TLDR: If an activated ability would cause a card to move from one zone to another, does the affected card count as a spell and is it being cast?
My opponent controls thalakos deceiver and attacks with it. I control immaculate magistrate but cannot block as the attacker has the shadow ability. As Thalakos is unblocked and the trigger conditions are met, my opponent chooses to sacrifice it to activate its ability and gain control of my Immaculate Magistrate. I also control lurking predators. Neither of us are sure whether the enchantment effect is triggered, as the rules define casting a spell in a way that is consistent with what is happening, but we are unsure of whether it counts as a cast or even if it counts as a spell at all.
Any insight would be helpful as all of my internet searches on the matter have been, so far, fruitless.
Thanks.
Thalakos Deceiver's second ability (as given in its Oracle text) is not an activated ability, since it lacks a colon separating cost and effect (C.R. 108.1, 602.1). Rather, that ability begins with "Whenever...", indicating a triggered ability (C.R. 108.1, 603.1).
In any case, even if that ability were an activated ability, activating it would not be the same as casting a spell, so that Lurking Predators's ability wouldn't trigger. More generally, activating any activated ability is not the same as casting a spell, regardless of the ability's cost or what that ability does (compare C.R. 701.2, activate, with C.R. 701.4, cast).
Likewise, a triggered ability (such as Thalakos Deceiver's second ability in its Oracle text [C.R. 108.1, 603.1]) is not a spell either (compare C.R. 113.1, abilities, with C.R. 112.1, spells), and sacrificing Thalakos Deceiver when its second ability resolves is not the same as casting a spell (compare C.R. 701.16, sacrifice, with C.R. 701.4, cast).
In addition, if control of a permanent changes, it has *not* changed zones. It is on the battlefield the whole time. The important thing to note is that there aren’t separate “sides” to the battlefield. It’s just one zone, with permanents controlled by various players.
My opponent controls thalakos deceiver and attacks with it. I control immaculate magistrate but cannot block as the attacker has the shadow ability. As Thalakos is unblocked and the trigger conditions are met, my opponent chooses to sacrifice it to activate its ability and gain control of my Immaculate Magistrate. I also control lurking predators. Neither of us are sure whether the enchantment effect is triggered, as the rules define casting a spell in a way that is consistent with what is happening, but we are unsure of whether it counts as a cast or even if it counts as a spell at all.
Any insight would be helpful as all of my internet searches on the matter have been, so far, fruitless.
Thanks.
In any case, even if that ability were an activated ability, activating it would not be the same as casting a spell, so that Lurking Predators's ability wouldn't trigger. More generally, activating any activated ability is not the same as casting a spell, regardless of the ability's cost or what that ability does (compare C.R. 701.2, activate, with C.R. 701.4, cast).
Likewise, a triggered ability (such as Thalakos Deceiver's second ability in its Oracle text [C.R. 108.1, 603.1]) is not a spell either (compare C.R. 113.1, abilities, with C.R. 112.1, spells), and sacrificing Thalakos Deceiver when its second ability resolves is not the same as casting a spell (compare C.R. 701.16, sacrifice, with C.R. 701.4, cast).
EDIT (Jan. 20): Clarification.
Commander/EDH Decks:
BRG The Blood of Jund - Kresh the Bloodbraided BRG
WR The Blades of Goldnight - Gisela, Blade of Goldnight WR