A.5 - Delayed Abilities


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A.5.1- An effect may create a delayed ability that can do something at a later time. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

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A.5.2- If a delayed ability is triggered, the trigger condition is not checked until after the ability actually exists. This makes it possible for the trigger condition to never be met. For example, an effect may create the delayed ability "When this card leaves play, ...", but if the card left play before this ability was created, then the delayed ability will never be able to trigger. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

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A.5.3- A delayed ability that refers to a particular permanent will continue to affect that permanent even if the permanent's characteristics change. For example, "At end of turn, destroy that creature" will destroy the permanent even if it is no longer a creature at end of turn. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

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A.5.4- A delayed ability that refers to a permanent (or to a card in another zone) will fail if that permanent is not still in play (or that card is no longer in that other zone). This is true even if the card returns to play (or the appropriate zone). For example, a card reading "At end of turn, remove this card from the game" will not do anything if the creature card leaves play before the end of turn. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

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A.5.5- A delayed ability with a trigger condition will not trigger more than once (unless it says otherwise). [CompRules 1999/11/01]

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Acknowledgments and Disclaimers