<p>Yes. Of all the card types, the only one that isn't a spell are lands. "Counter target spell" can counter sorceries, instants, enchantments, artifacts, creatures, and planeswalkers.</p>

<p>Tribal is also a card type, but it always shows up in conjunction with one of the other types, so it doesn't matter in this case.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-06T19:53:14.683Z
Awesome, "Cancel" just got that much better.  Do you know where I can find a reference for this (e.g. in the official rules)?
Elliott
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-10-27T02:13:07.650Z
If you think Cancel's good, you should check out [Counterspell](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=202437)
Gregor Thomas
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-06T19:07:06.067Z
2011-07-06T19:07:06.067Z
Mark
<p>A "spell" refers to a card while it's on the stack. In order:</p>

<p>While it's in your hand, it's a card (enchantment card, creature card, land card)
While you're casting it and it's on the stack, it's a spell. (creature spell, enchantment spell, etc.)
Once it's resolved, if it stays in play it's a permanent. (Instants and sorceries just resolve and discard.)</p>

<p>Lands are the exception - they don't use the stack and go directly from card to permanent.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-15T15:24:22.807Z
2011-07-15T15:24:22.807Z
Allen Gould
<p><a href="https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/a/4156/9999">@TheSunNeverSets</a> has given a great rules explanation.</p>

<p>For a bit more of an intuitive answer, take a look at the cards <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bArtifact%20Blast%5d">Artifact Blast</a> and <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bArenson%27s%5d%2b%5bAura%5d">Arenson&#39;s Aura</a>.  These cards only work if artifacts and enchantments are spells while on the stack.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-08T14:06:47.940Z
2019-11-08T14:06:47.940Z
Zags
<p>Since you asked for some citations from the official rules:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>111.1. A spell is a card on the stack. As the first step of being cast (see
  rule 601, “Casting Spells”), the card
  becomes a spell and is moved to the
  top of the stack from the zone it was
  in, which is usually its owner’s hand.
  (See rule 405, “Stack.”) A spell
  remains on the stack as a spell until
  it resolves (see rule 608, “Resolving
  Spells and Abilities”), is countered
  (see rule 701.5), or otherwise leaves
  the stack. For more information, see
  section 6, “Spells, Abilities, and
  Effects.”</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So basically, pretty much every card in Magic is a "spell" - or rather, becomes one, during the transitional period from being a card in your hand to  being a permanent on the battlefield.  But wait!  Why isn't a land a spell, in that case?  Well, because it has special rules making it an exceptional case:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>305.1. A player who has priority may play a land card from his or her hand
  during a main phase of his or her turn
  when the stack is empty. Playing a
  land is a special action; it doesn’t
  use the stack (see rule 115). Rather,
  the player simply puts the land onto
  the battlefield. Since the land
  doesn’t go on the stack, it is never a
  spell, and players can’t respond to it
  with instants or activated abilities.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The Magic rules are pretty arcane at the best of times (appropriately enough), but I hope that clarifies things for you!</p>

<p><strong>EDIT:</strong> Actually, it occurs to me that even more clarification <em>may</em> be necessary.  Enchantments and artifacts aren't spells when they're in play: they're permanents.  They aren't spells when they're in their hand, they're enchantment cards and artifact cards.  But they are spells while on the stack (i.e. in the process of being cast).  I'm sure you already know that "counter target spell" means "stop something on the stack from resolving and becoming a permanent, and send the card to the graveyard instead", but it wasn't 100% explicit from your question!  So, just in case there's any doubt at all, Cancel <strong>can</strong> stop an artifact or enchantment card from coming into play, but it <strong>can't</strong> send it to the graveyard from play, or anything wacky like that...</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-09-30T19:08:26.990Z
@Lohoris it wasn't necessary because it already seemed reasonable that you can't use Cancel to send something to the graveyard from play, but it was very helpful to know the exact reason (cards stop being spells after they have been resolved).
Elliott
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-28T16:14:31.357Z
Bröda, what's the source of what you're speaking? I can't seem to find this _305.1_ stuff in the good old Google. I assume this is the whole official rulebook?
Erik Escobedo
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-07T00:27:44.790Z
+1 You can counter a spell as it is being cast, and any non-land card is a spell at that time, but you can't use a counterspell to remove a card already in play.
Monica Cellio
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-08T14:56:00.730Z
FWIW the clarification is definitely necessary: if not for Elliot, then for beginners, for whom it's really _not_ obvious than a so-called "enchantment" is not a so-called "spell" until the rules you've quoted are explained.
Jack V.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-27T08:37:11.617Z
@Elliott: just out of curiosity, was the edit necessary in this case?
o0'.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-06T20:29:18.147Z
2011-07-06T22:03:37.257Z
2011-07-06T22:03:37.257Z
thesunneversets
<p>In Magic: The Gathering, are enchantments and artifacts considered spells?</p>

<p>More precisely, can I use <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=227225" rel="noreferrer">Cancel</a> (which says "Counter target spell.") on an enchantment or an artifact?</p>

<magic-the-gathering>
Are enchantments and artifacts considered spells?
Elliott
# Are enchantments and artifacts considered spells?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-07-06)

In Magic: The Gathering, are enchantments and artifacts considered spells?

More precisely, can I use [Cancel](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=227225) (which says "Counter target spell.") on an enchantment or an artifact?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering


---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2011-07-06. Score: 28 | Accepted answer

Since you asked for some citations from the official rules:

> 111.1. A spell is a card on the stack. As the first step of being cast (see
> rule 601, “Casting Spells”), the card
> becomes a spell and is moved to the
> top of the stack from the zone it was
> in, which is usually its owner’s hand.
> (See rule 405, “Stack.”) A spell
> remains on the stack as a spell until
> it resolves (see rule 608, “Resolving
> Spells and Abilities”), is countered
> (see rule 701.5), or otherwise leaves
> the stack. For more information, see
> section 6, “Spells, Abilities, and
> Effects.”

So basically, pretty much every card in Magic is a "spell" - or rather, becomes one, during the transitional period from being a card in your hand to being a permanent on the battlefield. But wait! Why isn't a land a spell, in that case? Well, because it has special rules making it an exceptional case:

> 305.1. A player who has priority may play a land card from his or her hand
> during a main phase of his or her turn
> when the stack is empty. Playing a
> land is a special action; it doesn’t
> use the stack (see rule 115). Rather,
> the player simply puts the land onto
> the battlefield. Since the land
> doesn’t go on the stack, it is never a
> spell, and players can’t respond to it
> with instants or activated abilities.

The Magic rules are pretty arcane at the best of times (appropriately enough), but I hope that clarifies things for you!

**EDIT:** Actually, it occurs to me that even more clarification *may* be necessary. Enchantments and artifacts aren't spells when they're in play: they're permanents. They aren't spells when they're in their hand, they're enchantment cards and artifact cards. But they are spells while on the stack (i.e. in the process of being cast). I'm sure you already know that "counter target spell" means "stop something on the stack from resolving and becoming a permanent, and send the card to the graveyard instead", but it wasn't 100% explicit from your question! So, just in case there's any doubt at all, Cancel **can** stop an artifact or enchantment card from coming into play, but it **can't** send it to the graveyard from play, or anything wacky like that...

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: +1 You can counter a spell as it is being cast, and any non-land card is a spell at that time, but you can't use a counterspell to remove a card already in play.  
> **username_8**: FWIW the clarification is definitely necessary: if not for Elliot, then for beginners, for whom it's really _not_ obvious than a so-called "enchantment" is not a so-called "spell" until the rules you've quoted are explained.  
> **username_9**: @username_0: just out of curiosity, was the edit necessary in this case?  
> **username_0**: @Lohoris it wasn't necessary because it already seemed reasonable that you can't use Cancel to send something to the graveyard from play, but it was very helpful to know the exact reason (cards stop being spells after they have been resolved).  
> **username_6**: Bröda, what's the source of what you're speaking? I can't seem to find this _305.1_ stuff in the good old Google. I assume this is the whole official rulebook?  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2011-07-06. Score: 13

Yes. Of all the card types, the only one that isn't a spell are lands. "Counter target spell" can counter sorceries, instants, enchantments, artifacts, creatures, and planeswalkers.

Tribal is also a card type, but it always shows up in conjunction with one of the other types, so it doesn't matter in this case.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Awesome, "Cancel" just got that much better.  Do you know where I can find a reference for this (e.g. in the official rules)?  
> **username_2**: If you think Cancel's good, you should check out [Counterspell](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=202437)  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2011-07-15. Score: 5

A "spell" refers to a card while it's on the stack. In order:

While it's in your hand, it's a card (enchantment card, creature card, land card)
While you're casting it and it's on the stack, it's a spell. (creature spell, enchantment spell, etc.)
Once it's resolved, if it stays in play it's a permanent. (Instants and sorceries just resolve and discard.)

Lands are the exception - they don't use the stack and go directly from card to permanent.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-11-08. Score: 0

[@TheSunNeverSets](https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/a/4156/9999) has given a great rules explanation.

For a bit more of an intuitive answer, take a look at the cards [Artifact Blast](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bArtifact%20Blast%5d) and [Arenson's Aura](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bArenson%27s%5d%2b%5bAura%5d). These cards only work if artifacts and enchantments are spells while on the stack.


---

