<p>No, a player can't activate loyalty abilities during his upkeep nor in response to spells or abilities. Loyalty abilities can be activated at "sorcery speed", only during a player's main phase. The specific rule from the Comprehensive rules is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>606.3. A player may activate a loyalty ability of a permanent they control <strong>any time they have priority and the stack is empty during a main phase of their turn</strong>, but only if no player has previously activated a loyalty ability of that permanent that turn.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-02T20:17:36.663Z
Teferi, Temporal Archmage is the only exception to that rule, but it is stated quite explicitly.
Kamil Drakari
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-02T16:05:29.410Z
2018-07-02T16:05:29.410Z
piotrek
<p>You can [Only] if, you have either Teferi, Temporal Archmage's &lt;-10&gt;Emblem or Teferi's Talent Enchanted Planeswalker's &lt;-12&gt;Emblem.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-14T17:10:14.047Z
For what it's worth, we've generally found that answers to MtG questions saying "unless you use (insert specific card here)" are generally not that well-received, unless of course that is specifically what the question is asking for - MtG is such a broad game that there's a card which gives an exception to _every_ rule.
Philip Kendall
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-13T02:52:44.487Z
2024-01-13T02:52:44.487Z
Erica Ferguson
<p>If I cast a <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bLightning%20Helix%5d">Lightning Helix</a> targeting my opponent's <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bGideon%2c%20Ally%20of%20Zendikar%5d">Gideon, Ally of Zendikar</a> on his upkeep with it having 3 Loyalty, can he in response use Gideon's plus 1 ability to put it out of Lightning Helix's range?</p>

<magic-the-gathering>
Can a planeswalker ability be activated in response to another spell or ability?
vensa4790
# Can a planeswalker ability be activated in response to another spell or ability?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-07-02)

If I cast a [Lightning Helix](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bLightning%20Helix%5d) targeting my opponent's [Gideon, Ally of Zendikar](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bGideon%2c%20Ally%20of%20Zendikar%5d) on his upkeep with it having 3 Loyalty, can he in response use Gideon's plus 1 ability to put it out of Lightning Helix's range?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-07-02. Score: 10

No, a player can't activate loyalty abilities during his upkeep nor in response to spells or abilities. Loyalty abilities can be activated at "sorcery speed", only during a player's main phase. The specific rule from the Comprehensive rules is:

> 606.3. A player may activate a loyalty ability of a permanent they control **any time they have priority and the stack is empty during a main phase of their turn**, but only if no player has previously activated a loyalty ability of that permanent that turn.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Teferi, Temporal Archmage is the only exception to that rule, but it is stated quite explicitly.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2024-01-13. Score: -2

You can [Only] if, you have either Teferi, Temporal Archmage's <-10>Emblem or Teferi's Talent Enchanted Planeswalker's <-12>Emblem.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: For what it's worth, we've generally found that answers to MtG questions saying "unless you use (insert specific card here)" are generally not that well-received, unless of course that is specifically what the question is asking for - MtG is such a broad game that there's a card which gives an exception to _every_ rule.  

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