Faith's Fetters says that activated abilities cannot be played unless they are mana abilities... does this mean creatures that PRODUCE mana or creatures that you pay mana to activate its abilities?
A mana ability is an ability that adds mana to your mana pool, regardless of the cost. Noble Hierarch and Birds of Paradise, for example. Also, Vesper Ghoul, even though it requires a payment other than mana, is still a mana ability. Mana abilities don't use the stack and can't be responded to.
Cards with the post 8th Edition, color shifted and future shifted templates as well as the timeshifted and Coldsnap reprint ones tastes a little sweeter. Any gold cards with the old faces are a little saltier. European foreign (except Russian) cards with the mentioned templates above are not as sweet as their English counterparts and has a wierd after taste. All taste tests were done from fresh packs and all cards tasted are not foil cards. I have yet to taste Asian and Russian cards.
a mana ability is any non-targeted ability that produces mana. They can be triggered or activated. Examples are llanowar elves and vitu-ghazi, the city tree's first ability (Fetters will shut off the second one).
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A card game about Presidents. Stabbing each other. With knives.
This is incorrect. As has been noted by the other posters, a mana ability is an ability that produces mana, not one that costs mana:
Mana Ability (Glossary)
An activated or triggered ability that could create mana and doesn't use the stack. See rule 605, "Mana Abilities."
More specifically, it's a non-targeted activated ability that could add mana to a player's mana pool when it resolves (example: Forest, Llanowar Elves, Jungle Shrine), or a non-targeted triggered ability that could add mana to a player's mana pool when it resolves that triggers off another mana ability (example: Fertile Ground, Trace of Abundance, Vernal Bloom):
605. Mana Abilities
605.1. Some activated abilities and some triggered abilities are mana abilities, which are subject to special rules. Only abilities that meet either of the following two sets of criteria are mana abilities, regardless of what other effects they may generate or what timing restrictions (such as "Activate this ability only any time you could cast an instant") they may have.
605.1a An activated ability without a target that could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves is a mana ability.
605.1b A triggered ability without a target that triggers from activating a mana ability and could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves is a mana ability.
605.2. A mana ability remains a mana ability even if the game state doesn't allow it to produce mana.
Example: A permanent has an ability that reads "{T}: Add {G} to your mana pool for each creature you control." This is still a mana ability even if you control no creatures or if the permanent is already tapped.
605.3. Activating an activated mana ability follows the rules for activating any other activated ability (see rule 602.2), with the following exceptions:
605.3a A player may activate an activated mana ability whenever he or she has priority, whenever he or she is casting a spell or activating an ability that requires a mana payment, or whenever a rule or effect asks for a mana payment, even if it's in the middle of casting or resolving a spell or activating or resolving an ability.
605.3b An activated mana ability doesn't go on the stack, so it can't be targeted, countered, or otherwise responded to. Rather, it resolves immediately after it is activated. (See rule 405.3c.)
605.4. Triggered mana abilities follow all the rules for other triggered abilities (see rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities"), with the following exception:
605.4a A triggered mana ability doesn't go on the stack, so it can't be targeted, countered, or otherwise responded to. Rather, it resolves immediately after the mana ability that triggered it, without waiting for priority.
Example: An enchantment reads, "Whenever a player taps a land for mana, that player adds one mana of that type to his or her mana pool." If a player taps lands for mana while casting a spell, the additional mana is added to the player's mana pool immediately and can be used to pay for the spell.
605.5. Abilities that don't meet the criteria specified in rules 605.1a-b and spells aren't mana abilities.
605.5a An ability with a target is not a mana ability, even if it could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves. The same is true for a triggered ability that could produce mana but triggers from an event other than activating a mana ability, or a triggered ability that triggers from activating a mana ability but couldn't produce mana. These follow the normal rules for activated or triggered abilities, as appropriate.
605.5b A spell can never be a mana ability, even if it could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves. It's cast and resolves just like any other spell. Some older cards were printed with the card type "mana source"; these cards have received errata in the Oracle card reference and are now instants.
Thanks in advance guys
A card game about Presidents. Stabbing each other. With knives.
This is incorrect. As has been noted by the other posters, a mana ability is an ability that produces mana, not one that costs mana:
More specifically, it's a non-targeted activated ability that could add mana to a player's mana pool when it resolves (example: Forest, Llanowar Elves, Jungle Shrine), or a non-targeted triggered ability that could add mana to a player's mana pool when it resolves that triggers off another mana ability (example: Fertile Ground, Trace of Abundance, Vernal Bloom):
No, it's abilities that produce mana.
605.1a An activated ability without a target that could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves is a mana ability.
Bog Initiate's activated ability does not target and does produce mana, so it's a mana ability.