Mana
Mana
Mana is the primary resource for playing spells. Mana is typically drawn from lands, but it can also be generated by non-land permanents and other spells.
In textual terms mana symbols are represented as:
- {W} = White
- {U} = Blue
- {B} = Black
- {R} = Red
- {G} = Green
- {N} = colorless ("N" is a Natural number. Example: {1} is 1 colorless mana, {2} is 2 colorless mana and so on.)
Hybrid Mana
Hybrid Mana (also known as Half-Half Mana) is a type of mana first introduced in Ravnica: City of Guilds (set). Each hybrid mana symbol represents a cost which can be paid with one of two colors. The Hybrid can be any combination of two given colors. In textual terms hybrid mana symbols are represented as:
- {W/U} = White or Blue
- {W/B} = White or Black
- {U/B} = Blue or Black
- {U/R} = Blue or Red
- {B/R} = Black or Red
- {B/G} = Black or Green
- {R/G} = Red or Green
- {R/W} = Red or White
- {G/W} = Green or White
- {G/U} = Green or Blue
Converted Mana Cost
The converted mana cost (commonly abbreviated CMC) of an object is an integer equal to or greater than zero. It is determined by converting each colored mana symbol in the spell's cost to 1, then adding the results to the colorless mana cost of the spell. (For example, spells with mana costs of {2}{G} and {1}{G}{G} both have a converted mana cost of 3.)
The only case in which a spell's converted mana cost can ever vary is for spells with X in the mana cost. When an object with X in the mana cost is on the stack, X equals whatever value was chosen for it when it was put on the stack. In any other location, X equals 0.
Mana Abilities
A mana ability is either, an activated ability that could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves or a triggered ability that triggers from a mana ability and could produce additional mana.
A mana ability does not use the stack, and as such it cannot be countered or responded to, be either player.
Examples of mana abilities
- Lanowar Elves has the ability: "{T}: Add {G} to your mana pool.".
- Swamp has the ability: "{T}: Add {B} to your mana pool.".
Spells that put mana into a player's mana pool, such as Dark Ritual or Seething Song, are not mana abilities, and does use the stack as all other spells.