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 are paid. Partial payments aren’t allowed. Note that if a permanent has more than one instance of cumulative upkeep, each creates a separate triggered ability at the beginning of upkeep that counts all the age counters on the permanent from all abilities. See rule 502.13, “Cumulative Upkeep.”
Cycling is an activated ability that functions only while the card with cycling is in a player’s hand. “Cycling [cost]” means “[Cost], Discard this card: Draw a card.” See rule 502.18, “Cycling.”
Damage can be dealt to creatures and/or players.
Damage dealt to a player is subtracted from his or her life total.
Damage dealt to a creature stays on the permanent until end of turn, even if it stops being a creature. A creature with damage greater than or equal to its toughness has been dealt lethal damage and is destroyed. (See rule 420, “State-Based Effects.”) Damage doesn’t alter a creature’s toughness. A noncreature permanent isn’t affected by damage (but if it becomes a creature again before the damage is removed, the creature may be destroyed). During the cleanup step, all damage is removed from permanents.
Costs and effects that read “lose life” or “pay life” don’t deal damage, and that loss of life can’t be prevented or otherwise altered by effects that prevent or replace damage.
A player’s deck is the collection of cards that player starts the game with. When the game begins, each player’s deck becomes his or her library. See section 100, “General,” and section 101, “Starting the Game.”
To declare attackers, the active player chooses a set of creatures that will attack and pays any costs they require to attack. Only creatures can attack, and the following creatures can’t attack: tapped creatures (even those that can attack without tapping) and creatures the active player didn’t control continuously since the beginning of the turn (except those with haste). Other effects may also affect whether or not a set of creatures could attack. See rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”
The declare attackers step is the second step of the combat phase. The active player declares attackers during this step (or chooses not to attack). Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities. See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step.”
To declare blockers, the defending player chooses a set of creatures that will block and pays any costs they require to block. Only untapped creatures can block, but blocking doesn’t cause creatures to tap. Other effects may also affect whether or not a set of creatures could block. See rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”
The declare blockers step is the third step of the combat phase. The defending player declares blockers during this step (or chooses not to block). Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities. See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”
Defender is a static ability. Creatures with defender can’t attack.
During the combat phase, the active player is attacking and is the attacking player. As the combat phase starts, the active player chooses one opponent. The chosen opponent is being attacked and is the defending player. Creatures can attack only the defending player; they can’t attack other creatures. During phases other than combat, there is no defending player. See rule 306.3.
If the “attack multiple players” option is used in a multiplayer game, there can be more than one defending player. See rule 602, “Attack Multiple Players Option.” The Two-Headed Giant variant uses different combat rules than other multiplayer variants; see rule 606.7.
A delayed triggered ability is created by effects generated when some spells or abilities resolve. See rule 404.4.
Depend On
An effect is said to “depend on” another if it is applied at the same time as the other effect and applying the other would change the text or the existence of the first effect, what it applies to, or what it does to any of the things it applies to. See rule 418.5, “Interaction of Continuous Effects.”
Deploy Creatures Option
Some multiplayer games allow players to give creatures to their teammates. If the deploy creatures option is used, each creature has the ability “{T}: Target teammate gains control of this creature. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.” See rule 603, “Deploy Creatures Option.”
To destroy a permanent is to move it from the in-play zone to its owner’s graveyard. Regeneration or other destruction-replacement effects can replace this action. See rule 419, “Replacement and Prevention Effects.”
A player discards a card by putting a card from his or her hand into his or her graveyard. By default, effects that cause a player to discard a card allow the affected player to choose which card to discard. Some effects, however, require a random discard or allow another player to choose which card is discarded.
Distribute has its normal English meaning in the Magic game. If a spell or ability requires a player to distribute something (such as counters) as he or she chooses among one or more targets, or
