Attaching Auras and Shroud

I remember my first few times playing Magic: The Gathering, especially Commander, and encountering creatures with Shroud. It always led to a moment of confusion when someone tried to enchant it with an Aura. 'Can you even do that?' I'd ask, or 'Wait, doesn't Shroud make Auras fall off?' It's a super common point of confusion, and I'm here to share what I've learned from countless games and digging into the Comprehensive Rules. Let's break down the core mechanics. Shroud is an ability that means 'This permanent can't be targeted by spells or abilities.' Simple enough, right? But Auras, those lovely enchantment spells, have a specific way they work. When you cast an Aura spell, you must choose a legal permanent for it to enchant. This act of choosing is a form of targeting. According to the MTG Comprehensive Rules, specifically CR 608.3f, when you cast a spell that targets, you must choose a legal target. If your creature has Shroud, it's not a legal target for your Aura spell. So, if you try to cast an Aura like 'Curator's Ward' onto a creature with Shroud, you simply can't. The spell won't have a legal target and thus cannot be cast or will fail. Now, here's where the confusion often comes in: what if an Aura is already attached to a permanent, and then that permanent gains Shroud? Does the Aura fall off? The short answer is no, it doesn't! Shroud only prevents *targeting*. Once an Aura is attached, it's no longer a spell on the stack trying to target something. It's an enchantment that's already on the battlefield, just like any other attached equipment or counter. Think of it this way: Shroud is a shield against incoming targeting effects, not a vacuum cleaner for things already present. So, if your 'Invisible Stalker' (which has hexproof, but let's imagine it has shroud for this example) already had an 'Ancestral Mask' attached to it, and then somehow gained Shroud, the Ancestral Mask would stay put, happily boosting its stats. This distinction is crucial. You cannot cast an Aura spell targeting a creature with Shroud. But if an Aura is put onto the battlefield enchanting a creature with Shroud without being cast (for example, through an ability that says "put an Aura enchantment card from your hand onto the battlefield enchanting target creature you control"), then Shroud won't prevent it because that effect isn't 'targeting' for the purposes of a spell being cast. Some effects like "Copying A Permanent" or using "Doubling Effects" for Auras can lead to interesting interactions. If you copy an Aura spell on the stack, that copy will also need a legal target. But if you copy an Aura permanent that's already on the battlefield, the copy might enter attached to a new legal target, depending on the specific wording of the copying effect and if it involves targeting. The key is always whether the action involves the word "target" in a context that Shroud prevents. It's also worth noting the difference between Shroud and Hexproof. Hexproof is 'This permanent can't be targeted by spells or abilities your opponents control.' This means your spells and abilities can still target it, while your opponents' cannot. Shroud, on the other hand, is absolute – no one can target it. My friends and I used to mix these up all the time, leading to some heated rules discussions! Understanding these nuances can really elevate your game, whether you're building a new Commander deck or trying to figure out a complex board state. So next time you see a creature with Shroud, remember: already attached Auras are safe, but don't try to cast new ones on it!