Does this lock the board?
Asked by -MisterJ- 9 years ago
What this really comes down to is simple. Does tapping a land for mana equate as an activated ability?
I understand that lands (Lets say a swamp) has T: Add one B to your mana pool
So if I have a Mycosynth Lattice in play and an opponent resolves Stony Silence does this mean that the board is shut down and lands can no longer be used for mana sources once the Stony Silence resolves?
I've been reading the comprehensive rules and I can't find anything about it in activated abilities specifically and the closest thing I've found is rule:
305.6. The basic land types are Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. If an object uses the words basic land type, its referring to one of these subtypes. A land with a basic land type has the intrinsic ability T: Add [mana symbol] to your mana pool, even if the text box doesnt actually contain that text or the object has no text box. For Plains, [mana symbol] is W; for Islands, U; for Swamps, B; for Mountains, R; and for Forests, G. See rule 107.4a. Also see rule 605, Mana Abilities.
But as far as I've read in rule 605 it hasn't said anything specifically about land
FancyTuesday says... #2
Mana abilities of lands are activated abilities. If something interacts with activated abilities it will interact with activated mana abilities unless it specifies that it does not. Damping Matrix stops activated abilities from being used but it specifies that it doesn't effect mana abilities. Stony Silence makes no exception, so mana abilities are prevented as well.
112.3b Activated abilities have a cost and an effect. They are written as [Cost]: [Effect.] [Activation instructions (if any).] A player may activate such an ability whenever he or she has priority. Doing so puts it on the stack, where it remains until its countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. See rule 602, Activating Activated Abilities.
112.4 Some activated abilities and some triggered abilities are mana abilities. Mana abilities follow special rules: They dont use the stack, and, under certain circumstances, a player can activate mana abilities even if he or she doesnt have priority. See rule 605, Mana Abilities.
Note this does not prevent triggered mana abilities, such as Lotus Cobra or Magus of the Vineyard .
September 28, 2014 1 a.m.
Obviously I understand what an activated ability is and how it reads, its just the fact that the rules never stated in black and white that it is an activated ability outside the part where lands have "A land with a basic land type has the intrinsic ability T: Add [mana symbol] to your mana pool" and yes that is how an activated and many mana abilities read...
Just seems that it would be covered somewhere in there so that it explicitly states its a mana ability since it is one of the major card types.
September 28, 2014 1:11 a.m.
GoblinsInc says... #4
Obviously I understand what an activated ability is and how it reads, its just the fact that the rules never stated in black and white that it is an activated ability
The rules do. You found the rule that does.
outside the part where lands have "A land with a basic land type has the intrinsic ability T: Add [mana symbol] to your mana pool" and yes that is how an activated and many mana abilities read...
Just seems that it would be covered somewhere in there so that it explicitly states its a mana ability since it is one of the major card types.
But it doesn't have to explicitly say "Lands have an activated ability that is a mana ability". It states "This is an activated ability" and anything with a basic land has "This activated ability" and it clearly states what is considered a mana ability. With this it doesn't have to include a line that states "the ability intrinsic to basic lands is an activated mana ability".
September 28, 2014 1:16 a.m.
From the gatherer for Stony Silence
9/22/2011 Mana abilities of artifacts also can't be activated.
GoblinsInc says... Accepted answer #1
Yes. It is Cost (Tap) : Effect (Add X to your mana pool)
Fits the criteria for activated ability. 602.1. Activated abilities have a cost and an effect. They are written as "[Cost]: [Effect.] [Activation instructions (if any).]"
Yes. This is why most things that shut down activated abilities have a clause for mana abilities.
September 28, 2014 12:53 a.m.