1. Continuous effects in 3 easy steps By David Elden, L2 Continuous effects in 3 easy (?) steps 2. CR 613.1 The values of an objects characteristics are determined by starting with the actual object. For a card, that means the values of the characteristics printed on that card. For a token or a copy of a spell or card, that means the values of the characteristics defined by the effect that created it. Then all applicable continuous effects are applied in a series of layers in the following order: 3. CR 613.1 continued 613.1a Layer 1: Copy effects are applied. See rule 706, Copying Objects. 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 objects card type, subtype, and/or supertype. 613.1e Layer 5: Color-changing effects are applied. 613.1f Layer 6:Ability-adding and ability-removing effects are applied. 613.1g Layer 7: Power-and/or toughness-changing effects are applied. 4. The three C's of judging Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T Commander, Clean Table Trash, Complain About Players 5. Copy Control Copy Enchantment's copy effect takes place in an earlier layer than Control Magic's control- changing effect. These cards interact exactly the way you would expect. 6. Control Text The current Oracle text for Volrath's Shapeshifter has the ability templated as a text-changing effect rather than a copy effect. Because of this, it looks at the top card of its controller's graveyard, even when a continuous effect changes its controller. 7. Text Types The text-changing effect from Artificial Evolution applies before Hivestone's type-changing effect, so these cards interact sensibly. 8. Types Color March of the Machines has a type-changing effect that makes the artifacts into creatures before Darkest Hour applies and makes all creatures black. 9. Color Abilities Thran Lens effectively counters Maze Behemoth's trample-granting ability by stripping the colors away one layer it takes effect. 10. Abilities Power/Toughness Humble removes the P/T setting ability from Godhead of Awe before it would apply. 11. Power/Toughness sublayers (ref CR 613.3) Layer 7a: Effects from characteristic-defining abilities that define power and/or toughness are applied. See rule 604.3. Layer 7b: Effects that set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value are applied. Layer 7c: Effects that modify power and/or toughness (but dont set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value) are applied. Layer 7d: Power and/or toughness changes from counters are applied. See rule 121, Counters. Layer 7e: Effects that switch a creatures power and toughness are applied. Such effects take the value of power and apply it to the creatures toughness, and take the value of toughness and apply it to the creatures power. 12. P/T sublayers summary P/T setting characteristic-defining abilities, which originate from the creature itself (Tarmogoyf) Non-CDA P/T setting effects (Omnibian) N/N effects (Augur Spree) Counters that modify P/T (Decree of Savagery) P/T switching effects (Strange Inversion) 13. P/T sublayers summary Tarmogoyf is targeted by a cycled Decree of Savagery, then by an Omnibian, then Strangely Inverted, then hit with Augur Spree. Assuming no other cards are in graveyards, what is its current P/T? 14. T O A D S 15. T O A D S 16. T O A D S 17. CR 704.3 Whenever a player would get priority (see rule 116, Timing and Priority), the game checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based actions, then performs all applicable state- based actions simultaneously as a single event... 18. T O A D S 19. T O A D S 20. T O A D S 21. + =? 22. CR 613.6 Within a layer or sublayer, determining which order effects are applied in is usually done using a timestamp system. An effect with an earlier timestamp is applied before an effect with a later timestamp. 23. CR 613.6 continued 613.6a A continuous effect generated by a static ability has the same timestamp as the object the static ability is on, or the timestamp of the effect that created the ability, whichever is later. 613.6b A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability receives a timestamp at the time its created. 613.6c An objects timestamp is the time it entered the zone its currently in, unless its an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification thats attached to another object or player, or its a face-up plane card, phenomenon card, or scheme card. 613.6d If an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification becomes attached to an object or player, the Aura, Equipment, or Fortification receives a new timestamp at that time. 613.6e A face-up plane card, phenomenon card, or scheme card receives a timestamp at the time its turned face up. 613.6f A face-up vanguard card receives a timestamp at the beginning of the game. 613.6g If two or more objects would receive a timestamp simultaneously, such as by entering a zone simultaneously or becoming attached simultaneously, the active player determines their timestamp order at that time. 24. tl;dr An effect's timestamp is generally 'when the effect started'. Active player decides what the order is if two objects would get a timestamp at the same time. NB: Equipments (and Fortifications) need to actually move to a new object to receive a new timestamp; just activating the equip ability doesn't do it. 25. Timestamps So if a creature is affected by both of these effects, whichever one has the later timestamp 'wins' because it is applied later and overwrites the earlier effect. 26. + =? 27. Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 28. Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 29. Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 30. Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T Opalescence 4/4 Humility 1/1 31. Abilities Power/Toughness Humble removes the P/T setting ability from Godhead of Awe before it would apply. ? 32. CR 613.5 ...If an effect starts to apply in one layer and/or sublayer, it will continue to be applied to the same set of objects in each other applicable layer and/or sublayer, even if the ability generating the effect is removed during this process. 33. Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T Opalescence 4/4 Humility 1/1 34. + =? 35. Dependencies - CR 613.7a An effect is said to depend on another if (a) its applied in the same layer (and, if applicable, sublayer) as the other effect (see rules 613.1 and 613.3); (b) 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; and (c) neither effect is from a characteristic-defining ability or both effects are from characteristic-defining abilities. Otherwise, the effect is considered to be independent of the other effect. 36. 613.7a (paraphrased) A continuous effect is dependent on another if they are both applied in the same layer and applying the other effect first would Change its text or existence Change what objects it applies to or Change what it does to those objects. Dependent effects are applied directly after those they depend on, regardless of timestamps. 37. Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 38. Because Control Magic's effect is dependent on Steal Enchantment's, Control Magic is applied last, even though it entered the battlefield before Steal Enchantment. + = 39. + =? 40. Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 41. + =? 42. Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 43. CR 613.7b An effect dependent on one or more other effects waits to apply until just after all of those effects have been applied. If multiple dependent effects would apply simultaneously in this way, theyre applied in timestamp order relative to each other. If several dependent effects form a dependency loop, then this rule is ignored and the effects in the dependency loop are applied in timestamp order. 44. Timestamps decide whether we apply Conspiracy or Life and Limb first Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 45. Life and Limb first Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 46. Life and Limb first Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 47. Life and Limb first Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 48. CR 613.5 If an effect should be applied in different layers and/or sublayers, the parts of the effect each apply in their appropriate ones. If an effect starts to apply in one layer and/or sublayer, it will continue to be applied to the same set of objects in each other applicable layer and/or sublayer, even if the ability generating the effect is removed during this process. 49. Life and Limb first Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 50. What happens if Conspiracy is applied first? Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 51. Conspiracy first Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 52. Conspiracy first Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 53. CR 305.6 ...A land with a basic land type has the intrinsic ability {T}: Add [mana symbol] to your mana pool, even if the text box doesnt actually contain that text or the object has no text box. For Plains, [mana symbol] is {W}; for Islands, {U}; for Swamps, {B}; for Mountains, {R}; and for Forests, {G}. 54. Conspiracy first Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 55. Conspiracy first Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T 56. Three easy (?) steps Parse all the effects into their proper layers. Apply effects with an earlier timestamp before effects with later timestamps. Apply dependent effects immediately after the effects they depend on, regardless of timestamps. Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T T O A D S 57. Dependencies A continuous effect is dependent on another if they are both applied in the same layer and applying the other effect first would Change its text or existence (Blood Moon + Urborg) Change what objects it applies to (Conspiracy + Life and Limb Change what it does to those objects (Steal Enchantment + Control Magic). Dependent effects are applied directly after those they depend on, regardless of timestamps (use timestamps if there's a dependency loop). 58. Questions? Please be gentle. Copy Control Text Type Color Abilities P/T T O A D S