<p>1: Activated abilities always have the pattern &quot;cost:effect&quot;, and as long as you can pay the costs, you can activate it as often as you like. There are a few exceptions where you have a limited number of activations per turn, but those will always be printed on the card. Note that the TAP symbol is a cost like any other, and if you manage to untap your permanent, you can use that ability again without issue.</p>
<p>2: You can activate non-mana, non-Planeswalker abilities at instant speed. Again, exceptions are printed on the card.</p>
<p>3: There are no such restrictions, except for Planeswalker abilities.</p>
<p>4: Yes, but very few cards do that, like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Stifle">Stifle</a>. An ability is not a spell, so cards that counter spells do not work on abilities.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-07T17:54:28.273Z
Easy +1, of course, but a tiny caveat: abilities can also be countered for lack of a target, the same as spells.  For instance, suppose there were a card that read 'sacrifice a creature: ~this~ deals 3 damage to target creature and 3 damage to that creature's controller'.  Then if e.g. you sacrificed a creature targeting an opponent's Grizzly Bears, and they bounced the Bears in response, then they wouldn't take 3 damage because the ability is countered.
Steven Stadnicki
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-07T18:28:26.607Z
For your #2 answer, you state non-mana abilities. Does that mean I can only use the activated ability of the Twilight Drover on my turn and can not activate it when it is not my turn? On a side note I read there are some exceptions to your #1 answer, such extort. If i read correctly, Extort can only be activated once.
Damainman
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-07T18:33:40.050Z
@Damainman No, by default you can abilities whenever you could play an instant, that means whenever you have priority, which also happens on enemy turns. The timing of mana abilities have special rules, you can use them pretty much anytime; for example the abilities of basic lands are mana abilities. And Extort is not an activated ability, it's a triggered ability that you can only activate when it says you can, and only once.
Hackworth
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-07T19:10:38.950Z
@StevenStadnicki Yes, rules can counter spells and abilities as well, but I didn't read his question that way. I suppose he meant "countered by spells or abilities"
Hackworth
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-08T05:55:47.970Z
Just to clarify further, if a creature has summoning sickness then can activated abilities still be played as long as the activated ability does not have a tap symbol? That is how I interpreted Rule 302.6.
Damainman
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-08T06:57:35.833Z
@Damainman That is correct.
Hackworth
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-07T10:24:27.997Z
2013-07-07T10:24:27.997Z
Hackworth
<p>When playing <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=368549" rel="nofollow">Twilight Drover</a> with multiple counters, I have the following questions which also apply to other creatures:</p>

<ol>
<li>How many times can I play the activated ability within one turn when it does not have the TAP symbol? I want to clarify as some people say once and other people say as many times as long as I have mana for it. </li>
<li>Can I only play the activated ability on my turn or can I also play it when it is not my turn?</li>
<li>If the creature had two different activated abilities and neither ability had the TAP symbol nor asked you to only choose one, then can you play both of the abilities or only one of them?</li>
<li>Can any of the activated abilities be countered? </li>
</ol>

<magic-the-gathering>
How to properly play activated abilities of twilight drover and other creatures?
Damainman
# How to properly play activated abilities of twilight drover and other creatures?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-07-07)

When playing [Twilight Drover](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=368549) with multiple counters, I have the following questions which also apply to other creatures:

1. How many times can I play the activated ability within one turn when it does not have the TAP symbol? I want to clarify as some people say once and other people say as many times as long as I have mana for it.
2. Can I only play the activated ability on my turn or can I also play it when it is not my turn?
3. If the creature had two different activated abilities and neither ability had the TAP symbol nor asked you to only choose one, then can you play both of the abilities or only one of them?
4. Can any of the activated abilities be countered?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-07-07. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

1: Activated abilities always have the pattern "cost:effect", and as long as you can pay the costs, you can activate it as often as you like. There are a few exceptions where you have a limited number of activations per turn, but those will always be printed on the card. Note that the TAP symbol is a cost like any other, and if you manage to untap your permanent, you can use that ability again without issue.

2: You can activate non-mana, non-Planeswalker abilities at instant speed. Again, exceptions are printed on the card.

3: There are no such restrictions, except for Planeswalker abilities.

4: Yes, but very few cards do that, like [Stifle](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Stifle). An ability is not a spell, so cards that counter spells do not work on abilities.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Easy +1, of course, but a tiny caveat: abilities can also be countered for lack of a target, the same as spells.  For instance, suppose there were a card that read 'sacrifice a creature: ~this~ deals 3 damage to target creature and 3 damage to that creature's controller'.  Then if e.g. you sacrificed a creature targeting an opponent's Grizzly Bears, and they bounced the Bears in response, then they wouldn't take 3 damage because the ability is countered.  
> **username_0**: For your #2 answer, you state non-mana abilities. Does that mean I can only use the activated ability of the Twilight Drover on my turn and can not activate it when it is not my turn? On a side note I read there are some exceptions to your #1 answer, such extort. If i read correctly, Extort can only be activated once.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 No, by default you can abilities whenever you could play an instant, that means whenever you have priority, which also happens on enemy turns. The timing of mana abilities have special rules, you can use them pretty much anytime; for example the abilities of basic lands are mana abilities. And Extort is not an activated ability, it's a triggered ability that you can only activate when it says you can, and only once.  
> **username_1**: @username_2 Yes, rules can counter spells and abilities as well, but I didn't read his question that way. I suppose he meant "countered by spells or abilities"  
> **username_0**: Just to clarify further, if a creature has summoning sickness then can activated abilities still be played as long as the activated ability does not have a tap symbol? That is how I interpreted Rule 302.6.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 That is correct.  

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