MTG Keyword Rules — Comprehensive Rules Glossary

Overload is a keyword that represents two static abilities that function while the spell with overload is on the stack. Overload [cost] means “You may choose to pay [cost] rather than pay this spell’s mana cost” and “If you chose to pay this spell’s overload cost, change its text by replacing all instances of the word ‘target’ with the word ‘each.’” Casting a spell using its overload ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.

If a player chooses to pay the overload cost of a spell, that spell won’t require any targets. It may affect objects that couldn’t be chosen as legal targets if the spell were cast without its overload cost being paid.

Overload’s second ability creates a text-changing effect. See rule 612, “Text-Changing Effects.”