Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules

the attacking creature becomes blocked by that same blocking creature.

Example: A player attacks with a band consisting of a creature with flying and a creature with swampwalk. The defending player, who controls a Swamp, can block the flying creature if able. If he or she does, then the creature with swampwalk will also become blocked by the blocking creature(s).

502.10f Banding doesn’t cause attacking creatures to share abilities, nor does it remove any abilities. The attacking creatures in a band are separate permanents.

502.10g If one member of a band would become blocked due to an effect, the entire band becomes blocked.

502.10h A player who controls an attacking creature with banding chooses how combat damage is assigned by creatures blocking that creature. A player who controls a blocking creature with banding chooses how combat damage is assigned by creatures it blocks. If the creature had banding when it attacked or blocked but the ability was removed before the combat damage step, damage is assigned normally.

502.10i Multiple instances of banding on the same creature are redundant.

502.11. Bands with Other

502.11a Bands with other is a special form of banding. If an effect causes a permanent to lose banding, the permanent loses all bands with other abilities as well.

502.11b An attacking creature with “bands with other [creature type]” can form an attacking band with other creatures that have the same “bands with other [creature type]” ability. Creatures with banding can also join this band, but creatures without banding can’t. The creatures in this band don’t have to have the creature type specified in the “bands with other [creature type]” ability. Blocking this band follows the same general rules as for banding.

502.11c If an attacking creature is blocked by at least two creatures with the same “bands with other [creature type]” ability, the defending player chooses how the attacking creature’s damage is assigned. Similarly, if a blocking creature blocks at least two attacking creatures with the same “bands with other [creature type]” ability, the attacking player chooses how the blocking creature’s damage is assigned.

502.11d Multiple instances of bands with other of the same type on the same creature are redundant.

502.12. Rampage

502.12a Rampage is a triggered ability. “Rampage N” means “Whenever this creature becomes blocked, it gets +N/+N until end of turn for each creature blocking it beyond the first.” (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)

502.12b The rampage bonus is calculated only once per combat, when the triggered ability resolves. Adding or removing blockers later in combat won’t change the bonus.

502.12c If a creature has multiple instances of rampage, each triggers separately.

502.13. Cumulative Upkeep

502.13a Cumulative upkeep is a triggered ability that imposes an increasing cost on a permanent. “Cumulative upkeep [cost]” means “At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice this permanent unless you pay [cost] for each age counter on it.” If [cost] has choices associated with it, each choice is made separately for each age counter, then either the entire set of costs is paid, or none of them is paid. Partial payments aren’t allowed.

Example: A creature has “Cumulative upkeep {W} or {U}” and two age counters on it. When its ability next triggers and resolves, the creature’s controller puts an age counter on it and then may pay {W}{W}{W}, {W}{W}{U}, {W}{U}{U}, or {U}{U}{U} to keep the creature in play.

Example: A creature has “Cumulative upkeep-Sacrifice a creature” and one age counter on it. When its ability next triggers and resolves, its controller can’t choose the same creature to sacrifice twice. Either two different creatures must be sacrificed, or the creature with cumulative upkeep must be sacrificed.

502.13b If a permanent has multiple instances of cumulative upkeep, each triggers separately. However, the age counters are not linked to any particular ability; each cumulative upkeep ability will count the total number of age counters on the permanent at the time that ability resolves.

Example: A creature has two instances of “Cumulative upkeep-Pay 1 life.” The creature currently has no counters but both cumulative upkeep abilities trigger. When the first ability resolves, the controller adds a counter and then chooses to pay 1 life. When the second ability resolves, the controller adds another counter and then chooses to pay an additional 2 life.

502.14. Vigilance

502.14a Vigilance is a static ability that modifies the rules for the declare attackers step.

502.14b Attacking doesn’t cause creatures with vigilance to tap. (See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step.”)

502.14c Multiple instances of vigilance on the same creature are redundant.

502.15. Phasing

502.15a Phasing is a static ability that modifies the rules of the untap step.

502.15b During each player’s untap step, before the active player untaps his or her permanents, all permanents with phasing the player controls phase out. Simultaneously, all objects that had phased out under that player’s control phase in. (See rule 217.8, “Phased Out,” and rule 302.1.)