What is a "mana ability"?

Asked by CheeseBro 8 years ago

Pithing Needle says unless it is a mana ability. what is a mana ability? is it an ability that costs mana, like Acorn Catapult, or is it an ability that makes mana, like Elvish Mystic?

TheNextRedDude says... #1

An ability that adds mana to your mana pool is a mana ability.

November 27, 2015 6:36 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #2

It's an ability that meets the following criteria:
- It adds mana to a player's mana pool.
- It isn't a loyalty ability.
- It doesn't target anything.
- If it's a triggered ability, it triggers from another mana ability.

Mana abilities do not use the stack, cannot be responded to, and resolve immediately.

November 27, 2015 6:37 p.m.

Raging_Squiggle says... #3

Some examples of mana and non mana abilities:

Crypt Ghast is an example of a triggered mana ability.

Deathrite Shaman's first ability is not a mana ability because it has a target.

Selvala, Explorer Returned's Parley ability is a mana ability, because it has follows all the rules.

Xenagos, the Reveler's +1 is not a mana ability because it is a loyalty ability.

November 27, 2015 7:48 p.m.