301.1.
A player who has priority may cast an artifact card from his or her hand during a main phase of
his or her turn when the stack is empty. Casting an artifact as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 601,
«Casting Spells.»)
301.2.
When an artifact spell resolves, its controller puts it onto the battlefield under his or her control.
301.3.
Artifact subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: «Artifact —
Equipment.» Artifact subtypes are also called artifact types. Artifacts may have multiple subtypes.
See rule 205.3g for the complete list of artifact types.
301.4.
Artifacts have no characteristics specific to their card type. Most artifacts have no colored mana
symbols in their mana costs, and are therefore colorless. However, there is no correlation between
being colorless and being an artifact: artifacts may be colored, and colorless objects may be card
types other than artifact.
301.5.
Some artifacts have the subtype «Equipment.» An Equipment can be attached to a creature. It
can‘t legally be attached to an object that isn‘t a creature.
301.5a
The creature an Equipment is attached to is called the «equipped creature.» The Equipment
is attached to, or «equips,» that creature.
301.5b
An Equipment is cast and enters the battlefield just like any other artifact. An Equipment
doesn‘t enter the battlefield attached to a creature. The equip keyword ability attaches the
Equipment to a creature you control (see rule 702.6, «Equip»). Control of the creature matters
only when the equip ability is activated and when it resolves. Spells and other abilities may also
attach an Equipment to a creature. If an effect attempts to attach an Equipment to an object that
can‘t be equipped by it, the Equipment doesn‘t move.
301.5c
An Equipment that‘s also a creature can‘t equip a creature. An Equipment that loses the
subtype «Equipment» can‘t equip a creature. An Equipment can‘t equip itself. An Equipment
that equips an illegal or nonexistent permanent becomes unattached from that permanent but
remains on the battlefield. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)
301.5d
An Equipment‘s controller is separate from the equipped creature‘s controller; the two need
not be the same. Changing control of the creature doesn‘t change control of the Equipment, and
vice versa. Only the Equipment‘s controller can activate its abilities. However, if the Equipment
grants an ability to the equipped creature (with «gains» or «has»), the equipped creature‘s
controller is the only one who can activate that ability.
301.6.
Some artifacts have the subtype «Fortification.» A Fortification can be attached to a land. It can‘t
legally be attached to an object that isn‘t a land. Fortification‘s analog to the equip keyword ability
is the fortify keyword ability. Rules 301.5a–d apply to Fortifications in relation to lands just as they
apply to Equipment in relation to creatures, with one clarification relating to rule 301.5c: a
Fortification that‘s also a creature (not a land) can‘t fortify a land. (See rule 702.65, «Fortify.»)
301.7.
If a non-Equipment permanent has an ability that refers to the «equipped creature,» that phrase
doesn‘t refer to any creature. Similarly, a non-Fortification permanent that has an ability that refers
to the «fortified land» doesn‘t refer to any land.