What is an activated ability?

An activated ability is a type of ability that a player can activate by paying a specific cost, such as mana, tapping a card, sacrificing a permanent, or some combination of these actions. Activated abilities are denoted by a colon (:), followed by the cost and the effect of the ability.

Activated abilities can only be activated at specific times, as determined by the ability itself or the rules of the game. Some activated abilities can only be activated during a player's turn, while others can be activated at any time.

Activated abilities are a common feature of many trading card games, such as Magic: The Gathering. They add an additional layer of strategy to the game, as players must carefully manage their resources and choose when to activate their abilities for maximum effect.

Overall, activated abilities are a versatile and powerful tool in card games, allowing players to enhance their creatures, spells, and other cards in a variety of ways.