Reconfigure
| Reconfigure | |
|---|---|
|
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Icon Reconfigure.png}}|70x70px]] | |
| Keyword Ability | |
| Type |
Activated (1st ability) Activated (2nd ability) |
| Introduced | Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty |
| Last used | MH3 Commander |
| Reminder Text | Reconfigure [cost] ([Cost]: Attach to target creature you control; or unattach from a creature. Reconfigure only as a sorcery. While attached this isn't a creature.) |
| Storm Scale | 5[1] |
| Statistics |
20 cards  15%  20%  15%  40%  10% |
| Scryfall Search | |
| keyword:"Reconfigure" | |
Reconfigure is a keyword ability found on artifact creatures with the subtype "Equipment".[2] The first cards with reconfigure appeared in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty.[3]
Description
Cards with reconfigure enter the battlefield unattached. As an artifact creature, it can attack, block and can do anything any creature can do.
Reconfigure represents two activated abilities. By paying the reconfigure cost, you can attach the artifact creature to a creature you control, which is referred to in the text as the "equipped creature". You can also do this to move the Equipment from one creature you control to another. Reconfigure's other activated ability allows you to unattach the Equipment, causing it to resume being an artifact creature.
Reconfigure can only be activated at sorcery speed, and while the reconfigured artifact creature is attached, it isn't a creature. When the equipped creature leaves the battlefield, the artifact returns to being a creature.
History
After its introduction, reconfigure was reused sparingly in Alchemy: Kamigawa and MH3 Commander.
Rules
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Reconfigure
- A keyword ability that allows an Equipment creature to temporarily stop being a creature and become attached to another creature. See rule 702.151, “Reconfigure.”
From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 702.151. Reconfigure
- 702.151a Reconfigure represents two activated abilities. Reconfigure [cost] means “[Cost]: Attach this permanent to another target creature you control. Activate only as a sorcery” and “[Cost]: Unattach this permanent. Activate only if this permanent is attached to a creature and only as a sorcery.”
- 702.151b Attaching an Equipment with reconfigure to another creature causes the Equipment to stop being a creature until it becomes unattached from that creature.
Rulings
- Reconfigure represents two activated abilities. Reconfigure [cost] means "[Cost]: Attach this permanent to another target creature you control. Activate only as a sorcery," and "[Cost]: Unattach this permanent. Activate only if this permanent is attached to a creature and only as a sorcery."
- Attaching an Equipment with reconfigure to a creature causes that Equipment to stop being a creature until it becomes unattached. It also loses any creature subtypes it had.
- An Equipment doesn't become tapped when the permanent it's attached to becomes tapped. For example, if you attack with a creature that is equipped with Acquisition Octopus, then use reconfigure to unattach Acquisition Octopus after combat, the Octopus will be untapped and could be used to block during your opponent's turn.
- Similarly, if an Equipment is tapped, its reconfigure abilities may still be activated and it may still become attached to creatures. Becoming attached doesn't untap it. In most cases, an attached Equipment being tapped won't affect gameplay, but it will be relevant if it becomes unattached again before it untaps.
- If an Equipment with reconfigure somehow loses its abilities while it is attached, the effect causing it to not be a creature continues to apply until it becomes unattached.
- As soon as an Equipment creature with reconfigure stops being a creature, any Equipment and Auras with enchant creature abilities become unattached. Auras that can enchant an Equipment that isn't a creature remain attached to it.
- An Equipment creature with reconfigure can be attached to creatures by effects other than its reconfigure ability, such as the activated ability of Brass Squire.
- Although it causes an Equipment to become attached to a creature, reconfigure is not an "equip ability" for the purpose of cards like Fighter Class and Leonin Shikari.
- An Equipment creature can never become attached to itself. If an effect tries to do this, nothing happens.
- If a permanent with reconfigure is somehow still a creature after it becomes attached (perhaps due to an effect like that of March of the Machines), it immediately becomes unattached from the equipped creature.
Examples
Example
Simian Sling
Artifact Creature— Equipment Monkey
Equipped creature gets +1/+1.
Whenever Simian Sling or equipped creature becomes blocked, it deals 1 damage to defending player.
Reconfigure 
Trivia
- Reconfigure can be considered as a kind of a modern day Licid.[4][5] Reusing Equip and its infrastructure packages in sorcery speed, reattachment conditions and targeting, and also incorporates the "end use", streamlining away the issues that changing into an Aura have. A lot of the corner-case complexities regarding type changing is mitigated by the fact that equipment can sit around unattached, in contrast to the state-based effect of unattached Auras going to the graveyard.
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (2022-03-21). "Being my favorite mechanic from NEO, where is reconfigure on the storm scale?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Matt Tabak (January 27, 2022). "Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (February 9, 2022). "Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 31, 2022). "Could we ever see Licids again?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 4, 2023). "How Trivial with Mark Rosewater (Video)". Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.