Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules

402.8e An object’s activated ability that has a cost that can’t be paid while the object is in play functions from any zone in which its cost can be paid.

402.8f A trigger condition that can trigger only in a zone other than the in-play zone triggers from that zone. Other trigger conditions of the same triggered ability may function in different zones.

Example: Absolver Thrull has the ability “When Absolver Thrull comes into play or the creature it haunts is put into a graveyard, destroy target enchantment.” The first trigger condition triggers from the in-play zone and the second trigger condition functions from the removed-from-the-game zone.

402.8g 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.

Example: Necrosavant says “{3}{B}{B}, Sacrifice a creature: Return Necrosavant from your graveyard to play. Play this ability only during your upkeep.” A player may play this ability only if Necrosavant is in his or her graveyard.

403. Activated Abilities

403.1. An activated ability is written as “[cost]: [effect].” The activation cost is everything before the colon (:). An ability’s activation cost must be paid by the player who is playing it.

403.2. Only an object’s controller (or its owner, if it doesn’t have a controller) can play its activated ability unless the object specifically says otherwise.

403.3. If an activated ability has a restriction on its use (for example, “Play this ability only once each turn”), the restriction continues to apply to that object even if its controller changes.

403.4. A creature’s activated ability with the tap symbol ({T}) in its activation cost can’t be played unless the creature has been under its controller’s control since the start of his or her most recent turn. Ignore this rule for creatures with haste (see rule 502.5).

403.5. Activated abilities that read “Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery” mean the player must follow the timing rules for playing a sorcery, though the ability isn’t actually a sorcery. Activated abilities that read “Play this ability only any time you could play an instant” mean the player must follow the timing rules for playing an instant, though the ability isn’t actually an instant.

404. Triggered Abilities

404.1. A triggered ability begins with the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” The phrase containing one of these words is the trigger condition, which defines the trigger event.

404.2. Triggered abilities aren’t played. Instead, a triggered ability automatically “triggers” each time its trigger event occurs. Once an ability has triggered, it goes on the stack the next time a player would receive priority. See rule 408.1, “Timing, Priority, and the Stack,” and rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”

404.3. A triggered ability may read “When/Whenever/At . . . , if [condition], [effect].” The ability checks for the stated condition to be true when the trigger event occurs. If it is, the ability triggers. On resolution, the ability rechecks the condition. If the condition isn’t true at either of those times, the ability does nothing. This rule is referred to as the “intervening ‘if’ clause” rule. Note that the word “if” has only its normal English meaning anywhere else in the text of a card; this rule only applies to an “if” that immediately follows a trigger condition.

404.4. An effect may create a delayed triggered ability that can do something at a later time. A delayed triggered ability will contain “when,” “whenever,” or “at,” although that word won’t usually begin the ability.

404.4a Delayed triggered abilities come from spells or other abilities that create them on resolution. That means a delayed triggered ability won’t trigger until it has actually been created, even if its trigger event occurred just beforehand. Other events that happen earlier may make the trigger event impossible.

Example: Part of an effect reads “When this creature leaves play,” but the creature in question leaves play before the spell or ability creating the effect resolves. In this case, the delayed ability never triggers.

Example: If an effect reads “When this creature becomes untapped” and the named creature becomes untapped before the effect resolves, the ability waits for the next time that creature untaps.

404.4b A delayed triggered ability will trigger only once-the next time its trigger event occurs-unless it has a stated duration, such as “this turn.”

404.4c A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular object still affects it even if the object changes characteristics.

Example: An ability that reads “Destroy that creature at end of turn” will destroy the permanent even if it’s no longer a creature during the end of turn step.

404.4d A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular permanent will fail if the permanent leaves play (even if it returns again before the specified time). Similarly, abilities that create a one-shot effect that applies to an object in a particular zone will fail if the object leaves that zone.

Example: An ability that reads “Remove this creature from the game at end of turn” won’t do anything if the creature leaves play before the end of turn step.

404.5. Some objects have a static ability that’s linked to a triggered ability. These objects combine both abilities into one paragraph, with the static ability first, followed by the triggered ability. A very few objects have