Read the Rules

While thinking of something to do (My client is currently celebrating their 4th of July holiday and so do I. Lol. I hope he won't read this.) in the office at 3 o'clock in the morning, I just remembered my friend Mao telling about his experience while playing online with an opponent who doesn't know Magic: the Gathering rules but still keep on insisting his own understanding of the rules. It was an argument regarding the planeswalker abilities. I know alot of players out there are still confused on this so I've decided to reiterate the Magic: The Gathering Planeswalker Rules. I'll mention some important key points about this and quote some text from the Lorwyn FAQ of Magicthegathering.com. Ok, here we go:

1. First off, a planeswalker is a permanent that can be played only as a sorcery. It can be countered, of course, just like any other spell. Any spell or ability that can affect a permanent such as "destroy target permanent" can affect a planeswalker. Please take note that planeswalkers aren't creatures so cards that can affect creatures such as Terror won't affect a planeswalker.

2. Each planeswalker has a subtype, example "Planeswalker -- Garruk". If two or more planeswalkers that share a subtype are in play, they're all put into their owners' graveyards as a state-based effect. So if you play a Garruk while there is another Garruk in play, they're both placed in the graveyard.

3. Regarding planeswalker loyalty, I'll quote this one from the official Magic site:

"Loyalty is a characteristic only planeswalkers have. Each planeswalker has a loyalty number printed in the lower right corner of the card. This isn't a power or toughness -- it's a new value.

• A planeswalker comes into play with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to its loyalty number. While a planeswalker is in play, its loyalty is equal to the number of loyalty counters on it, and its printed loyalty number is ignored.
• Damage dealt to a planeswalker results in that many loyalty counters being removed from it.
• Playing an ability of a planeswalker causes it to gain or lose loyalty. As a planeswalker loses loyalty, that many loyalty counters are removed from it. As a planeswalker gains loyalty, that many additional counters are put onto it.
• If a planeswalker's loyalty is 0, it's put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based effect.
• While a planeswalker card isn't in play, its loyalty is equal to the number printed in its lower right corner."

4. On playing planeswalker abilities, I just would like to highlight that you can play the ability the turn the planeswalker enters play, only one ability per turn and only anytime that you can play a sorcery. Playing a planeswalker's ability with a positive number on it such as "+1" or or an up-arrow will increase its loyalty counters by that number while playing an ability with a negative number or down arrow will decrease its loyalty counters.

5. With regards to planeswalkers in combat, please note that the player doing the attack should declare first which of his creature is attacking the defending player and which one is attacking that player's planeswalkers before blockers are assigned.

6. In dealing noncombat damage such as a burn spell like Incinerate to planeswalkers, the correct step is:

• Target your opponent with Incinerate,

• As it resolves, choose to have it deal its 3 damage to one of your opponent's planeswalkers.

• If you do, three loyalty counters are removed from that planeswalker.

• Remember that you can't split the damage between that player and his planeswalker.

Hope this can help clarify your understanding and answer your questions regarding the rules on planeswalkers. So when playing next time, make sure you know the rules or at least have a correct understanding of it.

Till next post peeps. Happy Magical weekend... (^_^)