Judge's Den: the Fifth Layer

Welcome back to Wizardden.com's Judge's Den. Continuing our series on layers, today is the fifth layer, otherwise known as the color changing layer. In general this is one of the easier layers to explain and work with. Lets take a look at what we can do on the fifth layer.

There are seven layers in total, each with it's own article link here:

Copy Layer

Control Layer

Text Layer

Type Layer

Color Layer

Ability Layer

Power/ Toughness Layer

The first thing we need to understand is the three parts of a card that determine a card's color. First the mana symbols indicated the cost of the spell. In the absence of a mana cost, a colored card will have a color indicator, a small circle located to the left of the card type. This last one has been replaced by the color indicator. Previously cards that had a different color than their mana cost suggested had a line of rules text that would state so at the top of their text box. The most notable example of this is Pact of Negation. These will no longer change color if the text is changed, thanks to the color indicator in the oracle printing.

Now that we understand what determines color, we can begin to change those colors. There are many color changing effects in magic, I have added a list of them at the bottom of this article. When you apply one of these effects, we must understand that the only characteristic that will change is the color. Take devotion for example. If you control a Nylea God of the Hunt and a Khalni Hydra, and use Moonlace on the hydra your Nylea will still be a creature. Even though the Hydra is currently colorless, allowing it to damage a Mirran Crusader for example, the Hydra still has eight green mana symbols on it. Changing the mana symbols can only be done with text changing effects.

Color changing is really as simple as that. Once you understand what exactly is changing all the layers get fairly simple. The last major point to add is watch for whether the change effect is a set or in addition to. If it says "becomes" without adding "in addition too" then it will cease being any other colors. Thank you once again for reading Judge's Den here at Wizardden.com.

Change to White
Creature:
Aurora Griffin
Cloudchaser Kestrel
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails

Enchantment:
Celestial Dawn

Instant:
Niveous Wisps
Purelace
Heaven's Gate

Change to Blue
Creature:
Disciple of Kangee
Fylamarid
Grand Architect
Indigo Faerie
Metathran Transport
Neurok Transmuter

Instant:
Cerulean Wisps
Sea Kings' Blessing
Thoughtlace

Change to Black
Enchantment:
Darkest Hour
Grave Servitude
Sinister Strength

Instant:
Aphotic Wisps
Deathlace
Defiling Tears
Nightcreep
Singe
Traitor's Clutch
Touch of Darkness

Change to Red
Instant:
Chaoslace
Crimson Wisps
Dwarven Song
Incite

Change to Green
Creature:
Aisling Leprechaun

Instant:
Lifelace
Viridescent Wisps
Sylvan Paradise

Change to Colorless
Artifact:
Mycosynth Lattice
Thran Lens

Creature:
Ersatz Gnomes
Ghostflame Sliver

Instant:
Moonlace

Artifact:
Alchor's Tomb
Distorting Lens

Creature:
Blind Seer
Govern the Guildless
Painter's Servant
Prismwake Merrow
Scuttlemutt
Swirling Spriggan
Tidal Visionary
Vodalian Mystic

Enchantment:
Dream Coat
Sisay's Ingenuity

Instant:
Illusion/Reality
Prismatic Lace
Quickchange
Sway of Illusion