How Layers Work in MTG
Understanding continuous effects, the 7-layer system, timestamps, and dependency — the most complex rules topic in Magic.
What Are Continuous Effects?
In Magic: The Gathering, most effects happen once and are done — a spell deals damage, a creature enters the battlefield, a player draws a card. But some effects linger on the game state, continuously modifying the characteristics of objects or the rules of the game for as long as their source is relevant. These are continuous effects.
Continuous effects come from two main sources: static abilities on permanents (like Glorious Anthem's "Creatures you control get +1/+1") and resolving spells or abilities that create lasting changes (like Giant Growth's "+3/+3 until end of turn"). Per CR 611.1, a continuous effect modifies characteristics of objects, modifies control of objects, or affects players or the rules of the game.
The critical thing about continuous effects is that multiple ones can exist simultaneously, and they can interact with each other in ways that would produce different results depending on the order they are applied. This is where the layer system comes in.
Why Layers Exist
Consider a simple scenario: you control Humility ("All creatures lose all abilities and have base power and toughness 1/1") and a creature with a static ability that gives other creatures +2/+2. Which effect "wins"? Does the creature lose the pump ability before it applies, or does the pump apply first?
Without a defined system, the answer would depend on which order you chose to apply the effects — and different orders would produce different game states. The layer system, defined in CR 613, solves this by establishing a fixed order in which continuous effects are applied. Every continuous effect is assigned to a specific layer based on what it does, and layers are always applied in the same order, regardless of timestamps, who controls what, or when effects began.
The key principle: layer assignment is based on the type of modification, not on the source of the effect. An effect that changes a permanent's types always applies in Layer 4, whether it comes from an enchantment, a spell, or an ability. This ensures deterministic, consistent game states.
The Seven Layers CR 613.1
Continuous effects are applied in the following order. Each layer is fully resolved before moving to the next. Effects within the same layer are applied in timestamp order (or by dependency — see below).
| Layer | What It Does | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1 | Copy Effects Effects that make an object a copy of another object. CR 613.2a |
Clone, Clever Impersonator, Sakashima of a Thousand Faces |
| Layer 2 | Control-Changing Effects Effects that change the controller of an object. CR 613.2b |
Control Magic, Bribery, Gilded Drake |
| Layer 3 | Text-Changing Effects Effects that change the text of an object. CR 613.2c |
Magical Hack, Mind Bend, Swirl the Mists |
| Layer 4 | Type-Changing Effects Effects that change types, subtypes, and/or supertypes. CR 613.2d |
Blood Moon, Enchanted Evening, Mycosynth Lattice |
| Layer 5 | Color-Changing Effects Effects that change an object's color. CR 613.2e |
Painter's Servant, Darkest Hour, Spectral Shift |
| Layer 6 | Ability Adding/Removing Effects that add or remove abilities. CR 613.2f |
Humility (removes), Akroma's Memorial (adds), Archetype of Courage |
| Layer 7 | Power/Toughness Effects Effects that modify power and/or toughness. CR 613.2g |
Giant Growth, Glorious Anthem, Humility (sets to 1/1) |
A single card can generate effects that apply in multiple layers. Humility, for instance, applies in both Layer 6 (removing abilities) and Layer 7 (setting P/T to 1/1). Each part of the effect is applied in its respective layer independently.
Layer 7 Sublayers CR 613.4
Layer 7 is the most complex layer because there are many different kinds of P/T modifications and the order they apply matters enormously. A +3/+3 bonus applied before a "set P/T to 1/1" effect gives a very different result than the reverse. To handle this, Layer 7 is divided into five sublayers, applied in order:
- Characteristic-defining abilities (CDAs) that set power and/or toughness. These are abilities that define P/T as part of the card's basic characteristics, such as Tarmogoyf's "*/*" where * is defined by its ability. CR 613.4a
- All other effects that set P/T to specific values without using counters. This includes effects like Humility ("have base power and toughness 1/1") and Turn to Frog ("becomes a 1/1"). CR 613.4b
- Effects from counters. +1/+1 counters, -1/-1 counters, and other P/T-modifying counters apply here. CR 613.4c
- Effects that modify without setting. Static abilities and resolving effects that give +N/+N or -N/-N without setting P/T to a specific value. Glorious Anthem (+1/+1 to your creatures) and Giant Growth (+3/+3 until end of turn) apply here. CR 613.4d
- Effects that switch power and toughness. These always apply last. If multiple switching effects exist, they are applied in timestamp order, and each applies to the current values at that point. CR 613.4e
Tarmogoyf's CDA sets its P/T in sublayer 7a. But Humility sets all creatures to 1/1 in sublayer 7b, which comes after 7a. So Humility overrides Tarmogoyf's CDA — Tarmogoyf is 1/1 (before Humility also removes its abilities in Layer 6, which means the CDA doesn't exist, but the sublayer ordering explains the P/T result independently).
If a 4/4 creature with two +1/+1 counters is targeted by Turn to Frog ("becomes a 1/1 blue Frog"), the sublayers apply: 7b sets it to 1/1, then 7c applies the two +1/+1 counters, making it a 3/3. The counters are not overridden by Turn to Frog because counters apply in a later sublayer.
Timestamps and Dependency
Timestamps CR 613.7
When multiple continuous effects apply within the same layer (or sublayer), they are applied in timestamp order — the effect that started existing first is applied first. The timestamp rules are:
- Permanents receive a timestamp when they enter the battlefield. CR 613.7a
- Auras, Equipment, and Fortifications receive a new timestamp each time they become attached to an object or player. CR 613.7b
- Non-permanent effects (from spells or abilities) receive a timestamp when they resolve. CR 613.7c
- If two effects would get timestamps simultaneously, they are applied in APNAP order (Active Player, Non-Active Player). CR 613.7e
Dependency CR 613.8
Sometimes, timestamp order is overridden by dependency. Effect A is said to depend on Effect B if:
- They apply in the same layer (or sublayer).
- Applying Effect B would change the existence or meaning of Effect A, or change what Effect A applies to.
- Neither effect is a characteristic-defining ability, or both are.
When a dependency exists, the depended-upon effect is always applied first, regardless of timestamps. If there is a circular dependency (A depends on B and B depends on A), the system falls back to timestamps. CR 613.8a
Blood Moon says "Nonbasic lands are Mountains." Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth says "Each land is a Swamp in addition to its other types." Both apply in Layer 4 (type-changing). Blood Moon's effect depends on Urborg's effect, because whether Blood Moon applies to Urborg depends on whether Urborg is nonbasic. But actually, Urborg is always nonbasic (it is a legendary land), so the dependency is: Urborg's effect depends on Blood Moon. If Blood Moon applies first, Urborg becomes a Mountain (losing its ability in Layer 6 — but Layer 4 is being evaluated now). However, dependencies are evaluated based on what actually changes. Blood Moon makes Urborg into a Mountain. In Layer 6, Urborg loses its ability. So the net result is: Urborg is a Mountain, and other nonbasic lands are Mountains. Urborg's ability is removed by Blood Moon before it can make anything into a Swamp.
Classic Layer Examples
Opalescence: "Each other non-Aura enchantment is a creature in addition to its other types with power and toughness each equal to its mana value." Humility: "All creatures lose all abilities and have base power and toughness 1/1."
Layer 4 (Types): Opalescence makes Humility into a creature (it's an enchantment with MV 4). Both effects exist here, and Opalescence's type-changing effect applies, making Humility an Enchantment Creature.
Layer 6 (Abilities): Now Humility is a creature. Its own ability says all creatures lose all abilities. But does Humility remove its own ability? No — but it removes Opalescence's ability. However, Opalescence's effect in Layer 4 has already been applied (layers are sequential). So the type change sticks.
Layer 7 (P/T): Opalescence sets Humility to 4/4 (its MV) in sublayer 7b. Humility sets all creatures (including itself) to 1/1 in sublayer 7b. Since both are in the same sublayer, we use timestamps. The one with the later timestamp applies second and "wins" for P/T.
Result: If Humility entered after Opalescence, all creatures (including Humility) are 1/1 with no abilities. If Opalescence entered after Humility, Humility is a 4/4 creature with no abilities, and all other creatures are 1/1 with no abilities. In both cases, all creatures lose all abilities because Humility's Layer 6 effect is applied regardless. CR 613.7
Both apply in Layer 4. Blood Moon: "Nonbasic lands are Mountains." Urborg: "Each land is a Swamp in addition to its other types."
Urborg is a nonbasic land, so Blood Moon applies to it. In Layer 4, Blood Moon makes Urborg (and all other nonbasic lands) into Mountains. Then in Layer 6, lands that are Mountains gain "{T}: Add {R}" and lose other mana abilities. Since Urborg has been turned into a basic Mountain by Blood Moon's effect, it loses its "Each land is a Swamp" ability.
Result: Urborg is a Mountain. All nonbasic lands are Mountains. Urborg's ability never gets to make anything a Swamp because Blood Moon removes it. Basic lands are unaffected. CR 613.2d
You control Humility. An opponent casts Acidic Slime, which has "When Acidic Slime enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact, enchantment, or land." Does the trigger happen?
Yes. Triggered abilities trigger based on the game state at the moment the event occurs. Acidic Slime enters the battlefield. At the moment it enters, the game checks if any abilities should trigger. Even though Humility will immediately remove Acidic Slime's abilities via Layer 6, the enter-the-battlefield trigger has already triggered and is placed on the stack. Continuous effects (layers) determine the current characteristics of objects, but they do not retroactively prevent triggers that already triggered. CR 603.6a
Result: Acidic Slime enters as a 1/1 with no abilities, but its ETB trigger is on the stack and will resolve normally. The Slime's controller chooses a target and destroys it.
Resolving Layer Conflicts Step by Step
When you encounter a complex interaction involving continuous effects, follow this process:
- Identify all continuous effects currently in play. Include static abilities on permanents, lingering effects from resolved spells, and effects from emblems or the command zone.
- Assign each effect to its layer based on what it does. Remember: one card can produce effects in multiple layers. Humility affects Layer 6 (abilities) and Layer 7b (P/T). Blood Moon affects Layer 4 (types). Opalescence affects Layer 4 (types) and Layer 7b (P/T).
- Apply Layer 1, then Layer 2, then Layer 3, and so on in strict sequential order. Do not skip ahead or apply later layers before earlier ones are complete.
- Within each layer, check for dependencies first (CR 613.8). If Effect A depends on Effect B, apply B before A regardless of timestamps.
- If no dependencies exist, apply effects in timestamp order — earliest first. Within Layer 7, use sublayer order (7a before 7b before 7c, etc.), then timestamp order within each sublayer.
- After all 7 layers are applied, the result is the current game state. Characteristics of all objects are now fully determined. State-based actions are checked, and any triggered abilities that should have triggered are placed on the stack.
The most important thing to internalize is that layers are sequential and absolute. An effect in Layer 4 cannot be "overridden" by an effect in Layer 3, because Layer 3 has already finished by the time Layer 4 is applied. Similarly, Layer 6 removing an ability does not retroactively undo what that ability did in Layer 4.
Common Misconceptions About Layers
Myth: "The most recent effect always wins."
Fact: Timestamps only matter within the same layer or sublayer. An effect in Layer 4 always applies before an effect in Layer 6, regardless of which entered the battlefield first.
Myth: "If Humility removes an ability, that ability never did anything."
Fact: Humility operates in Layer 6. If a creature's static ability operates in an earlier layer (like Layer 4 for type-changing), that effect has already been applied before Humility removes it. Layers are sequential — you cannot undo an earlier layer from a later one.
Myth: "+1/+1 counters are removed by effects that set P/T."
Fact: Counters apply in sublayer 7c, which comes after "set P/T" effects in sublayer 7b. A creature turned into a 1/1 by Turn to Frog but with three +1/+1 counters is a 4/4, not a 1/1. The counters are not removed — they still exist and apply after the P/T is set.
Myth: "Blood Moon removes abilities from lands."
Fact: Blood Moon itself only changes land types in Layer 4 — it sets nonbasic lands to be Mountains. The loss of abilities is a consequence of rule CR 305.7: when a land gains a basic land type, it gains the corresponding mana ability and loses all other abilities granted by rules. This happens because of the comprehensive rules, not because Blood Moon explicitly removes abilities.
Myth: "Layers only apply to permanents on the battlefield."
Fact: While most continuous effects come from permanents, the layer system applies to all continuous effects regardless of source. Effects from resolved instants and sorceries (like "Target creature becomes 0/2 until end of turn"), emblems, and even effects from cards in other zones can all be assigned to layers. CR 613.6
Myth: "You can choose the order to apply effects in the same layer."
Fact: There is no player choice in the layer system. Effects in the same layer are applied in timestamp order (or by dependency). The layer system is fully deterministic — the game state is always the same regardless of who is applying it.
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