MTG Keyword Rules — Comprehensive Rules Glossary

To transform a permanent, turn it over so that its other face is up. Only permanents represented by double-faced tokens and double-faced cards can transform. (See rule 712, “Double-Faced Cards.”)

Although transforming a permanent uses the same physical action as turning a permanent face up or face down, they are different game actions. Abilities that trigger when a permanent is turned face down won’t trigger when that permanent transforms, and so on.

If a spell or ability instructs a player to transform a permanent that isn’t represented by a double-faced token or a double-faced card, nothing happens.

If a spell or ability instructs a player to transform a permanent, and the face that permanent would transform into is an instant or sorcery face nothing happens.

Some triggered abilities trigger when an object “transforms into” an object with a specified characteristic. Such an ability triggers if the object either transforms or converts (see rule 701.28) and has the specified characteristic immediately after it does so.

If an activated or triggered ability of a permanent that isn’t a delayed triggered ability of that permanent tries to transform it, the permanent does so only if it hasn’t transformed or converted since the ability was put onto the stack. If a delayed triggered ability of a permanent tries to transform that permanent, the permanent does so only if it hasn’t transformed or converted since that delayed triggered ability was created. In both cases, if the permanent has already transformed or converted, an instruction to do either is ignored.

Some spells and abilities refer to a “transformed permanent.” This phrase refers to a double-faced permanent on the battlefield with its back face up. A permanent with its front face up is never considered a transformed permanent, even if it had its back face up previously. Similarly, an object represented by more than one card, such as a melded or merged permanent, is never considered a transformed permanent, even if it has components that are back face up. See rules 701.42, “Meld,” and 730, “Merging with Permanents.”