Mana and Costs

This document provides an overview of the rules for mana and costs in Magic: The Gathering. For implementation details in Rummage, see the relevant code in the mana.rs file.

Mana Types

Magic: The Gathering has six types of mana:

  1. White (W)
  2. Blue (U)
  3. Black (B)
  4. Red (R)
  5. Green (G)
  6. Colorless (C)

Additionally, there is the concept of generic mana, represented by numbers (e.g., {1}, {2}), which can be paid with any type of mana.

Mana Costs

A spell's mana cost appears in the upper right corner of the card and consists of mana symbols. For example:

  • {2}{U} means "two generic mana and one blue mana"
  • {W}{W} means "two white mana"
  • {X}{R}{R} means "X generic mana and two red mana" where X is chosen by the player

Mana Pool

Players have a mana pool where mana is stored until spent or until a phase or step ends. Mana in a player's mana pool can be spent to pay costs or may be lost when a phase or step ends.

Mana Sources

Mana is produced by mana abilities, which come from various sources:

  • Land abilities: Basic lands and many nonbasic lands
  • Creature abilities: Mana dorks and other creatures
  • Artifact abilities: Mana rocks and other artifacts
  • Enchantment abilities: Various enchantments
  • Spells: Some instants and sorceries produce mana

Additional Costs

Many spells and abilities have additional costs beyond their mana cost:

  • Tap costs: {T} means "tap this permanent"
  • Life costs: "Pay N life"
  • Sacrifice costs: "Sacrifice a creature"
  • Discard costs: "Discard a card"
  • Exile costs: "Exile a card from your graveyard"

Alternative Costs

Some spells can be cast for alternative costs:

  • Flashback: Cast from graveyard for a different cost
  • Overload: Cast with a different effect for a different cost
  • Foretell: Cast from exile for a different cost
  • Evoke: Cast with a sacrifice trigger for a reduced cost

Cost Reduction

Various effects can reduce costs:

  • "Spells you cast cost {1} less to cast"
  • "This spell costs {1} less to cast for each artifact you control"
  • "The first creature spell you cast each turn costs {2} less to cast"

Cost Increases

Similarly, effects can increase costs:

  • "Spells your opponents cast cost {1} more to cast"
  • "Activated abilities cost {2} more to activate"
  • "Creature spells with flying cost {1} more to cast"

Special Mana Types

Beyond the basic types, there are special types of mana:

  • Snow mana ({S}): Produced by snow permanents
  • Phyrexian mana ({W/P}, {U/P}, etc.): Can be paid with either colored mana or 2 life
  • Hybrid mana ({W/U}, {B/R}, etc.): Can be paid with either of two colors
  • Colorless-specific mana ({C}): Must be paid with colorless mana, not any color

Mana Conversion

Mana conversion for costs follows these rules:

  1. Colored mana requirements must be paid with the exact color
  2. Generic mana can be paid with any type of mana
  3. Colorless-specific requirements must be paid with colorless mana
  4. Special mana symbols follow their own rules

For more information on how mana and costs are implemented in Rummage, see: