Hi,

While taking a practice rules exam, a question regarding Reassembling Skeleton came up that made me curious about how activated abilities of creatures in graveyards are legal activations.

Although Reassembling Skeleton's ability is one that can be used in the graveyard to return it to the battlefield, there isn't any rules, reminder, or Oracle text to specify that this ability can be used while the creature is in the graveyard (Similiar to wording on how any player can activate an ability on Excavation or timing restrictions on Birthing Pod).

My question is what allows this ability to be activated from the graveyard, and prevents other activated abilities on cards such as Azure Mage being able to draw a card at any time? I've looked through the Activated Abilities section (602) of the Comp. Rules, but can't find anything that would answer this.

Thanks.
Edit: Thank you Aruna Prem Bianzino for the answer to this and pointing out 112.6k :) Didn't think there would be a rule directly addressing Reassembling Skeleton, so never even occurred to me to do a search of that in the Comp Rules!

Edited Chris Hanaghan (Jan. 11, 2019 07:13:05 AM)

First, please don't ever discuss exam questions. There's a disclaimer on the exam itself reminding us that all exam content is confidential. While your question isn't specific, I feel the need to remind/inform everyone reading this answer.

The rule you're looking for is

Originally posted by 112.6k:

112.6k An ability whose cost or effect specifies that it moves the object it's on out of a particular zone functions only in that zone, unless its trigger condition or a previous part of its cost or effect specifies that the object is put into that zone or, if the object is an Aura, that the object it enchants leaves the battlefield. The same is true if the effect of that ability creates a delayed triggered ability whose effect moves the object out of a particular zone.

Example: Reassembling Skeleton says “{1}{B}: Return Reassembling Skeleton from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped.” A player may activate this ability only if Reassembling Skeleton is in their graveyard.

d:^D