<p>It is neither. It is a <strong><a href="http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Triggered_ability" rel="nofollow noreferrer">triggered ability</a></strong>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>603.1.</strong> Triggered abilities have a trigger condition and an effect. They are written as “[When/Whenever/At] [trigger condition or event], [effect].”</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Ulamog has two triggered abilities &mdash; one for when he's cast, and one for when he attacks &mdash; and <a href="http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Indestructible" rel="nofollow noreferrer">indestructible</a>, a <a href="http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Keyword_ability" rel="nofollow noreferrer">keyword ability</a>.</p>

<p>Viper's Kiss has no effect on any of these abilities. It will give Ulamog -1/-1 making it a 9/9, but Ulamog will still exile cards.</p>

<hr>

<p><a href="http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Spell" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Spells</a> are only ever cards (or copies of cards) that are on the stack. Abilities never count as spells.</p>

<p><a href="http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Activated_ability" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Activated abilities</a> also have a specific formatting you can recognise them by:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>602.1.</strong> Activated abilities have a cost and an effect. They are written as “[Cost]: [Effect.] [Activation instructions (if any).]”</p>
</blockquote>

<p>An example of activated abilities is found on <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bElvish%20Mystic%5d">Elvish Mystic</a>: note the presence of a cost (tap Elvish Mystic), colon <strong>:</strong>, and effect (add green mana). An activated ability has all three of these; an ability without these is not an activated ability.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-05T13:46:52.950Z
It might be useful to explain what an activated ability actually is too
diego
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-05T13:59:47.417Z
@diego Thanks, good suggestion. I've expanded the answer to say what those are.
doppelgreener
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-04T20:44:28.693Z
2016-12-05T14:16:21.667Z
2016-12-05T14:16:21.667Z
doppelgreener
<p>I have <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bUlamog%2c%20the%20Ceaseless%20Hunger%5d">Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger</a> and my fried has <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bViper%27s%5d%2b%5bkiss%5d">Viper&#39;s kiss</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Enchanted creature gets -1/-1, and its activated abilities can't be activated.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>When Ulamog attcks is that an activated ability or or is it a creature spell that can be countered?</p>

<magic-the-gathering>
What are Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger's abilities counted as?
Maf.92
# What are Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger's abilities counted as?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-12-04)

I have [Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bUlamog%2c%20the%20Ceaseless%20Hunger%5d) and my fried has [Viper's kiss](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bViper%27s%5d%2b%5bkiss%5d):

> Enchanted creature gets -1/-1, and its activated abilities can't be activated.

When Ulamog attcks is that an activated ability or or is it a creature spell that can be countered?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-12-04. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

It is neither. It is a **[triggered ability](http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Triggered_ability)**:

> **603.1.** Triggered abilities have a trigger condition and an effect. They are written as “[When/Whenever/At] [trigger condition or event], [effect].”

Ulamog has two triggered abilities — one for when he's cast, and one for when he attacks — and [indestructible](http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Indestructible), a [keyword ability](http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Keyword_ability).

Viper's Kiss has no effect on any of these abilities. It will give Ulamog -1/-1 making it a 9/9, but Ulamog will still exile cards.

---

[Spells](http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Spell) are only ever cards (or copies of cards) that are on the stack. Abilities never count as spells.

[Activated abilities](http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Activated_ability) also have a specific formatting you can recognise them by:

> **602.1.** Activated abilities have a cost and an effect. They are written as “[Cost]: [Effect.] [Activation instructions (if any).]”

An example of activated abilities is found on [Elvish Mystic](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bElvish%20Mystic%5d): note the presence of a cost (tap Elvish Mystic), colon **:**, and effect (add green mana). An activated ability has all three of these; an ability without these is not an activated ability.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: It might be useful to explain what an activated ability actually is too  
> **username_1**: @username_2 Thanks, good suggestion. I've expanded the answer to say what those are.  

---

