Last Updated: 2026-10-09

358. 5. Check legality.

358.1. Check that the card made appropriate choices. Example: If the card chose targets, ensure that the targets are legal. Example: If the card made choices that had restrictions or requirements, ensure that restrictions were followed and that the requirements were met as appropriate. See rule 355. Make Relevant Choices for more information.
358.2. Check that all costs were paid.
358.3. Check that the outcome of the effect of this card being played would not create an illegal state. Example: Check that a spell's execution does not create a state where a Battlefield has Units controlled by 3 different players. Example: Check that a permanent is not played to a base other than that of its controller.
358.4. Check that the card has the appropriate permissions to be played at this timing. Example: If the state is Showdown Closed and the card was the one that Closed the state, ensure that it has [Action] or [Reaction]. Example: If the state is Closed and the card wasn't the one that Closed the state, ensure that it has [Reaction].
358.5. If any of the above checks fail, the actions taken in this process are undone, any effects that those actions caused to occur are treated as having never happened, and the action is cancelled.