Ability

Ability is a gameplay characteristic.

Details

Each ability that is found on a card produces an effect that influences gameplay. Abilities are divided into the following; Static Ability, Trigger Ability, Activated Ability and Spell Ability.

Each ability can be classified into one of the four types. This includes Keyword and Ability Words.

Most abilities are written as "CONDITION, effect".

The four types of abilities are written in a specific way;

• Static Ability: These cards tend to not write a duration for their ability (such as Nariel, the Oracle or Funk, Defender of Hope)
• Trigger Ability: These cards feature a "When" or "Whenever" to show how their abilities are induced when a specific game action occurs (such as "When you put this creature into the battle zone" or "Whenever this creature attacks".)
• Activated Ability: These cards have an ability that triggers if you pay a specific cost to their effect (Such as a Tap Ability where you must tap your creature, or Meteorburn where you must put a card under your evolution creature into your graveyard.)
• Spell Ability: A spell that is cast doesn't have a conditional clause, and is applied directly after the spell is cast.

In principle, an ability works in a single zone (usually the battle zone). However, there are many abilities that can function outside the battle zone such as Necrodragon Guljeneraid, Hot Spring - Invincible Time and Mana Reburst. These abilities are specifically mentioned as working from your graveyard, hand, and mana zone respectively.

• The ability of creatures and cross gear function while they are in the battle zone. The text of "while this creature is in the battle zone" has been commonly omitted after the Holy Fist Saga block.
  • Static Ability: "while this card is in the battle zone" is omitted and only included on a few cards.
  • Triggered Ability: "while this card is in the battle zone" is omitted from the trigger conditions, and can generally be judged from context that it triggers from other zones (such as Necrodragon Guljeneraid).
  • Activated Ability: "while this card is in the battle zone" is omitted. However, this doesn't apply to spell cards that can be used from your hand.
• The abilities of castles only function while in your shield zone. This follows the same ability processing as a creature, cross gear or field in the battle zone.
  • Spells only have a spell ability and are resolved at the time they are cast.

Certain ability names (keyword abilities or ability words) are sometimes specifically referred to have other abilities and have an important rule.

• Cards such as Heaven's Gate refer to non-evolution creatures that have the evergreen " Blocker" keyword.
• Final Revolution can only be used if you put the creature into the battle zone by a Revolution Change ability. It can't be used if you summon the creature by any other method.
• The=Deadbrachio, World Evil Dragonkind prevents your opponents cards from using Dragsolution on their Dragheart cards, preventing them from flipping to their stronger sides. However, as Sword Saint Jigen, Awoken Dragon World flips cards and doesn't mention the "Dragsolution" ability, it can be used to get past the lockdown ability of The-Deadbrachio.

Other

• A creature without an ability is known as Vanilla and is commonly given a low card evaluation due to its low impact given to the game state after its played.
  • Creatures with only basic (or evergreen) Keywords and Ability Words and no other effects are often referred to as Quasi-Vanilla.
• The abilities of an Active Player's cards have priority before your opponent's.