What Happens When You Can’t Discard a Card in Magic The Gathering?

The simple answer is: if an effect requires you to discard a card and you have no cards in your hand, you simply can’t discard a card. This might seem anticlimactic, but it’s a crucial aspect of how Magic: The Gathering (MTG) rules function. Unlike other actions which might have default outcomes, discarding always requires a card to move from your hand to your graveyard. Without a card in your hand, the action cannot be completed.

However, this doesn’t mean nothing happens. The game continues as normal, and the effect that instructed you to discard simply resolves as much as it can. The key here is understanding the difference between not being able to discard and effects that trigger when you discard. The article you provided already touches on this: “Nothing… unless something on the battlefield has a trigger that takes effect if a player is forced to discard with no cards in hand.” So, while you don’t discard a card, certain abilities that care about the act of discarding, even if it’s an attempted discard, will trigger.

This seemingly simple rule interacts with various other game mechanics, creating surprisingly complex scenarios. Let’s delve deeper and explore these scenarios through frequently asked questions.

Discarding 101: A Comprehensive FAQ

Here are 15 frequently asked questions that delve into the nuances of discarding in Magic: The Gathering, particularly focusing on what happens when you don’t have cards to discard.

1. What are the Fundamental Rules for Discarding?

The core rules are straightforward: discarding is the act of moving a card from your hand to your graveyard. Rule 701.8a states this directly. Usually, you choose which card to discard (701.8b). Some effects, however, may cause a random discard or allow another player to choose the card.

2. What Happens if an Effect Says “Discard a Card” but My Hand is Empty?

As previously mentioned, you simply cannot discard a card if your hand is empty. The effect that called for the discard will resolve as much as possible, but because no card can be moved, the discard portion fails to happen.

3. If an Effect Says “Discard Your Hand,” What Happens if I Have No Cards?

If an effect requires you to discard your hand, and your hand contains no cards, you discard nothing. The action is still considered to have been taken, and the effect’s other consequences will still occur. This is similar to how effects that say to destroy all creatures still work when there are no creatures on the battlefield to be destroyed.

4. Can I Discard a Card at Any Time?

Generally, no, you cannot discard a card at any time. You discard cards for specific reasons:

• At the end of your turn during the cleanup step if you have more than your maximum hand size (usually seven).
• When a spell or ability instructs you to discard. You cannot discard at other times, unless a specific effect allows.

5. What is the Hand Limit in Magic: The Gathering?

The standard hand limit is seven cards. If you have more than seven cards in your hand during your cleanup step at the end of your turn, you must discard down to seven.

6. What Happens if I Can’t Draw Cards?

If you are instructed to draw a card but cannot (because your library is empty) you lose the game. This rule is crucial. It applies only during draws, for example, during your draw step, not from other effects. A card like “Laboratory Maniac” allows you to win the game if you were to draw a card and have no library.

7. How is Discarding Different from Destroying and Sacrificing?

• Discarding moves a card from your hand to your graveyard.
• Destroying moves a permanent (e.g., a creature or artifact) from the battlefield to the graveyard.
• Sacrificing is another way to move a permanent from the battlefield to the graveyard, typically as a cost to activate an ability.

These actions are not interchangeable. They are different mechanics that affect cards in different zones.

8. What is the “75% Rule” in EDH and How Does It Relate to Discard?

The “75% rule” in Commander (EDH) is a deck-building philosophy that encourages creating decks that are powerful and efficient but not optimized to the point of being unfun or overly competitive. This rule doesn’t directly affect discarding, but discard strategies can be included in a 75% deck as long as they aren’t solely built to destroy your opponent’s hand.

9. Does Deathtouch Cancel Deathtouch?

No, Deathtouch does not cancel deathtouch. Deathtouch means that any damage dealt by a creature is considered lethal. If two deathtouch creatures deal damage to each other, they will both die. The quote “Any two instances of the Deathtouch ability against one another cancel out the Deathtouch ability,” is incorrect.

10. Does Discarding a Creature Count as it Dying?

No, discarding a card does not count as dying. Dying is a term reserved for creatures leaving the battlefield, not cards leaving the hand. If you had a card that reads, “Whenever a creature dies,” discarding a creature would not trigger that ability.

11. Does Deathtouch Affect Indestructible Creatures?

No, Deathtouch doesn’t destroy Indestructible creatures. Indestructible means that the creature can’t be destroyed by damage. Even damage from a creature with deathtouch does not destroy a creature with indestructible.

12. Can an Indestructible Creature Beat a Creature with Deathtouch?

Yes, an indestructible creature can survive damage from a creature with deathtouch. While deathtouch makes all damage lethal, indestructible creatures ignore lethal damage so they survive.

13. Does Hexproof Cancel Deathtouch?

No, Hexproof does not prevent Deathtouch damage. Hexproof prevents spells or abilities controlled by your opponents from targeting the creature, but deathtouch doesn’t target. It’s a damage effect, not a targeting effect.

14. Do I Always Have to Have Seven Cards in My Hand?

No, you do not always have to have seven cards. You may have any number of cards in hand. It’s just at the end of your turn that you must discard down to seven. Certain cards may also have effects that let you have a different hand size, or no hand limit at all.

15. Can I Sacrifice a Creature at Any Time?

No, you cannot sacrifice a creature at any time. Sacrificing is a keyword action (similar to “fighting”) and can only occur when a card or ability specifically allows you to do so. You need an effect or ability to trigger the act of sacrificing.

Key Takeaways

Understanding what happens when you can’t discard a card is crucial for mastering MTG. Remember: If you’re required to discard and have no cards in hand, you can’t discard anything. This simple rule impacts numerous other effects and mechanics, making it vital to learn it. Always check the exact wording of cards and abilities, and be aware of the distinctions between discarding, destroying, and sacrificing. This knowledge will give you a strong foundation for complex card interactions and strategic decision-making in your games.