DoesItResolve Unofficial Magic rules reference

Historical Rules · Effective 1 October 2009

Section 108: Cards

Read Section 108 continuously, or open any rule on its dedicated page.

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Chapter 1 · Game Concepts

Section 108

108. Cards

9 rules

  1. 108.1

    Use the Oracle_(TM) card reference when determining a card's wording. A card's Oracle text can be found using the Gatherer card database at <http://gatherer.wizards.com>.

  2. 108.2

    When a rule or text on a card refers to a "card," it means a _Magic_ card with a _Magic_ card front and a _Magic_ card back. This includes both traditional _Magic_ cards, which measure approximately 2.5 inches (6.3 cm) by 3.5 inches (8.8 cm) and have a "Deckmaster" back, and nontraditional _Magic_ cards, which are oversized and have different backs. Tokens aren't considered cards -- even a card that represents a token isn't considered a card for rules purposes.

    1. 108.2a

      In the text of spells or abilities, the term "card" is used only to refer to a card that's not on the battlefield or on the stack, such as a creature card in a player's hand. For more information, see section 4, "Zones."

  3. 108.3

    A card's owner is the player who started the game with it in his or her deck. If a card is brought into the game from outside the game rather than starting in a player's deck, its owner is the player who brought it into the game. If a card starts the game in the command zone, its owner is the player who put it into the command zone to start the game. (Legal ownership of a card is irrelevant to the game rules except for the rules for ante; see rule 407.)

    1. 108.3a

      In a Planar Magic game using the single planar deck option, the planar controller is considered to be the owner of all the plane cards. See rule 901.6.

  4. 108.4

    A card doesn't have a controller unless that card represents a permanent or spell; in those cases, its controller is determined by the rules for permanents or spells. See rules 110.2 and 111.2.

    1. 108.4a

      If anything asks for the controller of a card that doesn't have one (because it's not a permanent or spell), use its owner instead.

  5. 108.5

    Nontraditional _Magic_ cards can't start the game in any zone other than the command zone (see rule 408). If an effect would bring a nontraditional _Magic_ card into the game from outside the game, it doesn't; that card remains outside the game.

  6. 108.6

    For more information about cards, see Section 2, "Parts of a Card."