205.1.
The type line is printed directly below the illustration. It contains the card‘s card type(s). It also
contains the card‘s subtype(s) and supertype(s), if applicable.
205.1a
Some effects set an object‘s card type. In such cases, the new card type(s) replaces any
existing card types. Counters, effects, and damage marked on the object remain with it, even if
they are meaningless to the new card type. Similarly, when an effect sets one or more of an
object‘s subtypes, the new subtype(s) replaces any existing subtypes from the appropriate set
(creature types, land types, artifact types, enchantment types, planeswalker types, or spell
types). If an object‘s card type is removed, the subtypes correlated with that card type will
remain if they are also the subtypes of a card type the object currently has; otherwise, they are
also removed for the entire time the object‘s card type is removed. Removing an object‘s
subtype doesn‘t affect its card types at all.
205.1b
Some effects change an object‘s card type, supertype, or subtype but specify that the object
retains a prior card type, supertype, or subtype. In such cases, all the object‘s prior card types,
supertypes, and subtypes are retained. This rule applies to effects that use the phrase «in addition
to its types» or that state that something is «still a [type, supertype, or subtype].» Some effects
state that an object becomes an «artifact creature»; these effects also allow the object to retain all
of its prior card types and subtypes.
Example: An ability reads, “All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands.” The
affected lands now have two card types: creature and land. If there were any lands that
were also artifacts before the ability?s effect applied to them, those lands would become
“artifact land creatures,” not just “creatures,” or “land creatures.” The effect allows
them to retain both the card type “artifact” and the card type “land.” In addition, each
land affected by the ability retains any land types and supertypes it had before the ability
took effect.
Example: An ability reads, “All artifacts are 1/1 artifact creatures.” If a permanent is
both an artifact and an enchantment, it will become an “artifact enchantment creature.”
205.2.
Card Types
205.2a
The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, plane, planeswalker,
scheme, sorcery, tribal, and vanguard. See section 3, «Card Types.»
205.2b
Some objects have more than one card type (for example, an artifact creature). Such objects
satisfy the criteria for any effect that applies to any of their card types.
205.2c
Tokens have card types even though they aren‘t cards. The same is true of copies of spells
and copies of cards.
205.3.
Subtypes
205.3a
A card can have one or more subtypes printed on its type line.
205.3b
Subtypes of each card type except plane are always single words and are listed after a long
dash. Each word after the dash is a separate subtype; such objects may have multiple types.
Subtypes of planes are also listed after a long dash, but may be multiple words; all words after
the dash are, collectively, a single subtype.
Example: “Basic Land — Mountain” means the card is a land with the subtype
Mountain. “Creature — Goblin Wizard” means the card is a creature with the subtypes
Goblin and Wizard. “Artifact — Equipment” means the card is an artifact with the
subtype Equipment.
205.3c
If a card with multiple card types has one or more subtypes, each subtype is correlated to its
appropriate card type.
Example: Dryad Arbor?s type line says “Land Creature — Forest Dryad.” Forest is a
land type, and Dryad is a creature type.
205.3d
An object can‘t gain a subtype that doesn‘t correspond to one of that object‘s types.
205.3e
If an effect instructs a player to choose a subtype, that player must choose one, and only one,
existing subtype, and the subtype he or she chooses must be for the appropriate card type. For
example, the player can‘t choose a land type if an instruction requires choosing a creature type.
Example: When choosing a creature type, “Merfolk” or “Wizard” is acceptable, but
“Merfolk Wizard” is not. Words like “artifact,” “opponent,” “Swamp,” or “truck”
can?t be chosen because they aren?t creature types.
205.3f
Many cards were printed with subtypes that are now obsolete. Many cards have retroactively
received subtypes. Use the Oracle card reference to determine what a card‘s subtypes are. (See
rule 108.1.)
205.3g
Artifacts have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called artifact types. The
artifact types are Contraption, Equipment (see rule 301.5), and Fortification (see rule 301.6).
205.3h
Enchantments have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called enchantment
types. The enchantment types are Aura (see rule 303.4), Curse, and Shrine.
205.3i
Lands have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called land types. The land
types are Desert, Forest, Island, Lair, Locus, Mine, Mountain, Plains, Power-Plant, Swamp,
Tower, and Urza‘s.
Of that list, Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains, and Swamp are the basic land types. See rule 305.6.
205.3j
Planeswalkers have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called planeswalker
types. The planeswalker types are Ajani, Bolas, Chandra, Elspeth, Garruk, Gideon, Jace, Karn,
Koth, Liliana, Nissa, Sarkhan, Sorin, Tezzeret, and Venser.
If two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type are on the battlefield, all are put
into their owners‘ graveyards. This «planeswalker uniqueness rule» is a state-based action. See
rule 704.
205.3k
Instants and sorceries share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. The
spell types are Arcane and Trap.
205.3m
Creatures and tribals share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types.
The creature types are Advisor, Ally, Angel, Anteater, Antelope, Ape, Archer, Archon,
Artificer, Assassin, Assembly-Worker, Atog, Aurochs, Avatar, Badger, Barbarian, Basilisk, Bat,
Bear, Beast, Beeble, Berserker, Bird, Blinkmoth, Boar, Bringer, Brushwagg, Camarid, Camel,
Caribou, Carrier, Cat, Centaur, Cephalid, Chimera, Citizen, Cleric, Cockatrice, Construct,
Coward, Crab, Crocodile, Cyclops, Dauthi, Demon, Deserter, Devil, Djinn, Dragon, Drake,
Dreadnought, Drone, Druid, Dryad, Dwarf, Efreet, Elder, Eldrazi, Elemental, Elephant, Elf, Elk,
Eye, Faerie, Ferret, Fish, Flagbearer, Fox, Frog, Fungus, Gargoyle, Germ, Giant, Gnome, Goat,
Goblin, Golem, Gorgon, Graveborn, Gremlin, Griffin, Hag, Harpy, Hellion, Hippo, Hippogriff,
Homarid, Homunculus, Horror, Horse, Hound, Human, Hydra, Hyena, Illusion, Imp,
Incarnation, Insect, Jellyfish, Juggernaut, Kavu, Kirin, Kithkin, Knight, Kobold, Kor, Kraken,
Lammasu, Leech, Leviathan, Lhurgoyf, Licid, Lizard, Manticore, Masticore, Mercenary,
Merfolk, Metathran, Minion, Minotaur, Monger, Mongoose, Monk, Moonfolk, Mutant, Myr,
Mystic, Nautilus, Nephilim, Nightmare, Nightstalker, Ninja, Noggle, Nomad, Octopus, Ogre,
Ooze, Orb, Orc, Orgg, Ouphe, Ox, Oyster, Pegasus, Pentavite, Pest, Phelddagrif, Phoenix,
Pincher, Pirate, Plant, Praetor, Prism, Rabbit, Rat, Rebel, Reflection, Rhino, Rigger, Rogue,
Salamander, Samurai, Sand, Saproling, Satyr, Scarecrow, Scorpion, Scout, Serf, Serpent, Shade,
Shaman, Shapeshifter, Sheep, Siren, Skeleton, Slith, Sliver, Slug, Snake, Soldier, Soltari,
Spawn, Specter, Spellshaper, Sphinx, Spider, Spike, Spirit, Splinter, Sponge, Squid, Squirrel,
Starfish, Surrakar, Survivor, Tetravite, Thalakos, Thopter, Thrull, Treefolk, Triskelavite, Troll,
Turtle, Unicorn, Vampire, Vedalken, Viashino, Volver, Wall, Warrior, Weird, Werewolf,
Whale, Wizard, Wolf, Wolverine, Wombat, Worm, Wraith, Wurm, Yeti, Zombie, and Zubera.
205.3n
Planes have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called planar types. The
planar types are Alara, Arkhos, Bolas‘s Meditation Realm, Dominaria, Equilor, Iquatana, Ir,
Kaldheim, Kamigawa, Karsus, Kinshala, Lorwyn, Luvion, Mercadia, Mirrodin, Moag,
Muraganda, Phyrexia, Pyrulea, Rabiah, Rath, Ravnica, Segovia, Serra‘s Realm, Shadowmoor,
Shandalar, Ulgrotha, Valla, Wildfire, and Zendikar.
205.3p
Neither vanguard cards nor scheme cards have subtypes.
205.4.
Supertypes
205.4a
A card can also have one or more supertypes. These are printed directly before its card
types. The supertypes are basic, legendary, ongoing, snow, and world.
205.4b
An object‘s supertype is independent of its card type and subtype, even though some
supertypes are closely identified with specific card types. Changing an object‘s card types or
subtypes won‘t change its supertypes. Changing an object‘s supertypes won‘t change its card
types or subtypes. When an object gains or loses a supertype, it retains any other supertypes it
had.
Example: An ability reads, “All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands.” If any of
the affected lands were legendary, they are still legendary.
205.4c
Any land with the supertype «basic» is a basic land. Any land that doesn‘t have this
supertype is a nonbasic land, even if it has a basic land type.
Cards printed in sets prior to the Eighth Edition core set didn‘t use the word «basic» to
indicate a basic land. Cards from those sets with the following names are basic lands and have
received errata in the Oracle card reference accordingly: Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains,
Swamp, Snow-Covered Forest, Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Mountain, Snow-Covered
Plains, and Snow-Covered Swamp.
205.4d
Any permanent with the supertype «legendary» is subject to the state-based action for
legendary permanents, also called the «legend rule» (see rule 704.5k).
205.4e
Any permanent with the supertype «world» is subject to the state-based action for world
permanents, also called the «world rule» (see rule 704.5m).
205.4f
Any permanent with the supertype «snow» is a snow permanent. Any permanent that doesn‘t
have this supertype is a nonsnow permanent, regardless of its name.
205.4g
Any scheme card with the supertype «ongoing» is exempt from the state-based action for
schemes (see rule 704.5w).