# Abilities -  Activated Abilities

#### General Rules:

1. Activation of abilities uses a process similar to card activations: To activate an ability, a player must:

* Announce the ability they wish to activate,
* Select its modes and targets, 
* And pay the associated costs of that ability (reserve and other costs).

The ability is considered activated when all steps listed above have been completed.

2. After costs have been paid, the ability then goes to the Effects Stack for resolution, and Opportunity is then first given to the turn player to respond.
3. If there are no legal modes that can be chosen, the ability can’t be activated, following standard activation rules.
4. A player may only activate an ability when they have Opportunity and may legally do so according to timing conventions.
5. Activated abilities are worded as \[Cost] : \[Effect]. Any restrictions are specified after effects.
6. Activated abilities use fast speed by default.
7. Activated abilities can’t retroactively affect costs for activations in the Effects Stack nor any modes chosen for the activation.
8. Activated abilities of attack cards can only be used from the intent by default.
9. Some abilities can give a player who does not control the source of the activated ability permission to activate it. The specified player(s) will be able to activate the ability as if they are the controlling player for the purpose of activating that ability.
   1. Control of the source and/or object does not change if an ability is activated this way.


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