501.2. Evasion abilities are cumulative.

Example: A creature with flying and shadow can’t be blocked by a creature with flying but without shadow.

501.3. Some creatures have abilities that restrict how they can block. As with evasion abilities, these modify only the rules for the declare blockers step of the combat phase. (If a creature gains or loses an evasion ability after a legal block has been declared, it doesn’t affect that block.)

502. Keyword Abilities

502.1. Most abilities describe exactly what they do in the card’s rules text. Some, though, are very common or would require too much space to define on the card. In these cases, the object lists only the name of the ability as a “keyword”; sometimes reminder text summarizes the game rule.

502.2a First strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.”)

502.2b At the start of the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike or double strike (see rule 502.28), creatures without first strike or double strike don’t assign combat damage. Instead of proceeding to end of combat, the phase gets a second combat damage step to handle the remaining creatures. In the second combat damage step, surviving attackers and blockers that didn’t assign combat damage in the first step, plus any creatures with double strike, assign their combat damage.

502.2c Adding or removing first strike after the first combat damage step won’t prevent a creature from dealing combat damage or allow it to deal combat damage twice.

502.2d Multiple instances of first strike on the same creature are redundant.

502.3. Flanking

502.3a Flanking is a triggered ability that triggers during the declare blockers step. (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”) “Flanking” means “Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a creature without flanking, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.”

502.3b If a creature has multiple instances of flanking, each triggers separately.

502.4. Flying

502.4a Flying is an evasion ability.

502.4b A creature with flying can’t be blocked by creatures without flying. A creature with flying can block a creature with or without flying. (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)

502.4c Multiple instances of flying on the same creature are redundant.

502.5. Haste

502.5a Haste is a static ability.

502.5b A creature with haste can attack or use activated abilities whose cost includes the tap symbol even if it hasn’t been controlled by its controller continuously since the beginning of his or her most recent turn. (See rule 212.3d.)

502.5c Multiple instances of haste on the same creature are redundant.

502.6. Landwalk

502.6a Landwalk and snow landwalk are generic terms; a card’s rules text will give a specific subtype or supertype (such as in “islandwalk,” “snow swampwalk,” or “legendary landwalk”).

502.6b Landwalk and snow landwalk are evasion abilities. A creature with landwalk is unblockable as long as the defending player controls at least one land with the specified subtype and/or supertype. (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)

502.6c Snow landwalk is a special type of landwalk. A creature with snow landwalk is unblockable as long as the defending player controls at least one snow land with the specified subtype. If a player is allowed to choose any landwalk ability, that player may choose a snow landwalk ability. If an effect causes a permanent to lose all landwalk abilities, snow landwalk abilities are removed as well.

502.6d Landwalk or snow landwalk abilities don’t “cancel” one another.

Example: If a player controls a snow Forest, that player can’t block an attacking creature with snow forestwalk even if he or she also controls a creature with snow forestwalk.

502.6e Multiple instances of the same type of landwalk or snow landwalk on the same creature are redundant.

502.7. Protection

502.7a Protection is a static ability, written “Protection from [quality].” This quality is usually a color (as in “protection from black”) but can be any characteristic value. If the quality is a type, subtype, or supertype, the protection applies to sources that are permanents with that type, subtype, or supertype and to any sources not in play that are of that type, subtype, or supertype.

502.7b A permanent with protection can’t be targeted by spells with the stated quality and can’t be targeted by abilities from a source with the stated quality.

502.7c A permanent with protection can’t be enchanted by Auras that have the stated quality. Such Auras attached to the permanent with protection will be put into their owners’ graveyards as a state-based effect. (See rule 420, “State-Based Effects.”)

502.7d A permanent with protection can’t be equipped by Equipment that have the stated quality. Such Equipment become unattached from that permanent, but remain in play. (See rule 420, “State-Based Effects.”)

502.7e Any damage that would be dealt by sources that have the stated quality to a permanent that has protection is prevented.

502.7f If a creature with protection attacks, it can’t be blocked by creatures that have the stated quality.

502.7g Multiple instances of protection from the same quality on the same permanent are redundant.

502.8. Shadow

502.8a Shadow is an evasion ability.

502.8b A creature with shadow can’t be blocked by creatures without shadow, and a creature without shadow can’t be blocked by creatures with shadow. (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)

502.8c Multiple instances of shadow on the same creature are redundant.

502.9. Trample

502.9a Trample is a static ability that modifies the rules for assigning an attacking creature’s combat damage. A creature with trample has no special abilities when blocking or dealing noncombat damage. (See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.”)

502.9b The controller of an attacking creature with trample first assigns damage to the creature(s) blocking it. If all those blocking creatures are assigned lethal damage, any remaining damage is assigned as its controller chooses among those blocking creatures and the defending player. When checking for assigned lethal damage, take into account damage already on the creature and damage from other creatures that will be assigned at the same time (see rule 502.9e). The controller need not assign lethal damage to all those blocking creatures but in that case can’t assign any damage to the defending player.