Activated vs Triggered vs Mana abilities.
Asked by erabel 12 years ago
I see these terms on a lot of cards, and as much as I've played the game, I've never really understood the difference between the three. Specifically, I've seen cards (specifically enchant creatures) that say "Target creature can't activate abilities that aren't mana abilities". Could someone lay out the difference between the three, and maybe give an example of each? I'd appreciate it. I know, kind of a dumb thing for a player not to know, but that's why I'm asking.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #2
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."
112.3c Triggered abilities have a trigger condition and an effect. They are written as "[Trigger condition], [effect]," and begin with the word "when," "whenever," or "at." Whenever the trigger event occurs, the ability is put on the stack the next time a player would receive priority and stays there until its countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. See rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities."
605.1a An activated ability is a mana ability if it meets three criteria: it doesn't have a target, it could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves, and it's not a loyalty ability. (See rule 606, "Loyalty Abilities.")
Triggered abilities are put onto the stack the next time a player would receive priority after the trigger event occurred. Activated abilities must manually be activated. Mana abilities may be either activated or triggered, and they don't use the stack.
December 12, 2012 8:38 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #3
@famzim13: An activation cost doesn't always require a tap or mana payment. Some require life payments while others require sacrifices. Also, mana abilities are not always activated abilities.
Examples:Activated: Pyrohemia , Shuko (equip is an activated ability)
Triggered: Consecrated Sphinx , Seedborn Muse , Fiend Hunter
Mana: Llanowar Elves , Ancient Tomb , Blinkmoth Urn
December 12, 2012 8:43 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #6
Exactly the opposite of a tap ability. To pay the activation cost of an untap ability, you need to be able to untap the permanent with the ability. For example, Pili-Pala needs to be untapped as part of the payment for its activated ability's activation cost. Also, Pili-Pala 's ability is a mana ability.
December 12, 2012 9:01 p.m.
Peaceful_Ninja says... #7
Interesting discussion here. I am also curious..
So is a card like Manaforge Cinder a mana ability?
how about Illusionist's Bracers Rings of Brighthearth and Strionic Resonator? The bracers and the rings are both triggered abilities correct? With the resonator I could copy the copies? Any chance someone could walk me through an interaction with these cards citing legal plays and plays that would not work legally? Please, and thank you
June 21, 2015 1:40 p.m.
Peaceful_Ninja says... #8
Pyrohemia has a triggered first ability and an activated second ability; right?
June 21, 2015 1:42 p.m.
Peaceful_Ninja says... #11
Just to help anyone else out I dug in and found these links helpful with these effects...
MTG Rules: Trigger Effects - Judge's Corner #25
MTG Rules: Activated Abilities - Judge's Corner #76
Hope this helps others who were confused like me a week ago, and thanks to the guys here at the site for being so understanding :-/
famzim13 says... #1
Triggered abilities generally occur when something happens on the board or in the stack, such as Underworld Dreams . This is a triggered ability since something has occurred in the game, also Guttersnipe for a creature with triggered abilities.
Activated abilities are those which required either the owner of said permanent to tap, pay mana or a combination of both, such as card:Kuro's Taken, these do include mana abilities.
Mana abilities are similar to those of activated, I would say they fall under the tree of activated abilities, these are activated abilities which add mana to your mana pool, such as Izzet Keyrune . The keyrune has both activated and mana abilities.
December 12, 2012 8:26 p.m.