Gameplay Basics
When Is Card Text Inactive or Ignored?
Inactive text stays on the card but does not apply, trigger or let you activate it.
RiftPal explanation · Answer first
The short answer
InactiveText that is still present but does not currently apply, trigger or allow activation. Other effects can still check that the text or keyword is present.View in Glossary text is still present, but its abilities do not work while it is inactive. Effects can still check whether the card has that text or keyword. If an effect tells you to ignore an ability, ignore it only for the specified action and only for the player instructed to do so.
RiftPal explanation
How it works
Card reference
Guardian Angel
EquipmentGear with the Equipment tag. When attached to a unit, it adds its Effect Text and Might bonus to that unit. Playing Equipment does not normally attach it automatically.View in Glossary has two text areas with different jobs. While it is attached, its printed Rules Text is inactive and its Effect TextThe separate text section a card adds to the Rules Text of the card it is attached to. It is inactive while the card is unattached.View in Glossary is added to the unit's Rules Text. When it detaches, that Effect Text stops applying and its printed Rules Text becomes active again. Text granted or appended to the Equipment is not switched off merely because it is attached.
Gear
Guardian Angel
[Equip] [Calm] ([Calm]: Attach this to a unit you control.)
Attached effect
If I would die, kill Guardian Angel instead. Heal me, exhaust me, and recall me.
Dependent KeywordA keyword, such as Legion or Level, that gives a condition for the following ability to be active.View in Glossary such as Level or Legion make the following ability active only while their conditions are met. If several conditions govern the same ability, all must be met. A passive ability starts applying when its condition becomes true. A triggered ability can trigger if it becomes active at the same moment as its trigger event, but does not trigger retroactively. Losing the condition does not cancel an activated ability already put on the ChainAn off-board zone that holds cards and abilities during the process of playing them. Cards and abilities on it are public information.View in Glossary .
There are narrow attachment exceptions: abilities that apply to or trigger from attaching or detaching can work during that event. Weaponmaster can also read an attached EquipmentGear with the Equipment tag. When attached to a unit, it adds its Effect Text and Might bonus to that unit. Playing Equipment does not normally attach it automatically.View in Glossary 's Equip ability and passive modifiers to it. These exceptions do not make text gained after the event trigger retroactively.
Ignoring one ability does not remove it or switch off the whole card. An instruction to ignore Deflect while paying one spell's costs leaves Deflect in place for other spells.
In practice
Example
Equipment has Temporary in its printed Rules Text. While attached, that Temporary ability is inactive and does not trigger. The Equipment still has the keyword, so an effect that specifically chooses gear with Temporary can still choose it.