Null Rod and Moxen

[Python73]

Null Rod states:

"Players cannot play any artifact abilities requiring an activation cost."

My opponent in an recent type 1 tourney claimed that this affected my Mox Ruby.  In retrospect, this doesn't seem correct.  Does anyone know the ruling on this card?

Thanks.

S  !

ps - Sure, I should have called a judge... but I stomped him regardless.  Just want to know for the betterment of humankind.  

[Dr. Sylvan]

It affects mana abilities as well. (Including Moxen.)

[Python73]

The assumption being that they have an activation cost of 0: ?

Would I find this sort of thing in an errata list somewhere?

Thanks.

S  !

[Jebus]

Ok, let me point you to the most current Oracle List: Type 1 Full Oracle

Be sure to check up on the current wording of your cards if you are ever in doubt.

Ok, here we go!

Null Rod

Artifact
Players can't play artifacts' activated abilities.

Now, you can't play activated abilities of your artifacts.  Activated abilities are those abilities written as COST:EFFECT (note the colon).

And here is Mox Ruby.

Mox Ruby

Artifact
: Add to your mana pool.

The mana ability of Mox Ruby is an activated ability.  The cost to activate it is not 0 (although, if it had been 0 that wouldn't make a difference, it would still be an activated ability), the cost is to tap it.

Null Rod shuts down your Mox.

[Python73]

Bingo... errata indeed.  That's precisely what I needed!  Thanks a bunch.

S  !

[rvs]

to nitpick, it's not technically an errata.

[Python73]

I'll bite... what is it called?  I quoted the card exactly, and "Players can't play artifacts' activated abilities." is certainly different.

S  !

[Matt]

It's not really errata in the sense that it still does exactly what it would have said if the concept of "activated ability" existed when they printed Beta. They also didn't have a tap symbol back then, so really it's just a translation into modern-day wording, rather than true errata (an example of which would be Impulse).

[rvs]

What Jebus said is called an Oracle wording. Since ways to word cards change throughout the history of the game, the oracle wording keeps all (okay, MOST) cards up to date with current wording templates. This is also done to ensure cards fit in with the current rules and stuff.

Now, you asking about wether it shuts down moxen or not, is actually not to be found in the errata nor the oracle wording. It's really a basic part of the game, as tapping IS an activation cost in itself.

But like I said, it's really just nitpicking. If you're interested in small nuance-differences like this (like I am (ironically enough, I'm a dci lvl1 judge nowadays :p), you should read the comp-rules carefully. I think you might discover a lot of "new" things you didn't know about this game, or thought to be automatic.

And er.... I thought of something else to say too, but I'm distracted by one of my roommates

[Dante]

another good resource for these types of lookups with a search engine (instead of one large text file) is located at http://www.crystalkeep.com

Bill

[Cownose]

It also shuts down artifact lands (if anyone uses them)

[Jebus]

I no longer recommend Crystal Keep as it does not appear to be being updated anymore.

[DEA]

which is a pity, as it was the most convenient place to find up to date rulings
where do you dig for rulings now, jebus?

[JSexton]

which is a pity, as it was the most convenient place to find up to date rulings
where do you dig for rulings now, jebus?

Hopefully, WotC will be assigning someone to maintain the rulings files that Stephen D'Angelo did for a whopping ten years. Until then, there won't be a single authoritative source, which is a pity indeed.

[Jebus]

WotC is taking over Crystal Keep and is setting up a similar system on their site.

I normally don't have to look up a ruling on newer cards, so Crystal Keep still works on most older rulings (although I cross reference the Oracle to be sure).

I also check the MTG-L lists for very obscure rulings.

But, most of what I need is just the Comprehensive Rules.

[FORCE-OF-WILL]

The assumption being that they have an activation cost of 0: ?

Would I find this sort of thing in an errata list somewhere?

Thanks.

S  !

No, Mox ruby does not equal Infy red mana

And this is a verification, can you stifle a nulrod?

[Jacob Orlove]

And this is a verification, can you stifle a nulrod?

No. It's a static ability.