(Rules Lawyer | Art by Dmitry Burmak)

That was quite a recess! Let's get this court back in session. Hello, I'm Alex, and I'm a judge who loves EDH. If you caught my previous article (or if you've ever played EDH), you're well aware of how complex the game of Magic is. There may well be more rules in the Magic Comprehensive Rules than stars in the sky! How do you remember them all? It turns out "mnemonic" isn't just a surname for Keanu "John" Reeves, it's also a mouthful that describes a method to assist in remembering information.

Perhaps you once learned "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally", or "I before E, except after C". A suitable mnemonic device is highly memorable, like an earworm. You may find it sticks with you long after you would ever have any use for it. My social studies teacher cursed me with "the way you do your dharma affects your karma" some 15 years ago. Let's do some discovery and find some Magic mnemonics that will lie dormant in your mind for years to come. Approach the bench!

(Gollum, Patient Plotter & The One Ring | Art by Marta Nael)

Let's start with a brand-new mechanic, though the Ring in question is quite ancient indeed. I will spare you any hackneyed Lord of the Rings references, so let's get into what being tempted by the Ring does. Each time you're tempted by the Ring, you'll choose a creature you control to be your Ring-bearer (whether that be a new creature or the same one you chose last time) and your Tempted by the Ring emblem gains the next ability you haven't gained yet.

The effects of being tempted by the Ring are so novel and wordy that I doubt anyone in your pod knows them by heart, but you can wow them all with your knowledge of the Ring with this clever mnemonic created by Jubilee Finnegan: Skulk, Loot, Decay, Shoot.

1. [Skulk] Your Ring-bearer is legendary and can't be blocked by creatures of greater power.
2. [Loot] Whenever your Ring-bearer attacks, draw a card, then discard a card.
3. [Decay] Whenever your Ring-bearer becomes blocked by a creature, that creature's controller sacrifices it at the end of combat.
4. [Shoot] Whenever your Ring-bearer deals combat damage to a player, each opponent loses 3 life.

It's short, it's sweet, and it even rhymes! But what are these strange words and how do they encapsulate all that rules text?

Skulk is an evasion keyword first introduced in Shadows over Innistrad, found primarily on blue and black cards.

702.118b A creature with skulk can’t be blocked by creatures with greater power. (See rule 509, “Declare Blockers Step.”)

"Loot" is not an official keyword, but you've probably heard it before. Its namesake is Merfolk Looter, and it's found primarily on blue cards: draw a card, discard a card.

Decayed is another Innistrad keyword, this one introduced in the far-more-recent Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, again in blue and black. I'm seeing a pattern here.

702.147a Decayed represents a static ability and a triggered ability. “Decayed” means “This creature can’t block” and “When this creature attacks, sacrifice it at end of combat.”

"Shoot" doesn't correspond with any existing Magic mechanic and is, I expect, only used here to round out the rhyme. This is completely understandable, have a great day.

(Smothering Tithe | Art by Pete Venters)

Speaking of evasion, protection is a complex and multi-faceted mechanic which has eluded many Magic players. Wizards of the Coast has been pushing it to the wayside, opting instead for hexproof or increasingly unique forms of ward. But the past never forgets, and EDH players have multitudes of cards with protection, which does... what, exactly?

Much like college, let's learn by going into DEBT. Creatures with protection from a quality can't be...

• Damaged
• Equipped/Enchanted
• Blocked
• Targeted

...by objects with that quality. Let's cite some rules! What does it mean that a creature with protection "can't be damaged" by objects with that quality? "Can't" is the most powerful word in Magic, and though it's used in the colloquial definition, the magic word doesn't appear in the relevant rule. To be clear, under most circumstances, the damage won't go through. But "can't" beats everything else, so effects that state "this damage can't be prevented" will still punch in.

702.16e Any damage that would be dealt by sources that have the stated quality to a permanent or player with protection is prevented.

You may be aware of the unique interaction Auras have when entering the battlefield without being cast. Since Auras only target objects when they enter from the stack as Aura spells, they will simply attach to an object of the controller's choice when entering the battlefield through any other means. Notably, this can be used to enchant objects with hexproof and Shroud, but not so with protection. Notice the "can't"!

702.16c A permanent or player with protection can’t be enchanted by Auras that have the stated quality. Such Auras attached to the permanent or player with protection will be put into their owners’ graveyards as a state-based action. (See rule 704, “State-Based Actions.”)

702.16d A permanent with protection can’t be equipped by Equipment that have the stated quality or fortified by Fortifications that have the stated quality. Such Equipment or Fortifications become unattached from that permanent as a state-based action, but remain on the battlefield. (See rule 704, “State-Based Actions.”)

"Can't be blocked" and "can't be targeted" by that quality. Everything is pretty intuitive for these two.

702.16f Attacking creatures with protection can’t be blocked by creatures that have the stated quality.

702.16b A permanent or player with protection can’t be targeted by spells with the stated quality and can’t be targeted by abilities from a source with the stated quality.

(Cheatyface | Art by Douglas Chaffee)

But when does targeting happen when you're casting a spell or activating an ability, anyway? And when do you pay mana? Spellcasting is something we often eschew the details of, but it's actually a series of eight steps that must be executed in order. That's a lot of stuff to remember. What better way to jog your memory than with a handy mnemonic? This one from Osric250 is both helpful and hopefully true! All Card Tournaments Don't Let Cheaters Maintain Prizes.

1. Announce the spell and move it to the stack. (601.2a)
2. Choices are made such as modes, hybrid mana, values for X, etc. (601.2b)
3. Targets are selected as appropriate for the modes chosen. (601.2c)
4. Divide the effect if relevant, such as distributing damage or counters. (601.2d)
5. Legality check: is this spell legal to cast? (601.2e)
6. Cost tallying, including additional costs, cost reductions, and cost minimums. (601.2f)
7. Mana abilities are activated to pay for any mana costs. (601.2g)
8. Pay all costs. (601.2h)

You won't have to remember a separate list for activated and triggered abilities as they cover much of the same ground, with triggered abilities skipping some irrelevant steps. Even this list is but a simplification of the rules of spellcasting. If you would like to learn more about how to cast a spell or activate an ability, start with the following rule and keep going. You'll know when it's over.

601.2. To cast a spell is to take it from where it is (usually the hand), put it on the stack, and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect. Casting a spell includes proposal of the spell (rules 601.2a–d) and determination and payment of costs (rules 601.2f–h). To cast a spell, a player follows the steps listed below, in order. A player must be legally allowed to cast the spell to begin this process (see rule 601.3). If a player is unable to comply with the requirements of a step listed below while performing that step, the casting of the spell is illegal; the game returns to the moment before the casting of that spell was proposed (see rule 728, “Handling Illegal Actions”).

(Sleep | Art by Chris Rahn)

Speaking of triggered abilities, I would be remiss if I didn't throw in a mention of the ever-present mnemonic, APNAP. This stands for Active Player, Nonactive Player. If a program on your phone is draining too much battery, give it an app nap!

101.4. If multiple players would make choices and/or take actions at the same time, the active player (the player whose turn it is) makes any choices required, then the next player in turn order (usually the player seated to the active player’s left) makes any choices required, followed by the remaining nonactive players in turn order. Then the actions happen simultaneously. This rule is often referred to as the “Active Player, Nonactive Player (APNAP) order” rule.

When one event would cause multiple triggered abilities controlled by different players to trigger at the same time, we have to determine in what order each of those triggers is put on the stack. First, the player whose turn it currently is (active player) puts each of their triggers on the stack in any order they choose. Then, the next player in turn order (nonactive player) does the same, putting each of their triggers on the stack in any order. And so on, until we get back to the active player.

603.3b If multiple abilities have triggered since the last time a player received priority, the abilities are placed on the stack in a two-part process. First, each player, in APNAP order, puts each triggered ability they control with a trigger condition that isn’t another ability triggering on the stack in any order they choose. (See rule 101.4.) Second, each player, in APNAP order, puts all remaining triggered abilities they control on the stack in any order they choose. Then the game once again checks for and performs state-based actions until none are performed, then abilities that triggered during this process go on the stack. This process repeats until no new state-based actions are performed and no abilities trigger. Then the appropriate player gets priority.

Once no player has anything further to add, objects on the stack begin to resolve in reverse order. Remember, the stack resolves FILO: First In, Last Out.

405.5. When all players pass in succession, the top (last-added) spell or ability on the stack resolves. If the stack is empty when all players pass, the current step or phase ends and the next begins.

(Planar Cleansing | Art by Michael Komarck)

Layers. The word sends a chill down the spine of every EDH player. A detailed explanation of the interaction of continuous effects could populate an article of its own, so let's focus solely on remembering the order of operations for now. JudgingFtW has a great mnemonic that judges everywhere can relate to! What does a judge do? Commander, Clean Table Trash, Complain About Players.

613.1a Layer 1: Rules and effects that modify copiable values are applied.

613.1b Layer 2: Control-changing effects are applied.

613.1c Layer 3: Text-changing effects are applied. See rule 612, “Text-Changing Effects.”

613.1d Layer 4: Type-changing effects are applied. These include effects that change an object’s card type, subtype, and/or supertype.

613.1e Layer 5: Color-changing effects are applied.

613.1f Layer 6: Ability-adding effects, keyword counters, ability-removing effects, and effects that say an object can’t have an ability are applied.

613.1g Layer 7: Power- and/or toughness-changing effects are applied.

Wait, aren't we forgetting something? I feel like there are a few more layers than that.

(Yargle, Glutton of Urborg | Art by Jehan Choo)

Those of you already familiar with layers know that layer 7 has several sublayers. These sublayers determine the order in which power-/toughness-changing effects are applied. More layers? More memorization. And wouldn't you know it, JudgingFtW has us covered! The mnemonic is TOADS: Tarmogoyf, Omnibian, Auger Spree + Decree of Savagery, Strange Inversion. Each of these cards represents a power/toughness (P/T)-changing continuous effect of a different sublayer.

613.4. Within layer 7, apply effects in a series of sublayers in the order described below. Within each sublayer, apply effects in timestamp order. (See rule 613.7.) Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are applied within a sublayer. (See rule 613.8.)

613.4a Layer 7a: Effects from characteristic-defining abilities that define power and/or toughness are applied. See rule 604.3.

613.4b Layer 7b: Effects that set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value are applied. Effects that refer to the base power and/or toughness of a creature apply in this layer.

613.4c Layer 7c: Effects and counters that modify power and/or toughness (but don’t set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value) are applied.

613.4d Layer 7d: Effects that switch a creature’s power and toughness are applied. Such effects take the value of power and apply it to the creature’s toughness, and take the value of toughness and apply it to the creature’s power.

(Alchemist's Apprentice | Art by David Palumbo)

All these mnemonics are so unique and clever, I had to create one of my own. My mnemonic device is not for anything so complex as layers or protection, though it takes quite a few words to cover all the steps and phases in a turn! Did you know? Unclean Uranium Doesn't Make Clean Atomic Bombs. Don't Ever Mix Extreme Chemicals!

1. Untap step (502)
2. Upkeep step (503)
3. Draw step (504)
4. Main phase (505)
5. Beginning of Combat step (507)
6. Declare Attackers step (508)
7. Declare Blockers step (509)
8. Combat Damage step (510)
9. End of Combat step (511)
10. Main phase (505)
11. End step (513)
12. Cleanup step (514)

Newer players may have an easier time forgoing the steps and referring to the five phases of a turn (Beginning, Main, Combat, Main, Ending), perhaps with the mnemonic Butchers Must Carve Meat Everyday!

500.1. A turn consists of five phases, in this order: beginning, precombat main, combat, postcombat main, and ending. Each of these phases takes place every turn, even if nothing happens during the phase. The beginning, combat, and ending phases are further broken down into steps, which proceed in order.

Hmm, maybe mnemonics shouldn't be twelve words long. Or reference bombs and explosives. Can you do better? Have you used mnemonic devices to remember the complex and myriad rules of Magic? Will you be using one of these mnemonics in your next EDH game? What case should Judge Alex hear next? Let me know in the comments! This court is adjourned!

Alex Lapp

I'm a Magic judge and EDH enthusiast who loves rules interactions, group hug, and table politics. My other projects include the Commander Spellbook and the Social Contract EDH podcast.