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

Old rule (Eventide)	New rule (Shards of Alara)
Activation Cost [Click to view all changes.]
Activation Cost The activation cost of an activated ability is everything before the colon in "activation cost: effect." It must be paid to play the ability. See rule 403, "Activated Abilities." Example: The activation cost of an ability that reads "{2}, {T}: You gain 1 life" is two mana of any color plus tapping the permanent.	Activation Cost The activation cost of an activated ability is everything that appears before the colon in that ability's text. It must be paid to play the ability. See rule 403, "Activated Abilities." Example: The activation cost of an ability that reads "{2}, {T}: You gain 1 life" is two mana of any color plus tapping the permanent.

Old rule (Eventide)

New rule (Shards of Alara)

Activation Cost [Click to view all changes.]

Activation Cost

The activation cost of an activated ability is everything before the colon in "activation cost: effect." It must be paid to play the ability. See rule 403, "Activated Abilities."

Example: The activation cost of an ability that reads "{2}, {T}: You gain 1 life" is two mana of any color plus tapping the permanent.

Activation Cost

The activation cost of an activated ability is everything that appears before the colon in that ability's text. It must be paid to play the ability. See rule 403, "Activated Abilities."

Example: The activation cost of an ability that reads "{2}, {T}: You gain 1 life" is two mana of any color plus tapping the permanent.