Rules Lawyer MTG Card
2017-01-01 - Number 9
2017-12-08 - Number 20
2022-10-07 - Number 7
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Cyborg Advisor |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
State-based actions don't apply to you or other permanents you control. (You don't lose the game due to having 0 or less life or drawing from an empty library. Your creatures aren't destroyed due to damage or deathtouch and aren't put into a graveyard due to having 0 or less toughness. Your planeswalkers aren't put into a graveyard if they have 0 loyalty. You don't put a legendary permanent into a graveyard if you control two with the same name. Counters aren't removed from your permanents due to game rules. Permanents you control attached or combined illegally remain on the battlefield. For complete rules and regulations, see rule 704.)
Cards like Rules Lawyer
Delving into the intricate sphere of Magic: The Gathering, the Rules Lawyer card stands out with its unique function on the battlefield. This distinctive card bears a resemblance to cards like Platinum Angel, which also plays a role in altering fundamental game conditions. Platinum Angel prevents players from losing the game, much like Rules Lawyer stipulates that state-based actions don’t apply to you or other permanents you control, with the exception of abilities or damage that could still result in a loss.
Another card worth comparing is Void Winnower, which like Rules Lawyer, affects gameplay by limiting opponents’ actions – in this case, it prohibits casting spells with even mana costs. Although not as specific in directing the flow of state-based actions, Void Winnower similarly provides a strategic advantage by restricting other players’ options. While Rules Lawyer focuses on protection from state-based effects, Void Winnower offers a different form of control by dictating the terms of engagement.
Owing to these intriguing dynamics, Rules Lawyer makes for an unconventional yet potent piece in a player’s arsenal. Its ability to shield one’s in-game assets from typical rules provides a niche but significant tactical edge in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Rules Lawyer by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Rules Lawyer provides a unique edge by allowing you to ignore state-based actions, potentially keeping creatures on the battlefield when they would otherwise be destroyed. This strategic preservation can lead to sustained card advantage over time.
Resource Acceleration: By ensuring that your permanents aren’t crippled by damage or reduced toughness, Rules Lawyer can indirectly contribute to resource acceleration. This lets you fully utilize your permanents and mana each turn without worry.
Instant Speed: Although Rules Lawyer itself does not operate at instant speed, its continuous effect on the board creates an environment where you can play other instant-speed spells more confidently, knowing that your board state remains secure.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: With the Rules Lawyer card, a player doesn’t face the conventional discard challenge; however, it does present its unique deck-building stipulations. One must craft their strategy around its use effectively, considering the card’s other limitations.
Specific Mana Cost: Adhering to a precise mana cost, Rules Lawyer demands both white and colorless mana. This requirement can restrict its integration into multi-colored decks or those with a more flexible mana base, potentially limiting its play across various deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding a five mana investment, Rules Lawyer competes with other impactful cards within the same mana range. Players might weigh its state-based effects against other high-value cards when considering their five mana slots in a deck.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Rules Lawyer offers unique gameplay opportunities by altering state-based effects, allowing it to slide into decks that aim for unconventional winning strategies or that protect key creatures from typical game rules.
Combo Potential: With the ability to manipulate game fundamentals, this card can set up interesting combos by making your creatures near-invincible, sidestepping damage, and death triggers that would normally apply, opening the door to numerous creative deck-building options.
Meta-Relevance: In a game format where players often seek an edge through intricate rule interactions, Rules Lawyer provides a distinctive advantage. It thrives in environments heavy with board wipes and removal spells, safeguarding your creatures from standard removal conditions.
How to beat
The Rules Lawyer card presents a unique battlefield scenario with its stipulation that state-based effects don’t apply to other permanents you control while it’s on the field. As a result, this Unstable set card creates situations where traditional game-ending conditions, like having 0 or less life, do not apply, potentially prolonging games indefinitely.
To counteract the Rules Lawyer’s influence in a game, consider strategies that remove it directly from the battlefield without relying on state-based actions. Spot removal spells such as Path to Exile or Murder can effectively deal with the Lawyer, paving the way for standard game rules to govern once again. Additionally, board wipes that don’t target, like Wrath of God, can bypass the Lawyer’s protective clause and restore the normal order of play.
Evaluating the best approach requires attention to the current game state and available resources. Removal spells that circumvent the protection offered by Rules Lawyer ensure that the game’s usual dynamics are maintained, making it a critical move in your strategy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Rules Lawyer MTG card by a specific set like Judge Gift Cards 2017 and Unstable, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Rules Lawyer and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
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- MTG Mint Card
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- Troll and Toad
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- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Rules Lawyer Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-01-01 and 2022-10-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-01-01 | Judge Gift Cards 2017 | J17 | 9 | 2015 | Normal | Silver | Dmitry Burmak | |
| 2 | 2017-12-08 | Unstable | UST | 20 | 2015 | Normal | Silver | Sean Murray | |
| 3 | 2022-10-07 | The List (Unfinity Foil Edition) | ULST | 7 | 2015 | Normal | Silver | Sean Murray |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Rules Lawyer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-01-19 | +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters on permanents you control no longer annihilate each other. (704.5q) |
| 2018-01-19 | A creature with toughness 0 or less can still attack and block. It blocks an attacking creature with trample, treat its toughness as 0 when determining how to assign combat damage. |
| 2018-01-19 | Any ability that says a player wins or loses the game still works. |
| 2018-01-19 | Auras you control stay on the battlefield if they’re attached to an illegal permanent or if they aren’t attached to a permanent (but should be). They may not do much because there probably won’t be an “enchanted -hatever],” but they’ll stay on the battlefield! (704.5m) Similarly, thanks to an un-documented silver-bordered state-based action no longer applying, your creatures with augment can now survive even if not attached to a host. If this happens, its power and toughness are 0/0. (704.5m) |
| 2018-01-19 | Because Rules Lawyer applies only to you and other permanents you control, tokens that leave the battlefield will continue to cease to exist. This is also true for copies of cards that might exist off the battlefield. |
| 2018-01-19 | Creatures you control shrug off opposing creatures with deathtouch. (704.5h) |
| 2018-01-19 | Creatures you control that have been dealt lethal damage remain on the battlefield. (704.5g) |
| 2018-01-19 | Creatures you control with toughness of 0 or less remain on the battlefield. (704.5f) |
| 2018-01-19 | Equipment and Fortifications you control can stay attached to an illegal permanent. (704.5n) |
| 2018-01-19 | Good news for Rasputin Dreamweaver fans: you can ignore abilities of permanents you control that say it can’t have more than a certain number of a certain kind of counter. (704.5r) |
| 2018-01-19 | If you somehow control a creature that’s attached to another permanent, that creature can stay attached. It can attack and block, even if another creature is carrying it. Similarly, if you control a permanent that isn’t an Aura, an Equipment, or a Fortification, it can stay attached to whatever you manage to get it attached to. Strange. (704.5p) |
| 2018-01-19 | If you try to draw from an empty library, nothing happens. (704.5b) |
| 2018-01-19 | In Commander, you’re immune to the “commander damage rule” that says you lose if a single commander deals 21 or more combat damage to you. (704.5u) |
| 2018-01-19 | Rules Lawyer’s ability doesn’t apply to itself. It can die for any number of reasons. If you’re at 0 or less life and you lose control of Rules Lawyer, you’ll immediately lose the game. |
| 2018-01-19 | While you control Rules Lawyer, the following is true, with the exception of not affecting Rules Lawyer itself (Comprehensive Rules references in parentheses): |
| 2018-01-19 | You can control as many legendary permanents (including planeswalkers) with the same name as you want. It’s like your own personal Mirror Gallery! (704.5j) |
| 2018-01-19 | You can control multiple permanents with the supertype world. So, that opens up some deck ideas, I’d imagine. (704.5k) |
| 2018-01-19 | You could hit up an all-you-can-eat poison counter buffet no problem. (704.5c) |
| 2018-01-19 | You don’t lose the game if you’re at or below 0 life. (704.5a) |
| 2018-01-19 | Your Two-Headed Giant team can no longer lose because you have 0 or less life or fifteen or more poison counters. (704.5s and 704.5t) |
| 2018-01-19 | Your planeswalkers remain on the battlefield even if they have no loyalty counters. (704.5i) |