<p>Archon of Redemption's ability is a <em>triggered ability</em> and will not be effected by Arrest. Arrest affects <em>activated abilities</em>, described by rule 602.1.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>602.1. Activated abilities have a cost and an effect. They are written as “[Cost]: [Effect.] [Activation
instructions (if any).]”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Examples: <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ancient%20Silverback">Ancient Silverback</a>, <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Elvish%20Mystic">Elvish Mystic</a>, <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Heritage%20Druid">Heritage Druid</a>, <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Fume%20Spitter">Fume Spitter</a></p>
<p><em>Triggered abilities</em>, like the Archon's, are described by rule 603.1.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>603.1. Triggered abilities have a trigger condition and an effect. They are written as “[Trigger condition], [effect],” and begin with the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” They can also be as “[When/Whenever/At] [trigger event], [effect].”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In either case, whether or not mana is involved has no bearing on the classification of the ability (except in the specific case where mana is <em>produced</em>, but we'll ignore that for this conversation).</p>
<p>Activated abilities can have a mana cost (R: <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Shivan%20Dragon">Shivan Dragon</a> gets +1/+0 until end of turn) or not (T: <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Prodigal%20Sorcerer">Prodigal Sorcerer</a> deals 1 damage to target creature or player).</p>
<p>Also, triggered abilities can have optional costs (<a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Apothecary%20Initiate">Apothecary Initiate</a>'s Whenever a player casts a white spell, you may pay {1}. If you do, you gain 1 life). The Archon's triggered ability is an example of one that does not.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-17T16:49:25.997Z
Thanks for the comp rules update, @Rainbolt! Was at work and just happened to see it so I quickly explained the differences :P
pixels
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-17T19:16:44.713Z
Add a note about triggered abilities with optional costs?
Hao Ye
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-17T20:13:32.673Z
That just makes things confusing, in my opinion. They're part of the effect of the ability (which happens on resolution), but you make them look like some kind of activation cost. Triggered abilities don't have costs, optional or otherwise. The ability triggers unconditionally, and the ability resolves unconditionally. You don't have to decided if you're going to pay the mana until the ability resolves.
ikegami
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-17T12:51:04.317Z
2014-11-17T19:34:05.727Z
2014-11-17T19:34:05.727Z
pixels
<p>Example, if I had <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Archon%20of%20Redemption">Archon of Redemption</a> out and my opponent played <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Arrest">Arrest</a> on it (<a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Arrest">Arrest</a> says that the creature's activated abilities cant be activated). When something with flying enters the battlefield can I still gain life equal to its toughness?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-17T23:37:31.483Z
The trick is... if it has a colon, it's an activated ability.
corsiKa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-17T23:44:31.770Z
(And since the part before the colon is the activation cost, you were pretty close: it's things with activation costs, which are often but not always mana costs.)
Cascabel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-18T10:18:54.630Z
I would hazard a guess and say Tapping is the most common cost.
Hackworth
<magic-the-gathering>
Are activated abilities only abilities with mana costs?
BolasStone
# Are activated abilities only abilities with mana costs?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-11-17)

Example, if I had [Archon of Redemption](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Archon%20of%20Redemption) out and my opponent played [Arrest](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Arrest) on it ([Arrest](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Arrest) says that the creature's activated abilities cant be activated). When something with flying enters the battlefield can I still gain life equal to its toughness?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The trick is... if it has a colon, it's an activated ability.  
> **username_2**: (And since the part before the colon is the activation cost, you were pretty close: it's things with activation costs, which are often but not always mana costs.)  
> **username_3**: I would hazard a guess and say Tapping is the most common cost.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2014-11-17. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

Archon of Redemption's ability is a *triggered ability* and will not be effected by Arrest. Arrest affects *activated abilities*, described by rule 602.1.

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

Examples: [Ancient Silverback](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ancient%20Silverback), [Elvish Mystic](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Elvish%20Mystic), [Heritage Druid](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Heritage%20Druid), [Fume Spitter](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Fume%20Spitter)

*Triggered abilities*, like the Archon's, are described by rule 603.1.

> 603.1. Triggered abilities have a trigger condition and an effect. They are written as “[Trigger condition], [effect],” and begin with the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” They can also be as “[When/Whenever/At] [trigger event], [effect].”

In either case, whether or not mana is involved has no bearing on the classification of the ability (except in the specific case where mana is *produced*, but we'll ignore that for this conversation).

Activated abilities can have a mana cost (R: [Shivan Dragon](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Shivan%20Dragon) gets +1/+0 until end of turn) or not (T: [Prodigal Sorcerer](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Prodigal%20Sorcerer) deals 1 damage to target creature or player).

Also, triggered abilities can have optional costs ([Apothecary Initiate](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Apothecary%20Initiate)'s Whenever a player casts a white spell, you may pay {1}. If you do, you gain 1 life). The Archon's triggered ability is an example of one that does not.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Thanks for the comp rules update, @Rainbolt! Was at work and just happened to see it so I quickly explained the differences :P  
> **username_5**: Add a note about triggered abilities with optional costs?  
> **username_6**: That just makes things confusing, in my opinion. They're part of the effect of the ability (which happens on resolution), but you make them look like some kind of activation cost. Triggered abilities don't have costs, optional or otherwise. The ability triggers unconditionally, and the ability resolves unconditionally. You don't have to decided if you're going to pay the mana until the ability resolves.  

---

