Equip — what does it mean?
Pay the equip cost on your own turn to attach this Equipment to a creature you control.
Equip appears on 615 cards.
How does Equip work?
Equip is an activated ability of Equipment. “Equip 2” means: pay 2 and attach this Equipment to target creature you control, and only as a sorcery. That's during your own main phase, with the stack empty. Equipment enters the battlefield unattached; it only starts helping a creature once you pay the equip cost.
Equip uses the stack and targets, so your opponent can respond. If they destroy the creature in response, the ability doesn't resolve and the Equipment stays where it was. Your mana is gone. If it was already attached to another creature, it stays on that one. You can move Equipment as often as you like, as long as you pay each time and do it at sorcery speed.
The big difference from an Aura: when the equipped creature dies, the Equipment stays on the battlefield, unattached, ready for the next creature. It can only be attached to one creature at a time. If your opponent takes control of the equipped creature, you still control the Equipment and it stays attached until you move it back to one of your creatures in your next main phase. You can equip your own hexproof creatures; only shroud stops that.
An example at the table
You have a 1/1 and a 3/3, plus an Equipment with “Equipped creature gets +2/+0” and “Equip 2.” In your main phase, you pay 2 and target the 1/1. Your opponent responds by destroying it. The equip ability doesn't resolve; the Equipment stays unattached and your 2 mana is spent. If you have 2 more mana, you can equip again right away, this time targeting the 3/3, which then attacks as a 5/3.
Cards with Equip
Swiftfoot BootsIllustration: Svetlin Velinov
Lightning GreavesIllustration: Darius Zablockis
SkullclampIllustration: Lordigan
Sword of the AnimistIllustration: Daniel Ljunggren
Mithril CoatIllustration: Igor KrsticCommon mistakes
- Thinking you can equip on your opponent's turn or during combat. Equip is sorcery speed only: your own main phase, empty stack.
- Thinking the Equipment goes to the graveyard when the creature dies. It stays on the battlefield, unattached.
- Thinking Equipment enters already giving its bonus. It enters unattached; you have to pay the equip cost first.
- Thinking you can equip an opponent's creature. The equip ability only targets a creature you control.
Frequently asked questions
- What happens to Equipment when the creature dies?
- It stays on the battlefield, unattached. You can attach it again later by paying the equip cost.
- Can I equip during combat?
- No. Equip is sorcery speed, so only in a main phase of your own turn with the stack empty.
- Can I equip a creature with hexproof?
- Yes, if it's your own creature. Hexproof only stops opponents. A creature with shroud can't be targeted, so you can't equip it.
- Can I move Equipment to another creature?
- Yes. Pay the equip cost again at sorcery speed and target the new creature; the Equipment moves off the old one.
Official rule: Comprehensive Rules 702.6. More on where this rulebook comes from under Sources.
Often seen with
TreasureJob selectIndestructibleFlashLiving weapon
Which cards with Equip do you own? →
Last updated: 26 October 2026