Last Updated: 2026-10-09

Back to 300

355. 2. Make relevant choices.

355.1. If the card has an effect that specifies a choice or instructs an action that is not a cost "As I am played," or "As you play me," those choices or actions are made or performed now.
355.2. For Units, choose a valid Location where that Unit will enter upon being Played.
355.3. For Spells and Abilities with a bulleted list of modes to choose from, make the appropriate choices now.
355.4. For Spells and Abilities that Move one or more Units, choose a valid Location as the Move Destination for each Move that will be performed.
355.5. If a card requires you to specifically choose one or more Game Objects, that choice is made now.
355.6. Targeting
355.7. When a card Chooses one or more specific Game Objects, Players, or Zones to affect, they are Targeted unless indicated otherwise by the rules in this section. If a card Picks one or more specific Game Objects, Players, or zones, they are not Targeted.
355.8. In order to put a spell or ability on the chain, valid choices must be made for all targets.
355.9. A target is a valid choice if it meets all of the following requirements:
355.10. A game object, player, or zone mentioned in the text of a spell, activated ability, or triggered ability is a target UNLESS any of the following are true:
355.11. Some cards identify a group of Targets with Targeting Requirements that must be met by the group as a whole.
355.12. If a spell specifies that a player may perform a Game Action on some number of Game Objects, then all choices are considered targeted and chosen independently of the decision to perform the Game Action.
355.13. If a card specifies that a player chooses "any number" or "up to" some number of Game Objects to be affected, they may choose any number of available targets, including zero. If they choose zero, the spell or ability can be played without any targets.
355.14. Splitting
355.15. These choices cannot be changed after this step unless instructed to by a spell or ability. See rule 750. Making New Choices for more information.
355.16. A player may not make choices during this step that will deterministically result in illegal choices or actions later in this process unless they have no choice. Example: A player plays a card which reads "As an additional cost to play this, kill the unit you control with the most Might. Give a friendly unit +[M] equal to the killed unit's Might this turn. Predict 2." They cannot choose to target their unit with the highest Might during this step of finalization.
355.17. If a Game Effect has introduced a mandatory requirement on any of these choices, that mandatory requirement must be followed if possible. A mandatory requirement is one that specifies what choice can be made or how that choice is made, but doesn't specifically disallow other game states. Example: Here to Help is a spell that reads in part "You may play a unit from your hand to a battlefield you control." If its controller decides to play a unit, they must play it to a battlefield they control. Example: Rek'Sai, Swarm Queen is a unit that reads "When I attack, you may reveal the top 2 cards of your Main Deck. You may banish one, then play it. If it is a unit, you may play it here. Recycle the rest." The "you may play it here," portion of this ability is not a mandatory requirement, because the player isn't required to play the unit to that location.
355.18. If a spell or ability requires one or more players to make choices that are not outlined in this section, they are made on resolution.
Back to Home