Historical Rules · 19 September 2025
Rule 602.1a
Official source text from the 19 September 2025 Rules release
The activation cost is everything before the colon (:). An ability’s activation cost must be paid by the player who is activating it. Example: The activation cost of an ability that reads “{2}, {T}: You gain 1 life” is two mana of any type plus tapping the permanent that has the ability.