Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules Changes - Eventide to Shards of Alara

Old rule (Eventide)	New rule (Shards of Alara)
Ability [Click to view all changes.]
Ability "Ability" and "effect" are often confused with one another. An instruction in an object's text is an ability. The result of following such an instruction is an effect. For more information, see section 4, "Spells, Abilities, and Effects." When an activated ability is played, it goes onto the stack and stays there until it's countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. When an effect states that an object "gains" or "has" an ability, it's granting that object an ability. If an effect defines a property of an object ("[card or permanent] is [property]"), it's not granting an ability. For example, an Aura might read, "Enchanted creature is red." The Aura isn't granting an ability of any kind; it's simply changing the enchanted creature's color to red.	Ability "Ability" and "effect" are often confused with one another. An instruction in an object's text is an ability. The result of following such an instruction is an effect. For more information, see section 4, "Spells, Abilities, and Effects." The general categories of abilities are activated abilities (see rule 403), triggered abilities (see rule 404), static abilities (see rule 405), and the abilities that are followed as instructions while an instant or sorcery spell is resolving (see rule 401.3). When an effect states that an object "gains" or "has" an ability, it's granting that object an ability. If an effect defines a property of an object ("[card or permanent] is [property]"), it's not granting an ability. For example, an Aura might read, "Enchanted creature is red." The Aura isn't granting an ability of any kind; it's simply changing the enchanted creature's color to red.

Old rule (Eventide)

New rule (Shards of Alara)

Ability

"Ability" and "effect" are often confused with one another. An instruction in an object's text is an ability. The result of following such an instruction is an effect. For more information, see section 4, "Spells, Abilities, and Effects." When an activated ability is played, it goes onto the stack and stays there until it's countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. When an effect states that an object "gains" or "has" an ability, it's granting that object an ability. If an effect defines a property of an object ("[card or permanent] is [property]"), it's not granting an ability. For example, an Aura might read, "Enchanted creature is red." The Aura isn't granting an ability of any kind; it's simply changing the enchanted creature's color to red.

Ability

"Ability" and "effect" are often confused with one another. An instruction in an object's text is an ability. The result of following such an instruction is an effect. For more information, see section 4, "Spells, Abilities, and Effects." The general categories of abilities are activated abilities (see rule 403), triggered abilities (see rule 404), static abilities (see rule 405), and the abilities that are followed as instructions while an instant or sorcery spell is resolving (see rule 401.3). When an effect states that an object "gains" or "has" an ability, it's granting that object an ability. If an effect defines a property of an object ("[card or permanent] is [property]"), it's not granting an ability. For example, an Aura might read, "Enchanted creature is red." The Aura isn't granting an ability of any kind; it's simply changing the enchanted creature's color to red.