So I have Horde of Notions and I am wondering if I can use it's mana cost ability from the commander zone. The ability which by paying one of each color, I can bring a Elemental from the graveyard to the battlefield.
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1Related: In what ways does a Commander in their Command zone influence the game?– doppelgreenerMar 21, 2021 at 13:10
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1Related: Which commanders benefit from being in the Command Zone other than Oloro?– AndrewMar 21, 2021 at 14:42
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3 Answers
No, abilities of permanents usually only work when they're on the battlefield. Exceptions exist, but are generally explicit on the card.
113.6. Abilities of an instant or sorcery spell usually function only while that object is on the stack. Abilities of all other objects usually function only while that object is on the battlefield. The exceptions are as follows: [..]
Most permanents' abilities, including all activated abilities such as on Horde of Notions, will explicitely say so in their text if they work in any zone other than the battlefield. Horde of Notions' ability does not say that it works in any zone other than the battlefield, so it doesn't.
No. Unless stated otherwise, abilities on creatures only work when the creature is on the battlefield.
113.6. Abilities of an instant or sorcery spell usually function only while that object is on the stack. Abilities of all other objects usually function only while that object is on the battlefield.
Some exceptions follow, but this is not one of them.
answered Mar 21, 2021 at 6:52
There are specific commanders that can interact with or have abilities that can be used from the command zone, all of them very specifically say 'command zone' on the card or in the rules for keywords (Eminence). In general though abilities work only on the battlefield unless the ability says otherwise. You can't use Horde of Notions' ability from the graveyard or hand for the same reason you can't use it from the command zone. This comes from Rule 113.6 in the Comprehensive Rules:
113.6 Abilities of an instant or sorcery spell usually function only while that object is on the stack. Abilities of all other objects usually function only while that object is on the battlefield.
The exception that applies to the commanders in the search I linked earlier comes from subrule b:
113.6b An ability that states which zones it functions in functions only from those zones.
So unless a permanent has an ability that falls under one of the subrule exceptions to 113.6, it only works on the battlefield, commanders included.
