From the Comprehensive Rules
- 200. General
- 200.1. When a rule or text on a card refers to a “card,” it means a Magic card with a Magic card front and the Magic card back. Tokens aren’t considered cards—even a card that represents a token isn’t considered a card for rules purposes.
- 200.1a A card’s owner is the player who started the game with it in his or her deck or, for cards that didn’t start the game in a player’s deck, the player who brought the card into the game.
- 200.2. Use the Oracle™ card reference when determining a card’s wording. A card’s Oracle text can be found using the Gatherer card database at http://gatherer.wizards.com.
- 200.3. A player is one of the people in the game. The active player is the player whose turn it is. The other players are nonactive players.
- 200.3a In a multiplayer game between teams, a player’s teammates are the other players on his or her team, and the player’s opponents are all players not on his or her team.
- 200.4. A token is a marker used to represent any permanent that isn’t represented by a card. (See rule 216, “Tokens.”)
- 200.4a A token’s owner is the player who controlled the spell or ability that put it into play. A token’s controller is the player who put it into play.
- 200.5. A spell is a card, or copy of a spell or card, that’s on the stack. (See rule 213, “Spells.”)
- 200.5a A spell’s owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it. A spell’s controller is the player who played it.
- 200.6. A permanent is a card or token that’s in play. (See rule 214, “Permanents.”)
- 200.6a A nontoken permanent’s owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it. A permanent’s controller is the player who put it into play.
- 200.7. An ability can be one of two things. First, it can be an activated or triggered ability on the stack. Second, it can be text on an object that explains what the object does. (See rule 402, “Abilities,” and section 4, “Spells, Abilities, and Effects.”)
- 200.7a The owner of an ability on the stack is the player who controlled its source when it was played or triggered. The controller of an ability on the stack is the player who played the ability, or the player who controlled the ability’s source when it triggered.
- 200.8. An object is an ability on the stack, a card, a copy of a card, a token, a spell, or a permanent. The term “object” is used in these rules when a rule applies to abilities on the stack, cards, tokens, spells, and permanents. Combat damage on the stack is also an object, although many uses of the term “object” in these rules don’t apply to it.
- 200.9. If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes a type or subtype, but doesn’t include the word “card,” “spell,” or “source,” it means a permanent of that type or subtype in play.
- 200.9a If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word “card” and the name of a zone, it means a card matching that description in the stated zone.
- 200.9b If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word “spell,” it means a spell matching that description on the stack.
- 200.9c If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word “source,” it means a source matching that description—either a source of an ability or a source of damage—in any zone. See rule 419.8 “Sources of Damage.”
- 200.10. A counter is a marker placed on an object or player, either modifying its characteristics or interacting with an ability. A counter is not a token, and a token is not a counter. Counters with the same name or description are interchangeable.
- 200.10a A +X/+Y counter on a permanent, where X and Y are numbers, adds X to that permanent’s power and Y to that permanent’s toughness. Similarly, -X/-Y counters subtract from power and toughness.
- 200.10b The number of loyalty counters on a planeswalker in play indicates how much loyalty it has.
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