MTG Keyword Rules — Comprehensive Rules Glossary

Escape represents a static ability that functions while the card with escape is in a player’s graveyard. “Escape [cost]” means “You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost.” Casting a spell using its escape ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.

A spell or permanent “escaped” if that spell or the spell that became that permanent as it resolved was cast from a graveyard with an escape ability.

An ability that reads “[This permanent] escapes with [one or more of a kind of counter]” means “If this permanent escaped, it enters with [those counters]” That ability may have a triggered ability linked to it that triggers “When it enters this way.” (See rule 603.11.) Such a triggered ability triggers when that permanent enters the battlefield after its replacement effect was applied, even if that replacement effect had no effect.

An ability that reads “[This permanent] escapes with [ability]” means “If this permanent escaped, it has [ability].”