Intrinsic ability

An intrinsic ability is an ability granted by the card type or subtype of an object rather than being printed on a card, being copied, or being granted by some other effect. They play a similar role as game rules for specific card types, ensuring that each kind of card functions correctly.

Description

There are only four kinds of intrinsic abilities:

• Lands with one of the five basic land types have the activated mana ability corresponding to that land type.
• Planeswalkers have a static ability to enter play with the appropriate amount of loyalty counters.
• Battles have a static ability similar to that of Planeswalkers, causing them to enter with the correct number of defense counters.
  • Sieges, currently the only possible subtype of Battles, have an additional intrinsic ability, a triggered ability that causes it to transform when the last defense counter is removed.

Intrinsic abilities are core to ensuring correct functionality of their types, similar to the rules for playing and resolving specific types of cards, or state-based actions for specific types. However, they are abilities like others printed on a card, and effects that remove, "steal", or govern the use of abilities will apply to them.

The land abilities form the core of the mana system of the game. They give mana abilities to the basic lands themselves, and some dual lands. The earliest editions of the game did print these abilities on the cards, but they have been issued errata to work through intrinsic abilities like the modern versions. A land that loses a basic land type loses its ability to produce mana of that color. Inversely, gaining a type means it may produce a new color of mana. Cards like Glaciers exploit this mechanic.

The Planeswalker and Battle abilities are not activated; therefore, it is less obvious that they function as abilities. Several effect combinations could cause these cards to have no abilities as they enter the battlefield, which would cause them to enter with no counters and likely die. In contrast, placing a lore counter on a Saga as it enters (as well as doing so on later turns) is an instruction directly in the game rules, not an intrinsic ability of Sagas.

The Siege ability allows the Siege transformation mechanic to work when a Siege's last defense counter is removed. This is in contrast to the state-based action that kills a Planeswalker or Battle with no counters, which is a direct game rule and cannot be countered or suppressed.

Rules baggage

As additional rules that apply only to specific types, the functioning of these abilities may be considered rules baggage - game mechanics players must remember without the aid of rules text. However, this is both intentional in making each type work and limited in number. Other than the overall understanding of how each type plays, the main burden on players due to intrinsic abilities is remembering which "type-related properties" of an object are intrinsic abilities that may be removed, and which are not.

Consistent with the design goals of avoiding creature types with rules baggage, no creature type carries an intrinsic ability. The Wall subtype formerly was affected by a rule that was reworked into the Defender ability in 2005. However, at the time, the rule against attacking was not an ability at all. Thus, the "Wall/Defender rule" went straight from being "type baggage" to being an ability unrelated to type, and at no point functioned like an intrinsic ability.

Rules

From the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)

• 305.6. The basic land types are Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. If an object uses the words “basic land type,” it’s referring to one of these subtypes. An object with the land card type and a basic land type has the intrinsic ability “{T}: Add [mana symbol],” even if the text box doesn’t actually contain that text or the object has no text box. For Plains, [mana symbol] is {W}; for Islands, {U}; for Swamps, {B}; for Mountains, {R}; and for Forests, {G}. See rule 107.4a. See also rule 605, “Mana Abilities.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)

• 306.5b A planeswalker has the intrinsic ability “This permanent enters with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to its printed loyalty number.” This ability creates a replacement effect (see rule 614.1c).

From the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)

• 310.4b A battle has the intrinsic ability “This permanent enters with a number of defense counters on it equal to its printed defense number.” This ability creates a replacement effect (see rule 614.1c).

From the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)

• 310.11b Sieges have the intrinsic ability “When the last defense counter is removed from this permanent, exile it, then you may cast it transformed without paying its mana cost.”