of that blocked creature in its order is assigned lethal damage.)
This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack.
509.3a During the declare blockers step, if an attacking creature is removed from combat or a spell
or ability causes it to stop being blocked by a blocking creature, the attacking creature is
removed from all relevant damage assignment orders. The relative order among the remaining
attacking creatures is unchanged.
509.4. Fourth, any abilities that triggered on blockers being declared go on the stack. (See rule 603,
“Handling Triggered Abilities.”)
509.4a An ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] blocks, . . .” generally triggers only once
each combat for that creature, even if it blocks multiple creatures. It triggers if the creature is
declared as a blocker. It will also trigger if that creature becomes a blocker as the result of an
effect, but only if it wasn’t a blocking creature at that time. (See rule 509.1g.) It won’t trigger if
the creature is put onto the battlefield blocking.
509.4b An ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] blocks a creature, . . .” triggers once for each
attacking creature the creature with the ability blocks. It triggers if the creature is declared as a
blocker. It will also trigger if an effect causes that creature to block an attacking creature, but
only if it wasn’t already blocking that attacking creature at that time. It won’t trigger if the
creature is put onto the battlefield blocking.
509.4c An ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] becomes blocked, . . .” generally triggers
only once each combat for that creature, even if it’s blocked by multiple creatures. It will trigger
if that creature becomes blocked by at least one creature declared as a blocker. It will also
trigger if that creature becomes blocked by an effect or by a creature that’s put onto the
battlefield as a blocker, but only if the attacking creature was an unblocked creature at that time.
(See rule 509.1h.)
509.4d An ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] becomes blocked by a creature, . . .” triggers
once for each creature that blocks the named creature. It triggers if a creature is declared as a
blocker for the attacking creature. It will also trigger if an effect causes a creature to block the
attacking creature, but only if it wasn’t already blocking that attacking creature at that time. In
addition, it will trigger if a creature is put onto the battlefield blocking that creature. It won’t
trigger if the creature becomes blocked by an effect rather than a creature.
509.4e If an ability triggers when a creature blocks or becomes blocked by a particular number of
creatures, the ability triggers if the creature blocks or is blocked by that many creatures when
blockers are declared. Effects that add or remove blockers can also cause such abilities to
trigger. This applies to abilities that trigger on a creature blocking or being blocked by at least a
certain number of creatures as well.
509.4f If an ability triggers when a creature with certain characteristics blocks, it will trigger only if
the creature has those characteristics at the point blockers are declared, or at the point an effect
causes it to block. If an ability triggers when a creature with certain characteristics becomes
blocked, it will trigger only if the creature has those characteristics at the point it becomes a
blocked creature. If an ability triggers when a creature becomes blocked by a creature with
certain characteristics, it will trigger only if the latter creature has those characteristics at the
point it becomes a blocking creature. None of those abilities will trigger if the relevant
creature’s characteristics change to match the ability’s trigger condition later on.
Example: A creature has the ability “Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a
white creature, destroy that creature at end of combat.” If the creature becomes blocked
by a black creature that is later turned white, the ability will not trigger.
509.4g An ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] attacks and isn’t blocked, . . .” triggers if no
creatures are declared as blockers for that creature. It won’t trigger if the attacking creature is
blocked and then all its blockers are removed from combat.
509.5. Fifth, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
509.6. If a spell or ability causes a creature on the battlefield to block an attacking creature, the active
player announces the blocking creature’s placement in the attacking creature’s damage assignment
order. The relative order among the remaining blocking creatures is unchanged. Then the defending
player announces the attacking creature’s placement in the blocking creature’s damage assignment
order. The relative order among the remaining attacking creatures is unchanged. This is done as part
of the blocking effect.
509.7. If a creature is put onto the battlefield blocking, its controller chooses which attacking creature
it’s blocking as it enters the battlefield (unless the effect that put it onto the battlefield specifies
what it’s blocking), then the active player announces the new creature’s placement in the blocked
creature’s damage assignment order. The relative order among the remaining blocking creatures is
unchanged. A creature put onto the battlefield this way is “blocking” but, for the purposes of trigger
events and effects, it never “blocked.”
Example: Lumengrid Warden is blocked by Runeclaw Bear. The defending player casts
Flash Foliage, which puts a Saproling token onto the battlefield blocking the Lumengrid
Warden. Lumengrid Warden’s controller announces the Lumengrid Warden’s damage
assignment order as the Saproling token, then Runeclaw Bear.
510. Combat Damage Step
510.1. First, the active player announces how each attacking creature assigns its combat damage, then
the defending player announces how each blocking creature assigns its combat damage. This turnbased
action doesn’t use the stack. A player assigns a creature’s combat damage according to the
following rules:
510.1a Each attacking creature and each blocking creature assigns combat damage equal to its
power. Creatures that would assign 0 or less damage this way don’t assign combat damage at
all.
510.1b An unblocked creature assigns its combat damage to the player or planeswalker it’s
attacking. If it isn’t currently attacking anything (if, for example, it was attacking a planeswalker
that has left the battlefield), it assigns no combat damage.
510.1c A blocked creature assigns its combat damage to the creatures blocking it. If no creatures are
currently blocking it (if, for example, they were destroyed or removed from combat), it assigns
no combat damage. If exactly one creature is blocking it, it assigns all its combat damage to that
creature. If two or more creatures are blocking it, it assigns its combat damage to those creatures
according to the damage assignment order announced for it. This may allow the blocked
creature to divide its combat damage. However, it can’t assign combat damage to a creature
that’s blocking it unless each creature that precedes that blocking creature in its order is
assigned lethal damage. When checking for assigned lethal damage, take into account damage
already marked on the creature and damage from other creatures that’s being assigned during
the same combat damage step, but not any abilities or effects that might change the amount of
damage that’s actually dealt. An amount of damage that’s greater than a creature’s lethal
damage may be assigned to it.
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Craw Wurm (a 6/4 creature) is
Wall of Wood (a 0/3 creature) then Eager Cadet (a 1/1 creature). Craw Wurm can
assign 3 damage to the Wall and 3 damage to the Cadet, 4 damage to the Wall and 2
damage to the Cadet, 5 damage to the Wall and 1 damage to the Cadet, or 6 damage to
the Wall.
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Craw Wurm (a 6/4 creature) is
Wall of Wood (a 0/3 creature) then Eager Cadet (a 1/1 creature). During the declare
blockers step, the defending player casts Giant Growth targeting Wall of Wood, which
gives it +3/+3 until end of turn. Craw Wurm must assign its 6 damage to the Wall.
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Craw Wurm (a 6/4 creature) is
Wall of Wood (a 0/3 creature) then Eager Cadet (a 1/1 creature). During the declare
blockers step, the defending player casts Mending Hands targeting Wall of Wood, which
prevents the next 4 damage that would be dealt to it. Craw Wurm can assign 3 damage
to the Wall and 3 damage to the Cadet, 4 damage to the Wall and 2 damage to the
Cadet, 5 damage to the Wall and 1 damage to the Cadet, or 6 damage to the Wall.
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Enormous Baloth (a 7/7
creature) is Trained Armodon (a 3/3 creature) that already has 2 damage marked on it,
then Foriysian Brigade (a 2/4 creature that can block an additional creature), then
Silverback Ape (a 5/5 creature). The damage assignment order of an attacking
Durkwood Boars (a 4/4 creature) is the same Foriysian Brigade, then Goblin Piker (a
2/1 creature). Among other possibilities, the active player may have the Baloth assign 1
damage to the Armodon, 1 damage to the Brigade, and 5 damage to the Ape, and have
the Boars assign 3 damage to the Brigade and 1 damage to the Piker.
510.1d A blocking creature assigns combat damage to the creatures it’s blocking. If it isn’t currently
blocking any creatures (if, for example, they were destroyed or removed from combat), it
assigns no combat damage. If it’s blocking exactly one creature, it assigns all its combat damage
to that creature. If it’s blocking two or more creatures, it assigns its combat damage to those
creatures according to the damage assignment order announced for it. This may allow the
blocking creature to divide its combat damage. However, it can’t assign combat damage to a
creature that it’s blocking unless each creature that precedes that blocked creature is assigned
lethal damage. When checking for assigned lethal damage, take into account damage already
marked on the creature and damage from other creatures that’s being assigned during the same
combat damage step, but not any abilities or effects that might change the amount of damage
that’s actually dealt. An amount of damage that’s greater than a creature’s lethal damage may be
assigned to it.
510.1e Each creature’s damage must be assigned fully before another creature’s damage may be
assigned.
510.1f Once a player has assigned combat damage from each attacking or blocking creature he or
she controls, the total damage assignment is checked to see if it complies with the above rules. If
it doesn’t, the combat damage assignment is illegal; the game returns to the moment before that
player began to assign combat damage. (See rule 715, “Handling Illegal Actions”).
510.2. Second, all combat damage that’s been assigned is dealt simultaneously. This turn-based action
doesn’t use the stack. No player has the chance to cast spells or activate abilities between the time
combat damage is assigned and the time it’s dealt. This is a change from previous rules.
Example: Suntail Hawk (a 1/1 creature with flying) and Goblin Piker (a 2/1 creature) are
attacking. Mogg Fanatic (a 1/1 creature with the ability “Sacrifice Mogg Fanatic: Mogg
Fanatic deals 1 damage to target creature or player) blocks the Goblin Piker. The defending
player sacrifices Mogg Fanatic during the declare blockers step to deal 1 damage to the
Suntail Hawk. The Hawk is destroyed. The Piker deals and is dealt no combat damage this
turn. If the defending player instead left Mogg Fanatic on the battlefield, the Fanatic and the
Piker would have dealt lethal damage to one another, but the Suntail Hawk couldn’t have
been dealt damage.
510.3. Third, any abilities that triggered on damage being assigned or dealt go on the stack. (See rule
603, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”)
510.4. Fourth, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
510.5. If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see rule 702.7) or double strike (see
rule 702.4) as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that
step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of
combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat
damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double
strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that
currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step.
511. End of Combat Step
511.1. First, all “at end of combat” abilities trigger and go on the stack. (See rule 603, “Handling
Triggered Abilities.”)
511.2. Second, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
511.3. As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are removed from
combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase
begins (see rule 505).
512. Ending Phase
512.1. The ending phase consists of two steps: end and cleanup.
513. End Step
513.1. First, all abilities that trigger “at the beginning of the end step” or “at the beginning of the next
end step” go on the stack. (See rule 603, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”)
513.1a Previously, abilities that trigger at the beginning of the end step were printed with the trigger
condition “at end of turn.” Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the
Oracle card reference to say “at the beginning of the end step” or “at the beginning of the next
end step.”
513.2. Second, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.
513.3. If a permanent with an ability that triggers “at the beginning of the end step” enters the
battlefield during this step, that ability won’t trigger until the next turn’s end step. Likewise, if a
delayed triggered ability that triggers “at the beginning of the next end step” is created during this
step, that ability won’t trigger until the next turn’s end step. In other words, the step doesn’t “back
up” so those abilities can go on the stack. This rule applies only to triggered abilities; it doesn’t
apply to continuous effects whose durations say “until end of turn” or “this turn.” (See rule 514,
“Cleanup Step.”)
514. Cleanup Step
514.1. First, if the active player’s hand contains more cards than his or her maximum hand size
(normally seven), he or she discards enough cards to reduce his or her hand size to that number.
This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack.
514.2. Second, the following actions happen simultaneously: all damage marked on permanents
(including phased-out permanents) is removed and all “until end of turn” and “this turn” effects end.
This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack.
514.3. Normally, no player receives priority during the cleanup step, so no spells can be cast and no
abilities can be activated. However, this rule is subject to the following exception:
514.3a At this point, the game checks to see if any state-based actions would be performed and/or
any triggered abilities are waiting to be put onto the stack (including those that trigger “at the
beginning of the next cleanup step”). If so, those state-based actions are performed, then those
triggered abilities are put on the stack, then the active player gets priority. Players may cast
spells and activate abilities. Once the stack is empty and all players pass in succession, another
cleanup step begins.