Rules glossary
↑ Section 607. Linked Abilities
607.2 There are different kinds of linked abilities.
- 607.2a If an object has an activated or triggered ability printed on it that instructs a player to exile one or more cards and an ability printed on it that refers either to “the exiled cards” or to cards “exiled with [this object],” these abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to cards in the exile zone that were put there as a result of an instruction to exile them in the first ability.
- 607.2b If an object has an ability printed on it that generates a replacement effect which causes one or more cards to be exiled and an ability printed on it that refers either to “the exiled cards” or to cards “exiled with [this object],” these abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to cards in the exile zone that were put there as a direct result of a replacement event caused by the first ability. See rule 614, “Replacement Effects.” (refs: 614)
- 607.2c If an object has an activated or triggered ability printed on it that puts one or more objects onto the battlefield and an ability printed on it that refers to objects “put onto the battlefield with [this object]” or “created with [this object],” those abilities are linked. The second can refer only to objects put onto the battlefield as a result of the first.
- 607.2d If an object has an ability printed on it that causes a player to “choose a [value]” and an ability printed on it that refers to “the chosen [value],” “the last chosen [value],” or similar, those abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to a choice made as a result of the first ability.
- 607.2e If an object has an ability printed on it that allows some information to be noted and another ability which refers to information noted for that object, those abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to information noted as a result of the first ability.
- 607.2f If an object has an ability printed on it that causes a player to choose from between two or more words that otherwise have no rules meaning and an ability printed on it that refers to a choice involving one or more of those words, those abilities are linked. The second can refer only to a choice made as a result of the first ability.
- 607.2g If an object has an ability printed on it that causes a player to pay a cost as it enters the battlefield and an ability printed on it that refers to the cost paid “as [this object] entered,” these abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to a cost paid as a result of the first ability.
- 607.2h If an object has both a static ability and one or more triggered abilities printed on it in the same paragraph, each of those triggered abilities is linked to the static ability. Each triggered ability refers only to actions taken as a result of the static ability. See rule 603.11. (refs: 603.11)
- 607.2i If an object has an ability printed on it that allows an additional cost to be paid and an ability printed on it that refers to whether that cost was paid, those abilities are linked. The second refers only to whether the intent to pay the additional cost listed in the first was declared as the object was cast as a spell. If an ability lists multiple such costs, it may have multiple abilities linked to it. Each of those abilities will specify which cost it refers to. Example: Stormscape Battlemage has “Kicker {W} and/or {2}{B}” and two abilities that may trigger when it enters the battlefield. The first triggers if it was kicked with its {W} kicker, and the second triggers if it was kicked with its {2}{B} kicker. Each of those triggered abilities is linked to its kicker ability.
- 607.2j If an object has an ability printed on it that causes a player to pay a variable additional cost as it’s cast and an ability printed on it that refers to the cost paid “as [this object] was cast,” these abilities are linked. The second refers only to the value chosen for the cost listed in the first as the object was cast as a spell. See rule 601.2b. (refs: 601.2b)
- 607.2k The two abilities represented by the champion keyword are linked abilities. See rule 702.72, “Champion.” (refs: 702.72)
- 607.2m Abilities preceded by an anchor word are linked to the ability that allows a player to choose that anchor word. See rule 614.12b. (refs: 614.12b)
- 607.2n If an object has a static ability printed on it that allows a player to exile one or more cards “before you shuffle your deck to start the game” and an ability printed on it that refers to cards “exiled with cards named [this object’s name],” the second ability is linked to the first ability of any objects that had the specified name before the game began.
- 607.2p If an object has both a static ability that causes a player to make a choice for a characteristic-defining ability before the game begins and that characteristic-defining ability printed on it in the same paragraph, those abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to the choice made as a result of the first ability and continues to refer to that choice as the object changes zones during the game.
- 607.2q If a permanent spell has an ability printed on it that allows one or more cards to be exiled while paying a cost to cast it and the permanent that spell becomes has an ability that refers to cards “exiled with [this object],” those abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to cards exiled to pay the cost of the spell that became that permanent.