Adamant

Keywords · beginner

Adamant is an ability word. It has no rules meaning of its own; it marks cards that check how you paid for them and grant a bonus if you leaned hard into one color.

How it works

• Adamant checks whether at least three mana of one specific color was spent to cast the spell.
• That check happens as the spell is cast; if it's met, the card's stated bonus applies (an enters-the-battlefield counter, extra life gain, vigilance, a Food token, or a scry, depending on the card).
• The color required is fixed per card: it always matches that card's own casting cost color, not any color you choose.

Rules notes

• "Mana spent to cast this spell" looks at what you actually paid, not the printed mana cost, so extra mana of that color from a cost increase or an alternate payment can help you hit three.
• If you don't spend at least three mana of the named color, the spell still resolves normally; you just don't get the adamant bonus.
• Because adamant is an ability word, not a keyword, there's no separate rules entry to look up; the exact threshold and bonus are printed on each card, but every printed example checks for at least three mana of one color.

Rule reference

[207.2c]