Pawprint

[["Mechanic",[{"data":"''[[Bloomburrow]]''","label":"Introduced"},{"data":"''[[Bloomburrow]]''","label":"Last used"},{"data":"4","label":"[[Storm Scale]]"}]],["Scryfall Statistics",[{"data":"[https://scryfall.com/search?q=fo%3A%7BP%7D cards]"}]]]

Pawprint
Mechanic
Introduced	Bloomburrow
Last used	Bloomburrow
Storm Scale	4
Scryfall Statistics
cards

The Pawprint symbol is used exclusively on a cycle of modal cards in Bloomburrow, the "Seasons".

Description

As you cast one of the modal spells, you gain a designated number of pawprints to spend on the modes, with the price of each mode listed. Pawprints aren't a resource like mana or energy. You can't save them or carry them over from one spell to the next.

For Bloomburrow, all modal spells in the cycle have five pawprints worth of modes. The three modes cost one, two or three pawprints respectively. You don't have to choose five pawprints in modes — you could choose fewer modes if you wanted — but usually, it's a good idea to get as much as you can from your Season.

The permutations are:

• Mode 3 and Mode 2
• Mode 3 and Mode 1 twice
• Mode 2 twice and Mode 1
• Mode 2 and Mode 1 thrice
• Mode 1 five times

As the pawprint is self-inclusive (unlike energy where different cards can use it), R&D can easily do a similar style card with a different symbol when needed. The symbol can be anything, so future cards with this mechanic can pick a symbol appropriate for its set.

In R&D, the mechanic on the Seasons cards is informally called the "paw mechanic".

History

High and Dry Black Market utilizing Bloomburrow's pawprint mechanic for Ixalan.

The paw mechanic was foreshadowed on the 2019 Mystery Booster test card Pick Your Poison, where it used bracketed numbers rather than symbols (e.g. [2]).

The first cycle of cards to use the symbol format was "Seasons" in Bloomburrow, where the pawprint symbol helped flavor the mechanic as the residents of the plane working together.

A playtest Phenomenon card was designed for Planechase Unknown at MagicCon Las Vegas 2024 that used the mechanic. As the card was flavored for the black market at Ixalan's High and Dry, the pawprint symbol was replaced with a diamond (e.g. ♦). Functionally, the mechanic still works the same way. Pawprints were also used for Blustering Barnyard, a card designed by players at the "You Make the Card" panel during MagicCon Las Vegas 2025 and released at the Gen Con 2025 Unknown Events.

In response to a question on Blogatog, Mark Rosewater stated he was optimistic about the mechanic being reused in future sets but thought it would likely be with a different symbol.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)

Pawprint Symbol

A symbol shaped like a pawprint that is used to indicate the modes on some modal spells. See rule 700.2i.

From the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)

• 107.18. The pawprint symbol is {P}. This symbol is used to indicate the modes on some modal spells, and does not represent a cost, mana, counters, or any type of persistent resource. See rule 700.2i.

From the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)

• 700.2i Some modal spells have one or more pawprint symbols ({P}) rather than bullet points, as well as an instruction to choose up to a specified number of {P} “worth of modes.” While casting such a spell, its controller can choose any number of modes such that the total number of pawprint symbols listed for the chosen modes is not greater than the specified number.

Rulings

• The pawprint symbol does not represent a cost, mana, counters, or any kind of persistent resource. You can't "save up" pawprint symbols from one Season spell to use on a future one, mostly because there isn't anything concrete to save up. They're just pawprints.
• You don't have to choose modes that add up to exactly five pawprints. For example, you could choose the two pawprint mode twice and leave it at that. You could even choose no modes at all. You probably shouldn't, but you could.
• You choose the modes as you cast the spell. Once modes are chosen, they can't be changed.
• If a mode requires a target, you can select that mode only if there's a legal target available. Ignore the targeting requirements for modes you don't choose. Each time you select that mode, you can choose a different target, or you can choose the same target.
• No matter which combination of modes you choose, you always follow the instructions of a Season in the order they are written. If the same mode is chosen more than once, you choose their relative order as you cast the spell.
• No player can cast spells or activate abilities in between the modes of a resolving spell.
• If a Season is copied, the effect that creates the copy will usually allow you to choose new targets, but you can't choose new modes.
• If all targets for the chosen modes become illegal before the Season resolves, the spell won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. If at least one target is still legal, the spell will resolve but will have no effect on any illegal targets.

Example

Example

Season of Weaving
Sorcery
Trample
Choose up to five worth of modes. You may choose the same mode more than once.
— Draw a card.
— Choose an artifact or creature you control. Create a token that’s a copy of it.
— Return each nonland, nontoken permanent to its owner’s hand.