Will Archwing Dragon's Ablity trigger while it is in the Graveyard?
Asked by Miasma 13 years ago
Can't find the answer to this one.
Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #2
More broadly, every ability on a permanent card only functions while the card is on the battlefield, unless it specifically says it works from some other zone.
April 24, 2012 7:45 p.m.
It could also be worded in such a way that it only makes sense from another zone, like Squee, Goblin Nabob or Reassembling Skeleton.
April 24, 2012 8:08 p.m.
I figured so. Could someone post the Comprehensive Rule for further reference?
April 25, 2012 8:16 a.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #5
Here are the parts relevant to this particular question:
112.6. Abilities of an instant or sorcery spell usually function only while that object is on the stack. Abilities of all other objects usually function only while that object is on the battlefield. The exceptions are as follows:
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112.6b An ability that states which zones it functions in functions only from those zones.
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112.6k An ability whose cost or effect specifies that it moves the object it's on out of a particular zone functions only in that zone, unless that ability's trigger condition, or a previous part of that ability's cost or effect, specifies that the object is put into that zone. ((Reassembling Skeleton is then given as a positive example of this exception.))
April 25, 2012 8:51 a.m.
Thanks Rhad! :D I can't believe how many times I overlooked the 112.6 rule because it said "instant or sorcery spells". Maybe I shouldn't tl;dr as much as I do.
April 25, 2012 9:07 a.m.
CrunchBogus says... #7
I'll be damned! I nearly got knocked out of a draft because of this mistake. My opponent had an Archwing Dragon and this 4/4 angel (a 3/3 with equipment, don't remember the name), and I used my one flying 4/5 blocker to kill off the dragon when he attacked. Then he was all, "lol it comes back to my hand," and I'm like "wait wut?" and he's like "it doesn't say it has to be on the battlefield, it could even come back from exile!"
So we flag down a judge (the store owner), and he says it's OK! Fucker got me down to 1 life, but I managed to beat him anyway. Still, it was too close for comfort, considering he got 2 or 3 attacks in with that damn dragon.
April 29, 2012 6:41 p.m.
The Archwing Dragon plainly states (At the beginning of the end step, return Archwing Dragon to its owner's hand.) It does not say (If the Archwing Dragon survives return it to its owner's hand.) So unless it is exiled or removed from the game, it returns to its owner's hand.
August 24, 2013 2:58 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #9
Please read the details given in Post #5, above. The ability will only trigger if Archwing Dragon is on the battlefield at the beginning of the end step. It can't return itself from the graveyard. You already seem to get that the ability doesn't work from exile, and it doesn't work from the graveyard for the same reasons.
Spoofed says... #1
No, triggered abilities only activate from the battlefield unless otherwise specified eg Ichorid
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April 24, 2012 6 p.m.