Rules glossary
↑ Section 602. Activating Activated Abilities
602.1 Activated abilities have a cost and an effect. They are written as “[Cost]: [Effect.] [Activation instructions (if any).]”
- 602.1a The activation cost is everything before the colon (:). An ability’s activation cost must be paid by the player who is activating it. Example: The activation cost of an ability that reads “{2}, {T}: You gain 1 life” is two mana of any type plus tapping the permanent that has the ability.
- 602.1b Some text after the colon of an activated ability states instructions that must be followed while activating that ability. Such text may state which players can activate that ability, may restrict when a player can activate the ability, or may define some aspect of the activation cost. This text is not part of the ability’s effect. It functions at all times. If an activated ability has any activation instructions, they appear last, after the ability’s effect.
- 602.1c An activated ability is the only kind of ability that can be activated. If an object or rule refers to activating an ability without specifying what kind, it must be referring to an activated ability.
- 602.1d Previously, the action of using an activated ability was referred to on cards as “playing” that ability. Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference so they now refer to “activating” that ability.
- 602.1e If a spell or ability that refers to the “activation cost” of an ability modifies how a player may pay that cost, that modification applies to the total cost of that ability, even if that cost is increased and/or decreased by other effects. See rules 602.2b and 601.2f. (refs: 602.2b)