Card Types

**Card type** is a characteristic in the type line on every Magic card. It can be found between the supertype and the subtype if those are available.

Example
 is a *Legendary Planeswalker — Jace*.
"Legendary" is the card's *supertype*, "Jace" is the *subtype* and "Planeswalker" is the **card type.**
A lot of spells and decks do take influence on the card type or create synergies i.e. "tribal" decks. There are also spells that can change or expand the card type of a card. Other objects like tokens do have a card type although they do not count as a card.

## Card Types

### Artifact

Artifact is a type of permanent and may also be a creature, or an artifact creature. That means that anything that affects an artifact ***or*** a creature can be used on an artifact creature. So if you have , you can use it on an artifact creature.

*Main article: **Artifact***
### Creature

Creature is a type of permanent and may have one or more subtype (e.g. Elf, Cat, Dragon, Beast). All creatures have a power and a toughness and are the only card type that can attack or block. Some creatures have power and toughness depending on a certain thing, like . Many creatures have abilities that boost their value and make them more powerful.

*Main article: **Creature***
### Enchantment

Enchantment is a type of permanent and may have the subtype Aura. Unlike the similar permanent, the artifact, enchantments are colored and never need to tap, but can have activated abilities.

*Main article: **Enchantment***
### Instant

Instant is a type of nonpermanent. Instants and spells with Flash are the only card types that can be played on either player's turn.

*Main article: **Instant***
### Land

Land is a type of permanent and the most common source for mana. Lands may have additional subtypes. The basic lands are , , ,  and  and have the supertype "Basic Land". All other lands are considered to be Non-basic Lands.
A land may be played only once per turn and only by the active player (the player whose turn it is) on his or her turn.

*Main article: **Land***
### Planeswalker

Planeswalker is a type of permanent and may have one planeswalker subtype.
All planeswalkers have a loyalty and multiple abilities that add or subtract loyalty. Only one of these abilities may be played per turn.

*Main article: **Planeswalker***
### Sorcery

Sorcery is a type of nonpermanent. Once they resolved and have made their effect they go directly to your graveyard. Sorceries can only be played during the main phases by the active player (the player whose turn it is).

*Main article: **Sorcery***
## Subtype

Some cards have subtypes as well as card types. Creature subtypes don't always affect the game, but some subtypes are very important. Examples of subtypes include Equipment, Aura, and Angel.

*Main article: **Subtype***
## Supertype

There are four different supertypes: basic, legendary, snow, and world.
The super type world is only found on older cards.

*Main article: **Supertype***
### Basic

Some lands are basic, such as . The supertype basic means that a player may have any number of that card in his or her deck.

*Main article: **Basic Land***
### Legendary

Some permanents have the supertype legendary. There may be only one of any legendary permanent with the same name under a player's control at any one time. If two or more legendary permanents with the same name are in play under one player's control at the same time, the player chooses and sacrifices one. This is known as the legend rule.

*Main article: **Legendary***
## Comprehensive Rules

*Comprehensive Rules Glossary* (August 7, 2020)

Card Type
A characteristic. Except for abilities on the stack, each object has a card type, even if that object isn’t a card. Each card type has its own rules. See rule 205, “Type Line,” and section 3, “Card Types.”

*Comprehensive Rules Glossary* (August 7, 2020)

Type Line
Part of a card. The type line is printed directly below the illustration and contains the card’s card type(s), subtype(s), and/or supertype(s). See rule 205, “Type Line.”

*Comprehensive Rules* (August 7, 2020)

* **205.** Type Line
	+ **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. Some effects state that an object becomes a “[creature type or types] artifact creature”; these effects also allow the object to retain all of its prior card types and subtypes other than creature types, but replace any existing creature types.***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 artifact and land card types. 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, conspiracy, creature, enchantment, instant, land, phenomenon, 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 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 Clue, Contraption, Equipment (see rule 301.5), Food, Fortification (see rule 301.6), Gold, Treasure, and Vehicle (see rule 301.7).
		- **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), Cartouche, Curse, Saga (see rule 714), and Shrine.
		- **205.3i** Lands have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called land types. The land types are Desert, Forest, Gate, 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, Aminatou, Angrath, Arlinn, Ashiok, Basri, Bolas, Calix, Chandra, Dack, Daretti, Davriel, Domri, Dovin, Elspeth, Estrid, Freyalise, Garruk, Gideon, Huatli, Jace, Jaya, Karn, Kasmina, Kaya, Kiora, Koth, Liliana, Lukka, Nahiri, Narset, Nissa, Nixilis, Oko, Ral, Rowan, Saheeli, Samut, Sarkhan, Serra, Sorin, Tamiyo, Teferi, Teyo, Tezzeret, Tibalt, Ugin, Venser, Vivien, Vraska, Will, Windgrace, Wrenn, Xenagos, Yanggu, and Yanling.
		- **205.3k** Instants and sorceries share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. The spell types are Adventure, Arcane, and Trap.
		- **205.3m** Creatures and tribals share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types. The creature types are Advisor, Aetherborn, Ally, Angel, Antelope, Ape, Archer, Archon, Army, Artificer, Assassin, Assembly-Worker, Atog, Aurochs, Avatar, Azra, 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, Demigod, Demon, Deserter, Devil, Dinosaur, Djinn, Dog, Dragon, Drake, Dreadnought, Drone, Druid, Dryad, Dwarf, Efreet, Egg, Elder, Eldrazi, Elemental, Elephant, Elf, Elk, Eye, Faerie, Ferret, Fish, Flagbearer, Fox, Frog, Fungus, Gargoyle, Germ, Giant, Gnome, Goat, Goblin, God, Golem, Gorgon, Graveborn, Gremlin, Griffin, Hag, Harpy, Hellion, Hippo, Hippogriff, Homarid, Homunculus, Horror, Horse, Human, Hydra, Hyena, Illusion, Imp, Incarnation, Insect, Jackal, Jellyfish, Juggernaut, Kavu, Kirin, Kithkin, Knight, Kobold, Kor, Kraken, Lamia, Lammasu, Leech, Leviathan, Lhurgoyf, Licid, Lizard, Manticore, Masticore, Mercenary, Merfolk, Metathran, Minion, Minotaur, Mole, Monger, Mongoose, Monk, Monkey, Moonfolk, Mouse, Mutant, Myr, Mystic, Naga, Nautilus, Nephilim, Nightmare, Nightstalker, Ninja, Noble, Noggle, Nomad, Nymph, Octopus, Ogre, Ooze, Orb, Orc, Orgg, Otter, Ouphe, Ox, Oyster, Pangolin, Peasant, Pegasus, Pentavite, Pest, Phelddagrif, Phoenix, Pilot, Pincher, Pirate, Plant, Praetor, Prism, Processor, Rabbit, Rat, Rebel, Reflection, Rhino, Rigger, Rogue, Sable, Salamander, Samurai, Sand, Saproling, Satyr, Scarecrow, Scion, Scorpion, Scout, Sculpture, Serf, Serpent, Servo, Shade, Shaman, Shapeshifter, Shark, Sheep, Siren, Skeleton, Slith, Sliver, Slug, Snake, Soldier, Soltari, Spawn, Specter, Spellshaper, Sphinx, Spider, Spike, Spirit, Splinter, Sponge, Squid, Squirrel, Starfish, Surrakar, Survivor, Tentacle, Tetravite, Thalakos, Thopter, Thrull, Treefolk, Trilobite, Triskelavite, Troll, Turtle, Unicorn, Vampire, Vedalken, Viashino, Volver, Wall, Warlock, 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, Azgol, Belenon, Bolas’s Meditation Realm, Dominaria, Equilor, Ergamon, Fabacin, Innistrad, Iquatana, Ir, Kaldheim, Kamigawa, Karsus, Kephalai, Kinshala, Kolbahan, Kyneth, Lorwyn, Luvion, Mercadia, Mirrodin, Moag, Mongseng, Muraganda, New Phyrexia, Phyrexia, Pyrulea, Rabiah, Rath, Ravnica, Regatha, Segovia, Serra’s Realm, Shadowmoor, Shandalar, Ulgrotha, Valla, Vryn, Wildfire, Xerex, and Zendikar.
		- **205.3p** Phenomenon cards, scheme cards, vanguard cards, and conspiracy cards have no 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 704.5j).
		- **205.4e** Any instant or sorcery spell with the supertype “legendary” is subject to a casting restriction. A player can’t cast a legendary instant or sorcery spell unless that player controls a legendary creature or a legendary planeswalker.
		- **205.4f** Any permanent with the supertype “world” is subject to the state-based action for world permanents, also called the “world rule” (see rule 704.5k).
		- **205.4g** 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.
		- **205.4h** Any scheme card with the supertype “ongoing” is exempt from the state-based action for schemes (see rule 704.6e).

*Comprehensive Rules* (August 7, 2020)

* **300.** General (Card Types)
	+ **300.1.** The card types are artifact, conspiracy, creature, enchantment, instant, land, phenomenon, plane, planeswalker, scheme, sorcery, tribal, and vanguard.
	+ **300.2.** Some objects have more than one card type (for example, an artifact creature). Such objects combine the aspects of each of those card types, and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or all of those card types.
		- **300.2a** An object that’s both a land and another card type (for example, an artifact land) can only be played as a land. It can’t be cast as a spell.
		- **300.2b** Each tribal card has another card type. Casting and resolving a tribal card follow the rules for casting and resolving a card of the other card type.