Text box

The text box is the box that takes up most of the lower part of a Magic card. Rules text and flavor text are both printed in this box. Generally, Magic card text runs between 7.5 and 9 points in font size, and it is the editing department's job to make sure that the text is large enough to be readable, that there aren't unsightly blank spaces, and so on. There are also certain rules about separating abilities and flavor text with blank lines, which prevents awkward text layouts.

Split cards have two text boxes, one for each half of the card and in proportion to each half-card. One text box is chosen to be active when a split card is played.

Flip cards also have two smaller text boxes, one for each flip state of the card. The active text box is found at the bottom of the card and defines how the card can be flipped, activating the second text box and deactivating the first.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Text Box

Part of a card. The text box is printed on the lower half of the card and contains the card’s rules text, reminder text, and flavor text. See rule 207, “Text Box.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

• 207. Text Box
  • 207.1. The text box is printed on the lower half of the card. It usually contains rules text defining the card’s abilities.
  • 207.2. The text box may also contain italicized text that has no game function.
    • 207.2a Reminder text is italicized text within parentheses that summarizes a rule that applies to that card. It usually appears on the same line as the ability it’s relevant to, but it may appear on its own line if it applies to an aspect of the card other than an ability.
    • 207.2b Flavor text is italicized text that, like the illustration, adds artistic appeal to the game. It usually appears below the rules text.
    • 207.2c An ability word appears in italics at the beginning of some abilities. Ability words are similar to keywords in that they tie together cards that have similar functionality, but they have no special rules meaning and no individual entries in the Comprehensive Rules. The ability words are adamant, addendum, alliance, battalion, bloodrush, celebration, channel, chroma, cohort, constellation, converge, council’s dilemma, coven, delirium, descend 4, descend 8, domain, eminence, enrage, fateful hour, fathomless descent, ferocious, formidable, grandeur, hellbent, heroic, imprint, inspired, join forces, kinship, landfall, lieutenant, magecraft, metalcraft, morbid, pack tactics, paradox, parley, radiance, raid, rally, revolt, secret council, spell mastery, strive, sweep, tempting offer, threshold, undergrowth, and will of the council.
    • 207.2d Similar to ability words, flavor words appear in italics at the beginning of some abilities. Flavor words provide a flavorful description of abilities, but they have no special rules meaning and are not listed in the Comprehensive Rules. While an ability word ties together several abilities with similar functionality, each flavor word is tailored to the specific ability it appears with.
  • 207.3. Some cards have decorative icons in the background of their text boxes. For example, a guild icon appears in the text box of many cards associated with the guilds of Ravnica, and a faction icon appears in the text box of most Scars of Mirrodin™ block cards. Similarly, many promotional cards include decorative icons. These icons have no effect on game play.
  • 207.4. The chaos symbol appears in the text box of each plane card to the left of a triggered ability that triggers whenever chaos ensues. The symbol itself has no special rules meaning. See rule 901, “Planechase.”
  • 207.5. One card (Cryptic Spires) has a set of symbols below the text box that represent each color and an ability that instructs a player to circle two of those colors as they create their deck. To circle a color, the player circles (or otherwise clearly indicates) that color’s symbol. The mana symbol of each circled color is considered part of that card’s printed rules text (see rule 613.1) and affects that card’s color identity (see rule 903.4).