Layer

The layer system handles the interaction of continuous effects in Magic: The Gathering. Understanding it is key to understanding how multiple effects combine to determine the final state of an object, especially effects that change a creature's power and toughness.

Description

In order to have the 7 layers, 6 sub layers, and their order memorized you could use the mnemonic C.C.T.T.-CAP.

1. Copy
2. Control
3. Text
4. Type
5. Color
6. Adding/Removing
7. Power/Toughness

General

Magic has a lot of effects that modify permanents in play. Often times these effects can be confusing or mutually exclusive when stacked, so the rules for how to deal with modification effects are very detailed.

At any point in the game when you have to understand what kind of object a permanent is you start with the base object and then apply all existing effects that are modifying (or could modify it) one at a time until they have all been applied.

The order in which these effects are applied is largely determined by the type of modification being done. For example, Type changing effects (like turning a land into a creature) are applied before rules changing effects (like giving a creature vigilance) which are applied before power/toughness adjusting effects (like giving a creature +3/+3). The categories of modification are referred to as "layers", and there are 7 layers with several subcategories.

Inside a layer or sublayer, order is determined first by dependencies (an effect that makes all lands creatures will be applied before an effect that makes all creatures goblins), and then finally by "timestamp", the time when the effect came into existence, with older effects being applied first. Newer effects can and will overwrite older effects if there is a conflict.

There are no distinctions between effects that are being granted temporarily ("until end of turn") by one shot effects and effects that are being granted statically by a permanent on the battlefield. All that matters is the type of effect and the time the effect began applying.

The result of all this is a system that about 99% of the time works in the most intuitive fashion possible, and mostly only fails to be intuitive when there is no single intuitive answer.

Related concepts

There a few terms commonly used when talking about layers.

Characteristic-defining ability

A characteristic-defining ability (CDA) is an ability that defines a characteristic of a card or token. There are three specific rules that distinguish a CDA from other abilities.

1. A CDA can only define a characteristic of either the card or token it comes from.
2. A CDA can not be triggered, activated, or conditional.
3. A CDA must define a characteristic. Usually color, power and/or toughness, or subtype.

Timestamp order

Each permanent receives a timestamp when it enters the battlefield. Each spell or ability receives a timestamp when it resolves. To apply multiple continuous effects (which apply in the same layer) in timestamp order, apply the effect with the oldest timestamp first, then apply the one with the next oldest, and so on and so forth.

Dependency

Sometimes an effect can depend upon another effect. An effect can be said to depend upon another effect if:

• Both effects are applied in the same layer (or sub-layer).
• Applying one effect would change the text or existence of the other effect, how it applies, or what it applies to
• Neither effect is from a CDA.

If an effect is dependent on another effect, they will be applied in timestamp order unless the independent effect would be applied after the dependent one. If this is the case, the dependent effect is held until after the independent effect has been applied and then it is applied.

The layers

#		Layer name	Description	Examples
1	A	Copy and Mutate effects	The first layer is the layer of copiable effects. This includes copy effects that say "becomes a copy". It also includes the mutate tech introduced with Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, and effects like Aquamorph Entity's that are generated by a replacement effect that replaces coming onto the battlefield or being turned face up by setting a characteristic.	Clone Copy Enchantment Mirrorweave
	B	Face down effects	In the second sublayer you apply changes to characteristics due to being face down. The copiable values of an object are the end result of applying layers 1a and 1b. Copiable values are the only things that get copied when something copies that object. Effects that apply in later layers will not be copied.	Break Open Cyber Conversion
2		Control-changing effects	Apply any effect which would change the controller of the object you’re evaluating. Any ability or spell that generates this type of effect should contain the word ‘Control.’	Word of Seizing Confiscate
3		Text-changing effects	Apply any effect which would change the text of the object you’re evaluating. To be included in this layer, the effect has to specifically state that it’s changing text. Effects such as “Target creature loses all abilities” should be placed in Layer 6.	Swirl the Mists Mind Bend
4		Type-changing effects	Apply any effect which would add, change or remove types, subtypes or supertypes from the object you’re evaluating. These should be easy to spot, but they’re often thrown in as part of a larger ability.	Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth Conspiracy
5		Color-changing effects	Apply any effect which would add, change or remove color from the object you’re evaluating.	Alcor's Tomb Moonlace
6		"Ability adding or removing" effects	Apply any effect which would add or remove abilities to an object you’re evaluating.	Fear Humble
7	A	Effects from Power/Toughness affecting CDAs	Apply all Power/Toughness CDAs. Other CDAs just apply first in their relevant layer.	Maro Tarmogoyf
	B	Apply any Power/Toughness setting effects	All Power/Toughness effects that set either Power/Toughness or both to a specific number or value.	March of the Machines Lignify
	C	Apply any Power/Toughness changing effects that dosn’t set, and changes from counters	This covers all effects that modify Power/Toughness so long as they don’t set P/T to a specific value. This includes any counters that affect Power/Toughness	Shared Triumph Giant Growth
	D	Effects that switch Power/Toughness	Apply any effect that switches power and toughness.	Inside Out Merfolk Thaumaturgist

Important rules to remember when using the layer system

• If multiple continuous effects apply in the same layer, first apply CDAs and then apply each continuous effect in timestamp order. This order may be interrupted by dependencies.
• If a continuous effect has started applying in an earlier layer, it will continue to apply in later layers even if the ability that created that effect has been removed.
• Auras and equipment (along with fortifications) receive a new time stamp each time they become attached to a different permanent.

History

The layer system was first introduced in Eighth Edition. Prior to the change, interactions between continuous effects were governed solely by dependencies and timestamps.

With the release of Magic 2010, the layers system had been greatly simplified to allow for better player (and judge) understanding.

• The layer formerly known as layer 5 (all other effects), got split into 2 separate layers (the old layer 6 became 7). Layer 5 became now color changes and 6 became adding/losing abilities. By separating these 2 types of continuous effects the number of dependencies in the game was greatly reduced.
• A redefinition and rearrangement of sublayers 7B, C, and D. In the previous rules, temporary p/t effects like Giant Growth could be overwritten by abilities like Sorceress Queen, but at the same time abilities like Glorius Anthem would still get to effect the creature. This distinction made it difficult to explain to players, and was all-around confusing. The rules have been changed to go more in line with how Sorceress Queen's original text read; Power/Toughness setting abilities now only effect the actual numbers written on the bottom right of the card (or in the case of copy effects, what ever the copied value is) and then all other effects are added onto the top of that.

Rules

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

Layer

A system used to determine in which order continuous effects are applied. See rule 613, “Interaction of Continuous Effects.” See also Dependency, Timestamp Order.

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

Dependency

A system that may be used to determine in which order continuous effects in the same layer or sublayer are applied. See rule 613.8. See also Timestamp Order.

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

Timestamp Order

A system used to determine in which order continuous effects in the same layer or sublayer are applied. See rule 613.7. See also Dependency.

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

• 613. Interaction of Continuous Effects
  • 613.1. The values of an object’s characteristics are determined by starting with the actual object. For a card, that means the values of the characteristics printed on that card. For a token or a copy of a spell or card, that means the values of the characteristics defined by the effect that created it. Then all applicable continuous effects are applied in a series of layers in the following order:
    • 613.1a Layer 1: Rules and effects that modify copiable values are applied.
    • 613.1b Layer 2: Control-changing effects are applied.
    • 613.1c Layer 3: Text-changing effects are applied. See rule 612, “Text-Changing Effects.”
    • 613.1d Layer 4: Type-changing effects are applied. These include effects that change an object’s card type, subtype, and/or supertype.
    • 613.1e Layer 5: Color-changing effects are applied.
    • 613.1f Layer 6: Ability-adding effects, keyword counters, ability-removing effects, and effects that say an object can’t have an ability are applied.
    • 613.1g Layer 7: Power- and/or toughness-changing effects are applied.
  • 613.2. Within layer 1, apply effects in a series of sublayers in the order described below. Within each sublayer, apply effects in timestamp order (see rule 613.7). Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are applied within a sublayer. (See rule 613.8.)
    • 613.2a Layer 1a: Copiable effects are applied. This includes copy effects (see rule 707, “Copying Objects”) and changes to an object’s characteristics determined by merging an object with a permanent (see rule 729, “Merging with Permanents”). “As . . . enters” and “as . . . is turned face up” abilities generate copiable effects if they set power and toughness, even if they also define other characteristics.
    • 613.2b Layer 1b: Face-down spells and permanents have their characteristics modified as defined in rule 708.2.
    • 613.2c After all rules and effects in layer 1 have been applied, the object’s characteristics are its copiable values. (See rule 707.2.)
  • 613.3. Within layers 2–6, apply effects from characteristic-defining abilities first (see rule 604.3), then all other effects in timestamp order (see rule 613.7). Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are applied within a layer. (See rule 613.8.)
  • 613.4. Within layer 7, apply effects in a series of sublayers in the order described below. Within each sublayer, apply effects in timestamp order. (See rule 613.7.) Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are applied within a sublayer. (See rule 613.8.)
    • 613.4a Layer 7a: Effects from characteristic-defining abilities that define power and/or toughness are applied. See rule 604.3.
    • 613.4b Layer 7b: Effects that set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value are applied. Effects that refer to the base power and/or toughness of a creature apply in this layer.
    • 613.4c Layer 7c: Effects and counters that modify power and/or toughness (but don’t set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value) are applied.
    • 613.4d Layer 7d: Effects that switch a creature’s power and toughness are applied. Such effects take the value of power and apply it to the creature’s toughness, and take the value of toughness and apply it to the creature’s power.

      Example: A 1/3 creature is given +0/+1 by an effect. Then another effect switches the creature’s power and toughness. Its new power and toughness is 4/1. A new effect gives the creature +5/+0. Its “unswitched” power and toughness would be 6/4, so its actual power and toughness is 4/6.

      Example: A 1/3 creature is given +0/+1 by an effect. Then another effect switches the creature’s power and toughness. Its new power and toughness is 4/1. If the +0/+1 effect ends before the switch effect ends, the creature becomes 3/1.

      Example: A 1/3 creature is given +0/+1 by an effect. Then another effect switches the creature’s power and toughness. Then another effect switches its power and toughness again. The two switches essentially cancel each other, and the creature becomes 1/4.

  • 613.5. The application of continuous effects as described by the layer system is continually and automatically performed by the game. All resulting changes to an object’s characteristics are instantaneous.

    Example: Honor of the Pure is an enchantment that reads “White creatures you control get +1/+1.” Honor of the Pure and a 2/2 black creature are on the battlefield under your control. If an effect then turns the creature white (layer 5), it gets +1/+1 from Honor of the Pure (layer 7c), becoming 3/3. If the creature’s color is later changed to red (layer 5), Honor of the Pure’s effect stops applying to it, and it will return to being 2/2.

    Example: Gray Ogre, a 2/2 creature, is on the battlefield. An effect puts a +1/+1 counter on it (layer 7c), making it 3/3. A spell targeting it that says “Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn” resolves (layer 7c), making it 7/7. An enchantment that says “Creatures you control get +0/+2” enters the battlefield (layer 7c), making it 7/9. An effect that says “Target creature becomes 0/1 until end of turn” is applied to it (layer 7b), making it 5/8 (0/1, with +4/+4 from the resolved spell, +0/+2 from the enchantment, and +1/+1 from the counter).

  • 613.6. If an effect should be applied in different layers and/or sublayers, the parts of the effect each apply in their appropriate ones. If an effect starts to apply in one layer and/or sublayer, it will continue to be applied to the same set of objects in each other applicable layer and/or sublayer, even if the ability generating the effect is removed during this process.

    Example: An effect that reads “This creature gets +1/+1 and becomes the color of your choice until end of turn” is both a power- and toughness-changing effect and a color-changing effect. The “becomes the color of your choice” part is applied in layer 5, and then the “gets +1/+1” part is applied in layer 7c.

    Example: Act of Treason has an effect that reads “Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.” This is both a control-changing effect and an effect that adds an ability to an object. The “gain control” part is applied in layer 2, and then the “it gains haste” part is applied in layer 6.

    Example: An effect that reads “All noncreature artifacts become 2/2 artifact creatures until end of turn” is both a type-changing effect and a power- and toughness-setting effect. The type-changing effect is applied to all noncreature artifacts in layer 4 and the power- and toughness-setting effect is applied to those same permanents in layer 7b, even though those permanents aren’t noncreature artifacts by then.

    Example: Svogthos, the Restless Tomb, is on the battlefield. An effect that says “Until end of turn, target land becomes a 3/3 creature that’s still a land” is applied to it (layers 4 and 7b). An effect that says “Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn” is applied to it (layer 7c), making it a 4/4 land creature. Then while you have ten creature cards in your graveyard, you activate Svogthos’s ability: “Until end of turn, this land becomes a black and green Plant Zombie creature with ‘This creature’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard.’ It’s still a land.” (layers 4, 5, and 7b). It becomes an 11/11 land creature. If a creature card enters or leaves your graveyard, Svogthos’s power and toughness will be modified accordingly. If the first effect is applied to it again, it will become a 4/4 land creature again.

  • 613.7. Within a layer or sublayer, determining which order effects are applied in is usually done using a timestamp system. An effect with an earlier timestamp is applied before an effect with a later timestamp.
    • 613.7a A continuous effect generated by a static ability has the same timestamp as the object the static ability is on, or the timestamp of the effect that created the ability, whichever is later. If the effect that created the ability has the later timestamp and the object the ability is on receives a new timestamp, each continuous effect generated by static abilities of that object receives a new timestamp as well, but the relative order of those timestamps remains the same.

      Example: Rune of Flight is an Aura that grants enchanted Equipment “Equipped creature has flying.” A player attaches Rune of Flight to Colossus Hammer, an Equipment with “Equipped creature gets +10/+10 and loses flying.” The ability granted by Rune of Flight shares Rune of Flight’s timestamp because it is later than Colossus Hammer’s timestamp. If Colossus Hammer becomes attached to a creature, both of its abilities receive new timestamps (see rule 613.7e), but the relative order of those timestamps remains the same.

    • 613.7b A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability receives a timestamp at the time it’s created.
    • 613.7c Each counter receives a timestamp as it’s put on an object or player. If that object or player already has a counter of that kind on it, each counter of that kind receives a new timestamp identical to that of the new counter.
    • 613.7d An object receives a timestamp at the time it enters a zone.
    • 613.7e An Aura, Equipment, or Fortification receives a new timestamp each time it becomes attached to an object or player.
    • 613.7f A permanent receives a new timestamp each time it turns face up or face down.
    • 613.7g A transforming double-faced permanent receives a new timestamp each time it transforms or converts.
    • 613.7h A face-up plane card, phenomenon card, or scheme card receives a timestamp at the time it’s turned face up.
    • 613.7i A face-up vanguard card receives a timestamp at the beginning of the game.
    • 613.7j A conspiracy card receives a timestamp at the beginning of the game. If it’s face down, it receives a new timestamp at the time it turns face up.
    • 613.7k A sticker receives a new timestamp each time it’s put on an object. If the object a sticker is on receives a new timestamp, the sticker receives a new timestamp immediately after that one. If the object a sticker is on becomes part of a merged permanent on the battlefield, the sticker receives a new timestamp at that time. If an object has more than one sticker on it as it enters a zone or becomes part of a merged permanent, the relative timestamp order of those stickers remains unchanged.
    • 613.7m If two or more objects would receive a timestamp simultaneously, such as by entering a zone simultaneously or becoming attached simultaneously, their relative timestamps are determined in APNAP order (see rule 101.4). Objects controlled by the active player (or owned by the active player, if they have no controller) have an earlier relative timestamp in the order of that player’s choice, followed by each other player in turn order.
    • 613.7n If a continuous effect generated by a static ability of an object and a continuous effect generated by a resolving spell or ability that applies to that object would receive a timestamp simultaneously, such as due to an effect that puts that object onto the battlefield and sets its characteristics (see rule 611.2e), the continuous effect from the object’s own static ability receives an earlier relative timestamp.
  • 613.8. Within a layer or sublayer, determining which order effects are applied in is sometimes done using a dependency system. If a dependency exists, it will override the timestamp system.
    • 613.8a An effect is said to “depend on” another if (a) it’s applied in the same layer (and, if applicable, sublayer) as the other effect; (b) applying the other would change the text or the existence of the first effect, what it applies to, or what it does to any of the things it applies to; and (c) neither effect is from a characteristic-defining ability or both effects are from characteristic-defining abilities. Otherwise, the effect is considered to be independent of the other effect.
    • 613.8b An effect dependent on one or more other effects waits to apply until just after all of those effects have been applied. If multiple dependent effects would apply simultaneously in this way, they’re applied in timestamp order relative to each other. If several dependent effects form a dependency loop, then this rule is ignored and the effects in the dependency loop are applied in timestamp order.
    • 613.8c After each effect is applied, the order of remaining effects is reevaluated and may change if an effect that has not yet been applied becomes dependent on or independent of one or more other effects that have not yet been applied.
  • 613.9. One continuous effect can override another. Sometimes the results of one effect determine whether another effect applies or what another effect does.

    Example: Two effects are affecting the same creature: one from an Aura that says “Enchanted creature has flying” and one from an Aura that says “Enchanted creature loses flying.” Neither of these depends on the other, since nothing changes what they affect or what they’re doing to it. Applying them in timestamp order means the one that was generated last “wins.” The same process would be followed, and the same result reached, if either of the effects had a duration (such as “Target creature loses flying until end of turn”) or came from a non-Aura source (such as “All creatures lose flying”).

    Example: One effect reads, “White creatures get +1/+1,” and another reads, “Enchanted creature is white.” The enchanted creature gets +1/+1 from the first effect, regardless of its previous color.

  • 613.10. Some continuous effects affect players rather than objects. For example, an effect might give a player protection from red. All such effects are applied in timestamp order after the determination of objects’ characteristics. See also the rules for timestamp order and dependency (rules 613.7 and 613.8).
  • 613.11. Some continuous effects affect game rules rather than objects. For example, effects may modify a player’s maximum hand size, or say that a creature must attack this turn if able. These effects are applied after all other continuous effects have been applied. Continuous effects that affect the costs of spells or abilities are applied according to the order specified in rule 601.2f. All other such effects are applied in timestamp order. See also the rules for timestamp order and dependency (rules 613.7 and 613.8).