Are Planeswalker Abilities Considered Spells? A Deep Dive into Magic: The Gathering Rules
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
The short answer is: No, planeswalker abilities are not considered spells. This seemingly simple answer, however, opens the door to a more complex understanding of how Magic: The Gathering (MTG) distinguishes between different actions within the game. While planeswalkers themselves are cast as spells, their activated abilities exist in a different category, governed by their own specific rules. Let’s explore the nuances of this crucial distinction and delve into related questions.
Understanding the Difference: Spells vs. Abilities
In MTG, a spell is typically defined as a card, other than a land, that is being cast by a player. Spells are cast from your hand (though some can be cast from other zones under specific circumstances), go on the stack, and can be countered by other spells or abilities. This includes creatures, instants, sorceries, enchantments, artifacts, and, crucially, planeswalkers themselves.
On the other hand, an ability is an effect of a permanent on the battlefield. Abilities can be activated or triggered. Activated abilities require a player to pay a cost (which could be mana, tapping, sacrificing, etc.) to use them. Triggered abilities automatically go onto the stack when a specific condition is met. Importantly, neither activated nor triggered abilities are spells. They do not use the rules for casting spells and cannot be countered by effects that only counter spells. Instead, they can usually only be countered by effects specifically designed to counter abilities.
Planeswalker abilities are a specific type of activated ability. They are identified by their loyalty symbols (+, -), which indicate whether the ability adds or removes loyalty counters from the planeswalker. These abilities can only be activated at sorcery speed, meaning during a player’s main phase when the stack is empty.
Planeswalkers: Casting vs. Activating
The key to understanding this distinction lies in the process. When a planeswalker card is in your hand, it’s a card. When you cast it, it becomes a planeswalker spell on the stack. Once this spell resolves, the planeswalker enters the battlefield as a planeswalker permanent. It’s only at this point that its activated abilities can be used.
The act of casting a planeswalker is a spell, and thus can be countered like any other spell. However, once the planeswalker is on the battlefield, the activation of its loyalty abilities is not a spell. Therefore, they cannot be countered with spells like Counterspell, but only with effects that specifically target abilities like Stifle.
Key Takeaways:
- A planeswalker spell is the card when it is being cast from your hand.
- A planeswalker permanent is the card once it has resolved onto the battlefield.
- Planeswalker abilities are not spells; they are activated abilities of a permanent.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Planeswalker Abilities
Here are 15 frequently asked questions (FAQs) to further clarify the nuances of planeswalker abilities and how they interact with other game mechanics.
1. Can you counter a planeswalker ability?
Yes, but not with typical counterspells. You cannot counter a planeswalker ability using effects that counter only spells. You need effects that specifically counter abilities, such as Stifle.
2. Do planeswalker abilities trigger “when you cast a spell” effects?
No, since abilities are not spells, they will not trigger effects that refer to casting a spell.
3. Can you activate a planeswalker ability at instant speed?
No, planeswalker abilities can only be activated at sorcery speed, meaning during your main phase when the stack is empty.
4. Do planeswalkers have summoning sickness?
No, only creatures have summoning sickness. A planeswalker can have its loyalty ability activated the turn it enters the battlefield, subject to timing restrictions (sorcery speed) and sufficient loyalty.
5. Can you use multiple loyalty abilities on the same planeswalker in one turn?
Normally, you can only activate one loyalty ability per planeswalker per turn. Some effects, however, can allow you to activate them more than once.
6. If you have multiple planeswalkers in play, can you use one ability on each?
Yes, you may activate one loyalty ability on each of the planeswalkers you control in a turn, assuming they meet the activation requirements.
7. Can non-planeswalkers activate planeswalker abilities?
While it is unusual, a loyalty ability of a permanent can be activated even if that permanent is not a planeswalker, so long as the game rules allow it. Generally, the rules will restrict the number of loyalty abilities from being used more than once per turn.
8. Are planeswalker abilities considered instants or sorceries?
Planeswalker abilities are activated at sorcery speed. While not sorcery spells themselves, they share the restriction of being activated only when you could cast a sorcery.
9. Does deathtouch affect planeswalkers?
No, deathtouch only affects creatures. If a creature with deathtouch deals damage to a planeswalker, that damage will reduce its loyalty, but it will not cause destruction by deathtouch, as planeswalkers are not destroyed from damage.
10. What happens if a creature with indestructible and a creature with deathtouch attack each other?
An indestructible creature will ignore deathtouch, as it can not be destroyed by lethal damage. The indestructible creature will take damage, but will remain on the battlefield.
11. How does double strike interact with deathtouch?
A creature with double strike deals damage twice. If a creature with deathtouch blocks a creature with double strike, the double strike creature can deal damage during first strike step and potentially kill the deathtouch creature. If the creature survives, the deathtouch creature would deal damage on the second damage step.
12. Can you dispel a planeswalker ability?
No, you cannot use a dispel-type effect to stop a loyalty ability activation. Dispel-like effects typically affect lingering effects or spells, not activated abilities. If a lasting effect was created by the ability, that effect might be able to be dispelled.
13. Can a spell that dispels a creature also dispel a planeswalker?
No, planeswalkers and creatures are different permanent types, so they won’t be affected by an effect that affects a different type of card.
14. Do racial spells count as spells?
Yes, if the racial ability explicitly allows you to “cast a spell”, then it is treated as a spell. If the racial ability grants a trait, or other feature that does not include the word “cast a spell”, it does not count as a spell.
15. Do oath spells count as prepared spells?
Yes, oath spells are always considered prepared for a paladin, but do not count against the normal daily limit for preparing spells.
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between spells and abilities is fundamental to mastering MTG. While planeswalkers are cast as spells, their activated loyalty abilities are not. This distinction is crucial for knowing how to interact with them effectively and for formulating winning strategies. Remember, planeswalker abilities are activated abilities that function at sorcery speed, and cannot be countered by traditional spell-counters. This careful interplay between spells and abilities provides layers of complexity that makes MTG a captivating and challenging game.