Magic: The Gathering keywords explained
All 303 official keywords, each in one plain-English sentence — from flying and trample to scry and deathtouch.
Abandon — Turn an ongoing scheme face down and put it on the bottom of its owner's scheme deck (in Archenemy).
Absorb — If a source would deal damage to this creature, prevent the listed amount of that damage.
Activate — Pay the cost of an activated ability to put its effect on the stack.
Adapt — If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, it gets the listed number of them.
Affinity — This spell costs 1 generic mana less to cast for each permanent of the stated type you control (usually artifacts).
Affinitycycling — A cycling variant: pay the cost and discard the card to search your library for a land or card of the stated type instead of a random card.
Afflict — If this creature becomes blocked, the defending player immediately loses the listed amount of life.
Afterlife — When this permanent dies, you create the listed number of 1/1 white and black Spirit creature tokens with flying.
Aftermath — Cast the aftermath half of this split card only from your graveyard, then it goes to exile.
Airbend — Exile the stated permanent or spell; while it's exiled, its owner may cast it for 2 mana instead of its mana cost.
Amass — Put the listed number of +1/+1 counters on your Army token, creating one first if you don't already have one.
Amplify — As this enters the battlefield, reveal creature cards of the right type from your hand to get that many +1/+1 counters on it.
Annihilator — Whenever this attacks, the defending player must sacrifice the listed number of permanents.
Ascend — If you control ten or more permanents, you get the city's blessing and keep it for the rest of the game.
Assemble — Put the stated Contraption together from your Contraption deck (in Un-sets).
Assimilate — Put the stated creature card onto the battlefield under your control with a +1/+1 counter; it becomes a Borg artifact creature and loses its other creature types.
Assist — Another player may help you pay this spell's generic mana cost.
Attach — Attach an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification to the stated permanent.
Augment — Combine this host card with an augment card from your hand to form a bigger creature together (only in special formats).
Aura Swap — Pay the cost to exchange this Aura on the battlefield for an Aura card in your hand.
Awaken — Cast this spell for its awaken cost instead of its mana cost to also put the listed number of +1/+1 counters on a land you control, which becomes a 0/0 creature with haste.
Backup — When this enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on a creature; if it's a different creature, it also gains this creature's other abilities until end of turn.
Banding — Creatures with banding can attack together as a group, and you decide how their combat damage is divided when blocking.
Bargain — As you cast this spell, you may sacrifice an artifact, enchantment, or token for an extra bonus.
Basic landcycling — Pay the cost and discard this card to search your library for a basic land.
Battle Cry — Whenever this attacks, each other attacking creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
Behold — Reveal or point to a permanent of the right type you control to get a bonus or cost reduction.
Bestow — Cast this for its bestow cost as an Aura attached to a creature; if that creature leaves, this just becomes a creature itself.
Blight — Put the listed number of -1/-1 counters on a creature you control.
Blitz — Cast this creature for its blitz cost with haste; if it dies, draw a card, but it's sacrificed at the end of the turn regardless.
Bloodthirst — If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this creature enters the battlefield with the listed number of +1/+1 counters.
Boast — Activate this ability once each turn, but only after this creature has attacked.
Bolster — Put the listed number of +1/+1 counters on your creature with the lowest toughness.
Bushido — Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked, it gets the listed +X/+X bonus until end of turn.
Buyback — Pay an extra buyback cost as you cast this spell to return it to your hand afterward instead of it going to your graveyard.
Cascade — When you cast this spell, exile cards from your library until you hit a cheaper one, which you may cast for free.
Cast — Put a card from your hand (or another zone) onto the stack as a spell and pay its cost.
Casualty — As you cast this spell, you may sacrifice a creature with power equal to or greater than the casualty number to copy the spell.
Champion — When this enters the battlefield, exile a creature of the right type you control; if this leaves the battlefield, that creature returns.
Changeling — This is every creature type at once (so it counts as every tribe, like Elf, Goblin, and Merfolk).
Choose a background — You may choose this creature together with a Background enchantment as your two commanders.
Cipher — After it resolves, you may exile this spell encoded on a creature; whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, you may cast a copy of the spell for free.
Clash — Reveal the top card of your library along with an opponent; whoever reveals the higher mana value wins the clash.
Cleave — Cast this spell for its cleave cost instead of its mana cost to remove the text in square brackets.
Cloak — Put the top card of your library onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature with ward 2; you may turn it face up later if it's a creature card.
Collect evidence — Exile cards from your graveyard with a total mana value equal to or greater than the listed number.
Commander ninjutsu — Return an unblocked attacking creature to your hand to put this ninja onto the battlefield from your hand or command zone, tapped and attacking.
Companion — If your starting deck meets the condition, you may keep this creature outside your deck and, once per game, pay 3 mana during your main phase to put it into your hand.
Compleated — For each Phyrexian mana symbol you paid with 2 life instead of mana, this planeswalker enters with two fewer loyalty counters.
Conjure — Create the named card out of nowhere and put it into the stated zone (digital only, in Alchemy).
Connive — Draw the stated number of cards, then discard that many; for each nonland card discarded this way, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Conspire — As you cast this spell, you may tap two untapped creatures that share a color with it to copy the spell.
Convert — Flip this double-faced card over to its other side.
Convoke — You may tap your creatures to help cast this spell: each tapped creature pays for 1 generic mana or 1 mana of its color.
Counter — Remove a spell or ability from the stack so its effect doesn't happen.
Craft — Pay the cost and exile this permanent together with the stated materials (your permanents and/or cards from your graveyard) to return it to the battlefield transformed.
Create — Put the stated token onto the battlefield.
Crew — Tap creatures with total power equal to or greater than the crew number to turn this Vehicle into a creature that can attack and block this turn.
Cumulative upkeep — Each upkeep, put an additional counter on it and pay the cost per counter, or sacrifice the permanent.
Cycling — Pay the cycling cost and discard this card to draw a new card.
Dash — Cast this creature for its cheaper dash cost with haste, but it returns to your hand at the end of the turn.
Daybound — This creature only exists during the day and transforms into its night side once it becomes night.
Deathtouch — Any amount of damage this deals is lethal: it destroys any creature it damages.
Decayed — This creature can't block, and it's sacrificed after it attacks.
Defender — This creature can't attack.
Delve — Exile cards from your graveyard to pay for 1 generic mana of this spell's cost per card.
Demonstrate — When you cast this spell, you may copy it and let an opponent copy it too.
Desertwalk — Can't be blocked as long as the defending player controls a Desert.
Destroy — Put the stated permanent into its owner's graveyard.
Detain — The stated permanent can't attack, block, or have its abilities activated until your next turn.
Dethrone — Whenever this attacks the player with the most life, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Devoid — This card is colorless, no matter what colored mana is in its cost.
Devour — As this enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice any number of creatures; it enters with the listed number of +1/+1 counters for each creature sacrificed.
Discard — Put a card from your hand into your graveyard.
Discover — Exile cards from your library until you hit a nonland card with mana value equal to or less than the listed number, which you may cast for free or put into your hand.
Disguise — Cast the creature face down as a 2/2 with ward 2, then later turn it face up for its disguise cost to reveal its true form.
Disturb — Cast the other side of this card from your graveyard for its disturb cost; afterward it goes to exile.
Doctor's companion — You may choose this creature together with a Time Lord Doctor as your two commanders.
Double — Double the stated value, such as a number of counters, your life total, or your mana.
Double agenda — At the start of the game, secretly write down two card names you can reveal later (only in special formats).
Double strike — Deals both first-strike and regular combat damage, effectively hitting twice.
Double team — Whenever this attacks, create a copy of it in your hand, then both cards lose double team.
Draft from a spellbook — Choose a card at random from a fixed list (a spellbook) and put it into your hand (digital only).
Dredge — Instead of drawing a card, you may return this card from your graveyard to your hand by milling that many cards from your library.
Earthbend — Turn a land you control into a 0/0 creature with haste and put the listed number of +1/+1 counters on it; if it dies or is exiled, it returns to the battlefield tapped.
Echo — At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay the echo cost again, or sacrifice this permanent.
Embalm — Pay the embalm cost and exile this card from your graveyard to create a token copy of it that's also white.
Emerge — Cast this creature for its emerge cost by sacrificing a creature, whose mana value reduces the cost.
Empower Jace — Put the stated number of loyalty counters on your Jace token. If you have none, first create a blue Jace planeswalker token with "[−1]: Surveil 1" and "[−3]: Draw a card".
Enchant — This Aura is put onto the stated permanent or player and stays attached to it.
Encore — Pay the cost and exile this card from your graveyard to create an attacking token copy of it for each opponent; the tokens disappear at end of turn.
Endure — Choose: put the listed number of +1/+1 counters on this creature, or create a Spirit token of the same size.
Enlist — Whenever this attacks, you may tap a non-attacking creature to add its power to this creature's power.
Entwine — If this spell offers a choice of modes, pay the entwine cost to choose all of them.
Epic — When you cast this spell, you can't cast any more spells this game, but you get a free copy of it every turn after.
Equip — Pay the equip cost on your own turn to attach this Equipment to a creature you control.
Escalate — If this spell offers a choice of modes, pay the escalate cost for each additional mode you choose.
Escape — Cast this card from your graveyard by paying its escape cost and exiling the listed number of other cards from your graveyard.
Eternalize — Pay the eternalize cost and exile this card from your graveyard to create a 4/4 black token copy of it.
Evoke — Cast this creature for its cheaper evoke cost, but you sacrifice it right away (often to trigger its enters-the-battlefield ability).
Evolve — Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control with greater power or toughness than this creature, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Exalted — Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each instance of exalted you have.
Exchange — Swap two things, such as life totals, control of permanents, or cards between zones.
Exert — You may exert this creature as it attacks for an extra effect, but then it doesn't untap during your next untap step.
Exhaust — You can activate this ability only once.
Exile — Move the card or permanent to the exile zone, usually removing it from the game for good.
Exploit — When this creature enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a creature for an extra effect.
Explore — Reveal the top card of your library: if it's a land, put it into your hand; otherwise put a +1/+1 counter on this creature and choose to keep the revealed card on top or discard it.
Extort — Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay one white or black mana to make each opponent lose 1 life; you gain the total life they lost.
Fabricate — When this enters the battlefield, choose to put the listed number of +1/+1 counters on it or create that many 1/1 Servo creature tokens.
Face a dilemma — You face a dilemma whenever you choose one or more modes for a spell or ability; some cards reward you for it.
Fading — Enters the battlefield with fade counters; at each of your upkeeps, remove one, and if you can't, sacrifice it.
Fateseal — Look at the top card(s) of an opponent's library and put them back on top or on the bottom.
Fear — Can only be blocked by artifact creatures and black creatures.
Fight — Two creatures each deal damage to the other equal to their power, at the same time.
Firebending — Whenever this creature attacks, add the listed amount of red mana, which you keep until end of combat.
First strike — Deals combat damage before creatures without first strike, letting it destroy a blocker before it can deal damage back.
Flanking — Whenever a creature without flanking blocks this, that creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
Flash — You may cast this card any time you could cast an instant.
Flashback — Cast this spell once from your graveyard for its flashback cost, then it goes to exile.
Flying — Can only be blocked by creatures with flying or reach.
Food — Create a Food token: an artifact you can pay 2 mana and tap to sacrifice for 3 life.
For Mirrodin! — When this enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 red Rebel creature token and attach this Equipment to it right away.
Forage — Pay by exiling three cards from your graveyard or sacrificing a Food to get an extra effect.
Forecast — Activate this ability once each turn from your hand, but only during your own upkeep.
Forestcycling — Pay the cost and discard this card to search your library for a Forest.
Forestwalk — Can't be blocked as long as the defending player controls a Forest.
Foretell — During your turn, exile this card face down for 2 generic mana, then cast it later for its foretell cost.
Fortify — Pay the fortify cost to attach this Fortification to a land you control.
Freerunning — Cast this spell for its cheaper freerunning cost if you dealt combat damage to a player with an Assassin or your commander this turn.
Frenzy — If this creature goes unblocked, it gets the listed bonus to its power this turn.
Friends forever — You may choose two legendary creatures with friends forever together as your commanders.
Fuse — If a split card has fuse, you may cast both halves at once from your hand.
Gift — As you cast this spell, you may announce that you're giving an opponent a gift (like a token or a card draw), triggering an extra effect for you.
Goad — Until your next turn, a goaded creature must attack each combat, and attack a player other than you if it can.
Graft — Enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters; whenever another creature enters, you may move a counter onto it.
Gravestorm — When you cast this spell, copy it for each permanent that went from the battlefield to a graveyard this turn.
Halflingcycling — A cycling variant: pay the cost and discard the card to search your library for a land or card of the stated type instead of a random card.
Harmonize — Cast this spell from your graveyard for its harmonize cost; you may tap one creature to reduce the cost by its power, and the spell is exiled afterward.
Harness — This permanent becomes harnessed for as long as it stays on the battlefield, which turns on its ∞ ability.
Haste — Can attack and use its tap abilities right away, without waiting a turn.
Haunt — When this dies (or leaves the battlefield), it haunts a creature; if that creature dies later, the effect triggers again.
Heal — Remove damage that has already been dealt to a permanent.
Heist — Look at three random nonland cards in an opponent's library and exile one face down; you may cast it, spending mana of any type (digital only, in Alchemy).
Hexproof — Can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.
Hexproof from — Can't be the target of spells or abilities of the stated quality that opponents control.
Hideaway — When this enters, look at the top cards of your library and exile one face down; you may play it for free later once a condition is met.
Horsemanship — Can only be blocked by creatures with horsemanship (almost no creature has this).
Impending — Cast this for its impending cost to have it enter with time counters; it isn't a creature until the last one is gone, and one comes off at each of your end steps.
Improvise — You may tap artifacts to help cast this spell: each tapped artifact pays for 1 generic mana.
Incorporate — The card perpetually adds the stated mana symbols to its mana cost (digital only, in Alchemy).
Increment — Whenever you cast a spell, if you spent more mana on it than this creature's power or toughness, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Incubate — Create an Incubator token with the listed number of +1/+1 counters that you can later pay 2 mana to turn into a 0/0 Phyrexian artifact creature.
Indestructible — Can't be destroyed by damage or by effects that say "destroy."
Infect — Deals damage to creatures as -1/-1 counters and to players as poison counters.
Ingest — If this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player exiles the top card of their library.
Intensity — The card has an intensity value that starts at the stated number and goes up each time it intensifies; its effect uses that value (digital only, in Alchemy).
Intimidate — Can only be blocked by artifact creatures and creatures that share a color with it.
Investigate — Create a Clue token: an artifact you can pay 2 mana and sacrifice to draw a card.
Islandcycling — Pay the cost and discard this card to search your library for an Island.
Islandwalk — Can't be blocked as long as the defending player controls an Island.
Job select — When this Equipment enters, create a 1/1 colorless Hero creature token and attach this Equipment to it.
Jump-start — Cast this spell from your graveyard by paying its mana cost plus discarding a card, then it goes to exile instead of your graveyard.
Kicker — You may pay an extra kicker cost as you cast this spell for an extra effect.
Landcycling — Pay the cost and discard this card to search your library for a land of the stated type.
Landwalk — Can't be blocked as long as the defending player controls a land of the stated type (e.g. islandwalk = Island).
Learn — Search your sideboard for a Lesson card and put it into your hand, or discard a card and draw a new one instead.
Legendary landwalk — Can't be blocked as long as the defending player controls a legendary land.
Level Up — Pay the level up cost to put a level counter on this creature, making it stronger as it reaches higher levels.
Lifelink — Whenever this deals damage, you gain that much life.
Living metal — Outside your turn, this Vehicle isn't a creature, just a regular artifact.
Living weapon — Enters the battlefield as an Equipment and immediately creates a 0/0 black Phyrexian Germ creature token, then attaches to it.
Madness — If you're forced to discard this card, you may cast it instead for its madness cost.
Manifest — Put the top card of your library onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature; if it's a creature card, you may turn it face up later.
Manifest dread — Look at the top two cards of your library, put one onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature, and put the other into your graveyard.
Max speed — This extra effect only triggers once you've reached max speed (speed 4) in the Start Your Engines system.
Mayhem — Cast this card from your graveyard for its mayhem cost if you discarded it this turn, then it goes to exile.
Megamorph — Cast the creature face down as a 2/2, then later turn it face up for its megamorph cost, giving it a +1/+1 counter.
Meld — Combine this specific pair of cards into one large double-faced creature.
Melee — Whenever this attacks, it gets +1/+1 for each opponent you're attacking this turn.
Menace — Can only be blocked by two or more creatures.
Mentor — Whenever this attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on target attacking creature with lesser power.
Mill — Put the top card(s) of a library into that library's graveyard.
Miracle — If you draw this card as the first card you draw in a turn, you may cast it for its much cheaper miracle cost.
Mobilize — Whenever this attacks, create the listed number of tapped and attacking 1/1 red Warrior creature tokens that disappear at end of turn.
Modular — Enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters; when it dies, you may move those counters onto another artifact creature.
Monstrosity — Pay the cost to put the listed number of +1/+1 counters on this creature and make it monstrous.
More Than Meets the Eye — Cast this card for the listed cost directly onto its other (converted) side.
Morph — Cast the creature face down as a 2/2 for 3 generic mana, then later turn it face up for its morph cost to reveal its true form.
Mountaincycling — Pay the cost and discard this card to search your library for a Mountain.
Mountainwalk — Can't be blocked as long as the defending player controls a Mountain.
Multikicker — You may pay the kicker cost any number of times as you cast this spell, and it gets an extra effect for each time you paid.
Mutate — Cast this for its mutate cost on top of or under a non-Human creature to merge them into one creature with all their abilities.
Myriad — Whenever this attacks, create an attacking copy of it for each other opponent, which gets exiled at the end of combat.
Nightbound — This creature only exists at night and transforms into its day side once it becomes day.
Ninjutsu — Return an unblocked attacking creature to your hand to put this ninja onto the battlefield from your hand, tapped and attacking.
Nonbasic landwalk — Can't be blocked as long as the defending player controls a nonbasic land.
Offering — You may cast this creature at any time by sacrificing a creature of the right type, which reduces its cost.
Offspring — Pay an extra offspring cost as you cast this spell to create a 1/1 token copy of this creature.
Open an Attraction — Put the top Attraction from your Attraction deck onto the battlefield (in Un-sets).
Outlast — Tap this creature on your own turn to put a +1/+1 counter on it; it can't attack or block that turn.
Overload — Pay the overload cost to change every "target" in this spell to affect everything that fits the description instead.
Paradigm — After it resolves, this spell is exiled; once a spell with this name has resolved for you, you may cast a free copy of it at the start of each of your first main phases.
Partner — You may choose two legendary creatures with partner together as your commanders.
Partner with — When this creature enters the battlefield, you may search for the named partner creature; together you may choose them as your two commanders.
Persist — If this creature dies with no -1/-1 counter on it, it returns to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
Phasing — This permanent phases in and out during your untap step: while phased out, it doesn't exist as far as the game is concerned.
Plainscycling — Pay the cost and discard this card to search your library for a Plains.
Plainswalk — Can't be blocked as long as the defending player controls a Plains.
Planeswalk — Leave the current plane and turn up the next plane card (in the Planechase format).
Play — Play a land or cast a spell from your hand (or another stated zone).
Plot — During your turn, exile this card face down for its plot cost, then cast it for free on a later turn.
Poisonous — If this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player gets the listed number of poison counters.
Populate — Create a copy of a creature token you already control.
Power-up — An activated ability you can use only once; if this permanent entered this turn, it costs less by the amount of its mana cost.
Prepared — While this permanent is prepared, you may cast a copy of its prepare spell (the extra spell printed on the card); doing so unprepares it.
Proliferate — Choose any number of permanents and/or players that have a counter, then give each one more of every kind of counter they already have.
Protection — Can't be blocked, targeted, equipped, or damaged by whatever it has protection from.
Prototype — Cast this card for its cheaper prototype cost as a smaller creature with a different color and size.
Provoke — Whenever this attacks, you may untap a creature the defending player controls and force it to block.
Prowess — Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
Prowl — Cast this spell for its cheaper prowl cost if you dealt combat damage to a player with a creature of the right type this turn.
Rampage — If this attacking creature is blocked by more than one creature, it gets the bonus for each blocker beyond the first.
Ravenous — Enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters; if X is 5 or more, you also draw a card.
Reach — Can block creatures with flying, even though it doesn't have flying itself.
Read Ahead — When this Saga enters the battlefield, choose which chapter it starts on instead of always starting at the first.
Rebound — If you cast this spell from your hand, it goes to exile instead of your graveyard, and you may cast it again for free on your next turn.
Reconfigure — Pay the reconfigure cost to attach this Equipment creature to a creature, or unattach it to make it a creature on its own again.
Recover — Whenever a creature you control dies, you may pay a cost to return this card from your graveyard to your hand, or it goes to exile instead.
Recruit — Draw a card, then discard a card. If you discarded a nonland card, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.
Regenerate — If this creature would be destroyed this turn, it's tapped and healed instead, with all damage removed.
Reinforce — Discard this card and pay a cost to put the listed number of +1/+1 counters on a creature.
Renown — The first time this creature deals combat damage to a player, it gets the listed number of +1/+1 counters and becomes renowned.
Replicate — Pay the replicate cost any number of times as you cast this spell to copy it that many times.
Retrace — Cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card on top of its other costs.
Reveal — Show the stated card to all players.
Riot — As this enters the battlefield, choose: it gets haste, or it enters with a +1/+1 counter.
Ripple — When you cast this card, you may reveal the top cards of your library and cast any cards with the same name for free.
Role token — Create a Role: an Aura token you put on a creature that gives it a small benefit or drawback.
Roll to Visit Your Attractions — Roll a die to determine which of your Attractions trigger (in Un-sets).
Sacrifice — Put a permanent you control into your graveyard as a cost or a choice.
Saddle — Tap creatures with total power equal to or greater than the saddle number to saddle this Mount this turn and activate its extra saddle effect.
Scavenge — Pay the cost and exile this card from your graveyard to put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to its power on a creature.
Scry — Look at the top card(s) of your library and put them back on top or on the bottom, in any order you choose.
Seek — Without looking, search your library for a random card that matches the description and put it into your hand.
Set in motion — Put a scheme card into the game and let its effect happen (in the Archenemy format).
Shadow — Can only block or be blocked by creatures with shadow.
Shroud — Can't be the target of spells or abilities, not even your own.
Shuffle — Randomize your library so its order is unknown.
Skulk — Can't be blocked by creatures with greater power than this creature.
Slivercycling — Pay the cost and discard this card to search your library for a Sliver card.
Sneak — During the declare blockers step, cast this spell for its sneak cost by returning an unblocked attacker you control to your hand; a creature cast this way enters tapped and attacking.
Solved — This card becomes solved once a condition is met, unlocking extra abilities.
Soulbond — When this creature enters, you may pair it with another unpaired creature; as long as they're paired, both get a bonus.
Soulshift — When this creature dies, you may return a Spirit card with mana value equal to or less than the listed number from your graveyard to your hand.
Specialize — Pay the cost and discard a card of the right color to transform this card into a colored, specialized version.
Spectacle — Cast this spell for its cheaper spectacle cost if an opponent lost life this turn.
Splice — As you cast a spell of the stated type (usually Arcane), reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost to add its effect to that spell; the card stays in your hand.
Split second — While this spell is on the stack, no one can cast spells or activate abilities.
Spree — As you cast this spell, choose one or more additional modes and pay the cost for each.
Squad — As you cast this spell, you may pay the squad cost any number of extra times to create that many extra token copies.
Station — Tap another creature you control to put charge counters on this equal to that creature's power; once it has enough counters, it gains the listed abilities and may become a creature.
Storied — If you control three or more artifacts, legendaries and/or Sagas, you have an enduring story for the rest of the game, which turns on the extra effect of storied cards.
Storm — When you cast this spell, copy it for each other spell cast before it this turn.
Sunburst — Enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter (or charge counter) for each color of mana spent to cast it.
Support — Put a +1/+1 counter on each of the stated number of creatures.
Surge — Cast this spell for its cheaper surge cost if you or a teammate has already cast another spell this turn.
Surveil — Look at the top card(s) of your library and choose, for each one, to put it in your graveyard or leave it on top.
Suspect — A suspected creature gets menace and can't block.
Suspend — Exile the card with time counters on it and pay only the suspend cost; remove a counter each upkeep and cast it for free once the last one is gone.
Swampcycling — Pay the cost and discard this card to search your library for a Swamp.
Swampwalk — Can't be blocked as long as the defending player controls a Swamp.
Tap — Turn a permanent sideways to show it has been used (tapped).
Teamwork — As you cast this spell, you may tap your creatures with total power equal to or greater than the teamwork number for a stronger effect.
Tiered — As you cast this spell, choose one of the numbered tiers and pay the cost for that effect.
Time Travel — For each permanent you control and suspended card you own with time counters on it, you may add or remove one time counter.
Toxic — If this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player also gets the listed number of poison counters in addition to the damage.
Training — Whenever this attacks alongside a creature with greater power, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Trample — If this creature is blocked, any leftover combat damage goes through to the player or planeswalker.
Transfigure — Pay the cost and sacrifice this creature to search your library for a creature with the same mana value and put it onto the battlefield.
Transform — Flip this double-faced card over to its other side.
Transmute — Pay the transmute cost and discard this card to search your library for a card with the same mana value.
Treasure — Create a Treasure token: an artifact you can tap and sacrifice for one mana of any color.
Tribute — As this enters the battlefield, an opponent chooses: put the listed number of +1/+1 counters on it, or its extra effect triggers instead.
Triple — Triple the stated value, such as a number of counters or your life total.
Typecycling — Pay the cost and discard this card to search your library for a card of the stated type.
Umbra armor — If the enchanted permanent would be destroyed, instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Aura.
Undaunted — This spell costs 1 generic mana less to cast for each opponent you have.
Undying — If this creature dies with no +1/+1 counter on it, it returns to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
Unearth — Pay the unearth cost to return this creature from your graveyard to the battlefield with haste; it's exiled at the end of the turn.
Unleash — You may have this enter with a +1/+1 counter, but as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it, it can't block.
Untap — Turn a tapped permanent back upright so it can be used again.
Vanishing — Enters the battlefield with time counters, loses one each upkeep, and is sacrificed when the last one disappears.
Venture into the dungeon — Enter a room of a dungeon card, then move to the next room for its effect the next time you venture.
Vigilance — This creature doesn't tap when it attacks, so it can still block.
Vote — Each player votes for one of the stated options, and the result determines the effect.
Ward — Whenever an opponent targets this, they must pay the ward cost first or the spell or ability is countered.
Warp — Cast this card from your hand for its warp cost; it's exiled at the next end step, and you may cast it from exile on a later turn.
Waterbend — Pay the waterbend cost; for its generic mana you may tap your artifacts and creatures instead, 1 mana per tapped permanent.
Web-slinging — Cast this spell for its cheaper web-slinging cost by also returning a tapped creature you control to your hand.
Wither — Deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters instead of normal damage.
Wizardcycling — Pay the cost and discard this card to search your library for a Wizard card.
Ability words
Ability words are the italic words in front of an ability, like Landfall. They have no rules of their own: they name a pattern that comes back on more cards, so you can spot it.
Actualize — Alchemy only (MTG Arena): rewards spells you cast that were not in your starting deck.
Adamant — Better if at least three mana of one color was spent to cast it.
Addendum — An extra effect if you cast it during your main phase.
Alliance — Triggers whenever another creature you control enters.
Battalion — Triggers when this creature attacks together with at least two other creatures.
Bloodrush — Discard this card from your hand and pay its cost to give an attacking creature a bonus.
Celebration — Works if two or more nonland permanents entered under your control this turn.
Channel — Discard this card from your hand and pay its cost for a one-off effect, instead of casting it.
Chroma — Counts the mana symbols of one color, in the mana costs of your permanents or of the cards it looks at.
Cohort — Tap this creature and another untapped Ally you control for an effect.
Constellation — Triggers whenever this or another enchantment you control enters.
Converge — Gets stronger for each color of mana spent to cast the spell.
Corrupted — Better against opponents with three or more poison counters.
Council's dilemma — Every player votes for one of two options; each vote gives you that option's effect.
Coven — Works if you control three or more creatures with different powers.
Covercast — Alchemy only (MTG Arena): triggers when you cast another instant or sorcery with five or more mana spent on it.
Delirium — Better as long as there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard.
Descend — Descend 4 or Descend 8: works as long as there are at least that many permanent cards in your graveyard.
Disappear — Better if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.
Domain — Counts the basic land types (Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, Forest) among lands you control.
Eerie — Triggers whenever an enchantment you control enters, and whenever you fully unlock a Room.
Eminence — Works while this commander is on the battlefield, and also while it is still in the command zone.
Enrage — Triggers whenever this creature is dealt damage.
Fateful hour — Gets an extra effect if you have 5 or less life.
Fathomless descent — Counts the permanent cards in your graveyard.
Ferocious — Better if you control a creature with power 4 or greater.
Flurry — Triggers whenever you cast your second spell each turn.
Formidable — Works only if creatures you control have total power 8 or greater.
Grandeur — Discard another card with the same name to use this legendary creature's ability.
Hellbent — Better if you have no cards in hand.
Heroic — Triggers whenever you cast a spell that targets this creature.
Hero's Reward — Only in the Theros challenge decks (players together against the Horde): a reward when such a Horde card goes to a graveyard.
Imprint — Exiles a card when it enters; the rest of the card refers to that exiled card.
Infusion — Better if you gained life this turn.
Inspired — Triggers whenever this creature becomes untapped.
Join forces — Every player may pay mana; the effect counts the total everyone paid.
Kinfall — Only on a playtest card: triggers when a creature that shares a creature type with it enters.
Kinship — In your upkeep, look at your top card; if it shares a creature type with this creature, you may reveal it for a bonus.
Landfall — Triggers whenever a land you control enters.
Landship — Only on a playtest card: in your upkeep, reveal a land from the top of your library for a token.
Legacy — Only on playtest cards: during deckbuilding you circle extra abilities, and each extra one makes the card cost more.
Lieutenant — Gets a bonus as long as you control your commander.
Magecraft — Triggers whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery.
Metalcraft — Works as long as you control three or more artifacts.
Morbid — Better if a creature died this turn.
Opus — Triggers whenever you cast an instant or sorcery; stronger if five or more mana was spent on it.
Pack tactics — Triggers on attack if you attacked with creatures with total power 6 or greater.
Paradox — Rewards spells you cast from anywhere other than your hand.
Parley — Each player reveals their top card; the effect counts the nonland cards, then everyone draws a card.
Radiance — Affects the target and everything of the same kind that shares a color with it.
Raid — Better if you attacked this turn.
Rally — Triggers whenever this or another Ally you control enters.
Renew — Exile this card from your graveyard and pay its cost for an effect, only at sorcery speed.
Repartee — Triggers whenever you cast an instant or sorcery that targets a creature.
Revolt — Better if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.
Secret council — Every player votes in secret; the votes are revealed together.
Spell mastery — Better if there are two or more instant and/or sorcery cards in your graveyard.
Start your engines! — You get speed, starting at 1; it goes up once on each of your turns in which an opponent loses life, to a maximum of 4.
Strive — Costs more for each target beyond the first.
Survival — Triggers at the start of your second main phase if this creature is tapped (for example because it attacked).
Sweep — Return any number of lands of one basic type to your hand; the effect grows with each one.
Tempting offer — Each opponent may get the effect too; for each one who does, you get it again.
Threshold — Better as long as there are seven or more cards in your graveyard.
Underdog — Only on a playtest card: a bonus if you have lost a game this match.
Undergrowth — Counts the creature cards in your graveyard.
Valiant — Triggers the first time each turn this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability you control.
Vivid — Counts the colors among permanents you control.
Void — Better if a nonland permanent left the battlefield this turn or a spell was warped this turn.
Will of the council — Every player votes, starting with you; the result decides the effect.
Will of the Planeswalkers — Planechase: every player votes for planeswalk or chaos.
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Last updated: 26 October 2026