Yesterady, during our "MTG game session" with my friends, we had some issues with Rings of Brighthearth again.
Once and forever can you pls explain us which activated abilitie Rings copy? Half of us were saying it copies all activated abilities and the rest it doesn't copy mana activates abilities.
Lets say there are 3 "types" of activated abilities in MTG:
2. "ordinary" activated abilities (it's ability - pay something : do something ... example - Voltaic key )
3. planeswalker's loyality activated abilities (it doesn't need example )
I think Rings copy all 3 types - mana abilities are copied for free and type 2 and 3 are copied for 2 manas each.
Why I think so?
one of the basic rules in MTG is - "Everything which is not forbidden is allowed"
Rings card text says: Whenever you activate an ability, if it isn't a mana ability, you may pay 2. If you do, copy that ability. You may choose new targets for the copy.
so check the text:
Whenever you activate an ability ... it means all activated abilities if it isn't a mana ability, you may pay 2. If you do, copy that ability. You may choose new targets for the copy. ... it means NON MANA ABILITES (as I wrote before - type 2 and 3) can be copied for 2 manas. There isn't any single word about mana abilities, words which would refine it (something about their price, diabling, non playing etc.) So 1st sentence Whenever you activate an ability also applies to MANA ABILITIES.
Is my thought about Rings right and Rings copy all activated abilities? If no pls explain why. Thanks
Whenever you activate an ability, if it isn't a mana ability, you may pay 2. If you do, copy that ability. You may choose new targets for the copy.
In the first sentence, take out the intervening if clause ("if it isn't a mana ability"), and you get "Whenever you activate an ability, you may pay 2." They added the if clause to mean when you activate an ability that isn't a mana ability.
Rings of Brighthearth copies non-mana abilities. It cannot copy mana abilities, for free or for a cost. In your examples, it can copy 2 & 3 but not 1.
The trigger condition of the Rings is "Whenever you activate an ability, if it isn't a mana ability, ...". not just the first part, all of that is the trigger condition. Because the second part is an intervening-if clause. And that clause has to be true for the abilty to trigger in the first place. So if you are activating a mana ability, you don't even get a trigger, and thus no opportunity to pay and copy the ability.
603.4. A triggered ability may read “When/Whenever/At [trigger event], if [condition], [effect].” When
the trigger event occurs, the ability checks whether the stated condition is true. The ability triggers
only if it is; otherwise it does nothing. If the ability triggers, it checks the stated condition again as it
resolves. If the condition isn’t true at that time, the ability is removed from the stack and does
nothing. Note that this mirrors the check for legal targets. This rule is referred to as the “intervening
‘if’ clause” rule. (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.)
Once and forever can you pls explain us which activated abilitie Rings copy? Half of us were saying it copies all activated abilities and the rest it doesn't copy mana activates abilities.
Lets say there are 3 "types" of activated abilities in MTG:
1. mana abilities (example - Llanowar elves
2. "ordinary" activated abilities (it's ability - pay something : do something ... example - Voltaic key )
3. planeswalker's loyality activated abilities (it doesn't need example )
I think Rings copy all 3 types - mana abilities are copied for free and type 2 and 3 are copied for 2 manas each.
Why I think so?
one of the basic rules in MTG is - "Everything which is not forbidden is allowed"
Rings card text says:
Whenever you activate an ability, if it isn't a mana ability, you may pay 2. If you do, copy that ability. You may choose new targets for the copy.
so check the text:
Whenever you activate an ability ... it means all activated abilities
if it isn't a mana ability, you may pay 2. If you do, copy that ability. You may choose new targets for the copy. ... it means NON MANA ABILITES (as I wrote before - type 2 and 3) can be copied for 2 manas. There isn't any single word about mana abilities, words which would refine it (something about their price, diabling, non playing etc.) So 1st sentence Whenever you activate an ability also applies to MANA ABILITIES.
Is my thought about Rings right and Rings copy all activated abilities? If no pls explain why. Thanks
Rings of Brighthearth copies non-mana abilities. It cannot copy mana abilities, for free or for a cost. In your examples, it can copy 2 & 3 but not 1.
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