Question about countering abilities
Asked by ShinakoX2 6 years ago
So this about cards like Summary Dismissal, Disallow, Trickbind, and Voidslime.
3 out of those 4 cards say that they cannot target mana abilities, but Summary Dismissal does not have that clause. What can it target that the other ones can't?
Do these kinds of cards also work on triggers from enchantments and artifacts like Grave Pact?
Anyway, my attacked with a Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, could I have prevented the Annihilator ability with Summary Dismissal? If not, would one of the other ones have worked instead?
Raging_Squiggle says... #2
The reminder text that is on cards such as Stifle or Voidslime that tells you you're unable to target mana abilities, is only on there because those cards specifically target something.
Summary Dismissal does not target, as is evident by the lack of the word "target" in its text. There's no reason to remind someone they can't target something on a card that doesn't target.
On a more rule-based answer, mana abilities are special actions that do not use the stack and resolve immediately. Since they don't use the stack, they can't be targeted nor can they be countered. (Don't confuse this with cards that prevent something from happening in the first place, such as City of Solitude which prevents players from even activating mana abilities on other's turns).
August 2, 2017 1:27 a.m.
Raging_Squiggle says... #3
As for your follow up question, Annihilator is a triggered ability that uses the stack. Therefore, it can be targeted and it can be countered.
The thing that separates Summary Dismissal from its kin is that, though it doesn't target, it hits everything on the stack, except itself. If Annihilator is on the stack, Summary Dismissal will counter it.
August 2, 2017 1:31 a.m.
@Raging_Squiggle
I know that lands are instant abilities that can't be countered, but even mana dorks like Llanowar Elves can't be countered? Is that what you're saying?
I thought Annihilator could be countered by Summary Dismissal, but unfortunately my 3 opponents were insistent that it could not. Oh well, it was casual EDH night and I was going to die anyway. But at least I know now for future reference.
Do enchantment and artifact triggers count as "abilities" or are those just effects? Do "ability counters" pretty much only work on creatures?
August 2, 2017 1:49 a.m.
Abilities that can be countered are activated abilities and triggered abilities that are not mana abilities.
An activated ability is easily identified by the presence of a colon (:). Some keyword abilities are activated abilities with the colon in the rules defining them, which may or may not appear in reminder text. Examples of this in standard are Crew, Cycle, and Embalm. Loyalty abilities are also activated abilities, in the form of "Add or Remove the appropriate number of loyalty counters: Do this."
For an activated ability to be a mana ability it must have the potential to add mana to a player's mana pool, cannot target, and cannot be a loyalty ability. Examples are the abilities of Llanowar Elves, Spectral Searchlight, or Pristine Talisman.
A triggered ability can be identified by the starting word "When," "Whenever'" or "At." Some Keyword abilities are triggered abilities whose rules text start with one of these words, though reminder text may or may not include them. Some examples in standard are Ingest and Afflict.
For a triggered ability to be a mana ability it must trigger from the activation of another mana ability and have the potential to add mana to a player's mana pool. Some examples are the abilities of Mana Flare, Wild Growth, or Overabundance.
An ability doesn't have to be from a creature, or even a permanent to be countered. Disallow can counter: the cycling ability or triggered ability from cycling of Renewed Faith, though it will only counter one ability, not both; the on cast trigger of Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger; the activation of a Embalm or Eternalize; or any number of other activated or triggered abilities.
ShinakoX2 says... #1
Can't figure out how to edit, so posting the last part here again:
My opponent attacked with a Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, could I have prevented the Annihilator ability with Summary Dismissal? If not, would one of the other ones have worked instead?
August 2, 2017 1:20 a.m.