Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules

Rules for more information. They can be found at www.wizards.com/default.asp? x=dci/doccenter/home.

600.4. Unlike two-player games, multiplayer games can continue after one or more players have left the game.

600.4a. When a player leaves the game, all objects (see rule 200.8) owned by that player leave the game, all spells and abilities controlled by that player on the stack cease to exist, and any change-of-control effects which give that player control of any objects end. Then, if there are any objects still controlled by that player, those objects leave the game. (Any objects leaving the game this way that aren’t owned by the player leaving the game are placed in the removed-from-the-game zone.) This is not a state-based effect. It happens as soon as the player leaves the game. A player leaving the game doesn’t affect combat damage on the stack.

Example: Alex plays Control Magic, an Aura that reads, “You control enchanted creature,” on Bianca’s Wall of Wood. If Alex leaves the game, so does Control Magic, and Wall of Wood reverts to Bianca’s control. If, instead, Bianca leaves the game, so does Wall of Wood, and Control Magic is put into Alex’s graveyard.

Example: Alex plays Threaten, which reads, in part, “Untap target creature and gain control of it until end of turn,” targeting Bianca’s Wall of Wood. If Alex leaves the game, Threaten’s change-of- control effect ends and Wall of Wood reverts to Bianca’s control.

Example: Alex plays Bribery, which reads, “Search target opponent’s library for a creature card and put that card into play under your control. Then that player shuffles his or her library,” targeting Bianca. Alex puts Wall of Wood into play from Bianca’s library. If Alex leaves the game, Wall of Wood leaves the game. If, instead, Bianca leaves the game, Wall of Wood still leaves the game.

Example: Alex controls Genesis Chamber, which reads, “Whenever a nontoken creature comes into play, if Genesis Chamber is untapped, that creature’s controller puts a 1/1 Myr artifact creature token into play.” If Alex leaves the game, all Myr tokens created by Genesis Chamber while it was under Alex’s control leave the game as well because Alex owns the tokens.

600.4b. If an object would change to the control of a player who has left the game, that object’s control remains unchanged. If a token would be put into play under the control of a player who has left the game, no token is created.

600.4c If an object owned by a player who has left the game would be put into any zone, it leaves the game instead. (This includes abilities that would be put onto the stack.)

Example: Astral Slide is an enchantment that reads, “Whenever a player cycles a card, you may remove target creature from the game. If you do, return that creature to play under its owner’s control at end of turn.” During Alex’s turn, Bianca uses Astral Slide’s ability to remove Alex’s Hypnotic Specter from the game. Before the end of that turn, Bianca leaves the game. At end of turn, the delayed triggered ability generated by Astral Slide that would return Hypnotic Specter to play triggers, but it leaves the game rather than being put on the stack. Hypnotic Specter never returns to play.

600.4d If an object requires a player who has left the game to make a choice, the controller of the object chooses another player to make that choice. If the original choice was to be made by an opponent of the controller of the object, that player chooses another opponent if possible.

601. Limited Range of Influence Option

601.1. Limited range of influence is an option that can be applied to most multiplayer games. It’s always used in the Emperor variant (see rule 607), and it’s often used for games involving five or more players.

601.2. A player’s range of influence is the maximum distance from that player, measured in player seats, that the player can affect. Players within that many seats of the player are within that player’s range of influence. Objects controlled by players within a player’s range of influence are also within that player’s range of influence. Range of influence covers spells, abilities, effects, damage dealing, attacking, and making choices.

601.2a The most commonly chosen limited ranges of influence are 1 seat and 2 seats. Different players may have different ranges of influence.

Example: A range of influence of 1 means that only you and the players seated directly next to you are within your range of influence.

Example: A range of influence of 2 means that you and the two players to your left and the two players to your right are within your range of influence.

601.2b A player is always within his or her own range of influence.

601.2c The particular players within each player’s range of influence are determined as each turn begins.

Example: In a game with a range of influence of 1, Alex is seated to the left of Rob, and Carissa is seated to the right of Rob. Carissa is not in Alex’s range of influence. If Rob leaves the game, Carissa will enter Alex’s range of influence at the start of the next turn.

601.2d An object is within a player’s range of influence if it’s controlled by that player or by another player within that many seats of that player.

601.3. Creatures can attack only opponents within their controller’s range of influence. If no opponents are within a player’s range of influence, creatures that player controls can’t attack.