Declare Blockers Step Part of the turn. This step is the third step of the combat phase. See rule 509, “Declare Blockers Step.” Defender A keyword ability that prohibits a creature from attacking. See rule 702.3, “Defender.” Defending Player The player who can be attacked, and whose planeswalkers can be attacked, during the combat phase. See rule 506.2. In certain multiplayer games, there may be more than one defending player; see rule 802, “Attack Multiple Players Option,” and rule 810.7. Defending Team The team who can be attacked, and whose planeswalkers can be attacked, during the combat phase of a Two-Headed Giant game. See rule 810.7. Delayed Triggered Ability An ability created by effects generated when some spells or abilities resolve, or when some replacement effects are applied, that does something later on rather than at that time. See rule 603.7. Delve A keyword ability that lets you exile cards from your graveyard rather than pay generic mana to cast a spell. See rule 702.65, “Delve.” Dependency A system that may be used to determine in which order continuous effects in the same layer or sublayer are applied. See rule 613.7. See also Timestamp Order. Deploy Creatures Option An option that may be used in certain multiplayer variants to pass control of creatures between teammates. See rule 804, “Deploy Creatures Option.” Destroy To move a permanent from the battlefield to its owner’s graveyard. See rule 701.7, “Destroy.” Detain A keyword action that temporarily stops a permanent from attacking, blocking, or having its activated abilities activated. See rule 701.27, “Detain.” Dethrone A keyword ability that puts a +1/+1 counter on a creature when it attacks the player with the most life. See rule 702.104, “Dethrone.” Devoid A characteristic-defining ability that makes an object colorless. See rule 702.113, “Devoid.” Devotion A numerical value a player has, equal to the number of mana symbols of a certain color among the mana costs of permanents that player controls. See rule 700.5. Devour A keyword ability that can have a creature enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters on it. See rule 702.81, “Devour.”
Legend (Obsolete) An obsolete creature type. Cards printed with this subtype have been given errata in the Oracle card reference so they have the legendary supertype instead. See Legendary. Legendary A supertype that’s normally relevant on permanents. See rule 205.4, “Supertypes.” See also Legend Rule. Legend Rule A state-based action that causes a player who controls two or more legendary permanent with the same name to put all but one into their owners’ graveyards. See rule 704.5k. Lethal Damage An amount of damage greater than or equal to a creature’s toughness. See rules 119.6, 510.1, and 704.5g. Level Symbol A symbol that represents a keyword ability indicating abilities, power, and toughness a leveler card may have. See rule 107.8 and rule 710, “Leveler Cards.” Level Up A keyword ability that can put level counters on a creature. See rule 702.86, “Level Up.” Leveler Cards Cards with striated text boxes and three power/toughness boxes. See rule 710, “Leveler Cards.” Library 1. A zone. A player’s library is where that player draws cards from. 2. All the cards in a player’s library. See rule 401, “Library.” Life, Life Total Each player has an amount of “life,” represented by that player’s “life total.” Life may be gained or lost. See rule 118, “Life.” Life Modifier A characteristic that only vanguards have. See rule 211, “Life Modifier.” Lifelink A keyword ability that causes a player to gain life. See rule 702.15, “Lifelink.” Limited A way of playing in which each player gets a quantity of unopened Magic product and creates his or her own deck on the spot. See rule 100.2. Limited Range of Influence An optional rule used in some multiplayer games that limits what a player can affect. See rule 801, “Limited Range of Influence Option.” Linked Abilities Two abilities printed on the same object such that one of them causes actions to be taken or objects to be affected and the other one directly refers to those actions or objects. See rule 607, “Linked Abilities.”