Reality Spasm — ruling 1

You choose Reality Spasm’s mode as you cast it.

Reality Spasm — ruling 2

You may target any permanents with Reality Spasm, regardless of whether they’re tapped or untapped.

Reality Spasm : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Reality Spasm is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

Choose one — • Tap X target permanents. • Untap X target permanents.

Complete guide

Reality Spasm is a highly flexible blue instant that can either lock down your opponents or fuel your own explosive turns. By scaling with the amount of mana you invest in X, it allows you to manipulate the board state across any number of permanents. Whether you are freezing an army or resetting your mana rocks, this spell is a versatile tool for any blue mage.

Choosing Your Mode

As you cast Reality Spasm, you must choose one of its two modes: tapping X target permanents or untapping X target permanents. You also choose the value for X at this time, which determines how many targets you will select. It is important to note that you can target any permanent regardless of its current state; for example, you can target a tapped creature with the 'Tap' mode, though it won't have any additional effect.

Resolution and Targeting

Once Reality Spasm begins to resolve, it attempts to perform the chosen action on all selected targets. If some targets become illegal (for example, if they leave the battlefield in response), the spell will still attempt to tap or untap the remaining legal targets. Because this is an instant, you can use it during an opponent's beginning of combat step to tap their attackers, or at the end of their turn to untap your lands for a big play.

Common Pitfalls

A frequent mistake is forgetting that the mode is chosen upon casting, not resolution. Once you've cast it and chosen to 'Untap,' you cannot switch to 'Tap' if the board state changes. Additionally, because it targets permanents, it can be redirected or countered by spells that target spells on the stack. If X is large, ensure you have the mana to cover the {X}{U}{U} cost, as X refers to the number of targets, not the total mana spent.

Interaction examples

Fighting Through Protection

Counterspell

Player A casts Reality Spasm with X=5, choosing to tap Player B's lands during their upkeep. Player B responds by casting Counterspell targeting Reality Spasm. Since Counterspell removes the spell from the stack, Reality Spasm is moved to the graveyard and none of its targets are tapped.

The Price of Refusal

An Offer You Can't Refuse

Player A casts Reality Spasm with X=10 to untap all their lands and artifacts. Player B casts An Offer You Can't Refuse to counter it. Reality Spasm is countered, and Player A creates two Treasure tokens. While Player A lost their big untap effect, they now have two artifacts that can be sacrificed for mana later.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Reality Spasm

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1June 15, 2010· Wizards of the Coast
You choose Reality Spasm’s mode as you cast it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2June 15, 2010· Wizards of the Coast
You may target any permanents with Reality Spasm, regardless of whether they’re tapped or untapped.
No other card is named in this ruling.