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Flash

Flash is a static ability that functions in any zone from which you could play the card it’s on. “Flash” means “You may play this card any time you could cast an instant.”

Multiple instances of flash on the same object are redundant.

Wither

Wither is a static ability. Damage dealt to a creature by a source with wither isn’t marked on that creature. Rather, it causes that source’s controller to put that many -1/-1 counters on that creature. See rule 120.3.

If an object changes zones before an effect causes it to deal damage, its last known information is used to determine whether it had wither.

The wither rules function no matter what zone an object with wither deals damage from.

Multiple instances of wither on the same object are redundant.

Retrace

Retrace is a static ability that functions while the card with retrace is in a player’s graveyard. “Retrace” means “You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card as an additional cost to cast it.” Casting a spell using its retrace ability follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.

Devour

Devour is a static ability. “Devour N” means “As this object enters, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This permanent enters with N +1/+1 counters on it for each creature sacrificed this way.”

Some objects have abilities that refer to the number of creatures the permanent devoured. “It devoured” means “sacrificed as a result of its devour ability as it entered the battlefield.”

Devour [quality] is a variant of devour. “Devour [quality] N” means “As this object enters, you may sacrifice any number of [quality] permanents. This permanent enters with N +1/+1 counters on it for each permanent sacrificed this way.”

Exalted

Exalted is a triggered ability. “Exalted” means “Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.”

A creature “attacks alone” if it’s the only creature declared as an attacker in a given combat phase. See rule 506.5.

Unearth

Unearth is an activated ability that functions while the card with unearth is in a graveyard. “Unearth [cost]” means “[Cost]: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. If it would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else. Activate only as a sorcery.”

Cascade

Cascade is a triggered ability that functions only while the spell with cascade is on the stack. “Cascade” means “When you cast this spell, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card whose mana value is less than this spell’s mana value. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost if the resulting spell’s mana value is less than this spell’s mana value. Then put all cards exiled this way that weren’t cast on the bottom of your library in a random order.”

If an effect allows a player to take an action with one or more of the exiled cards “as you cascade,” the player may take that action after they have finished exiling cards due to the cascade ability. This action is taken before choosing whether to cast the last exiled card or, if no appropriate card was exiled, before putting the exiled cards on the bottom of their library in a random order.

If a spell has multiple instances of cascade, each triggers separately.

Annihilator

Annihilator is a triggered ability. “Annihilator N” means “Whenever this creature attacks, defending player sacrifices N permanents.”

If a creature has multiple instances of annihilator, each triggers separately.

Level Up

Level up is an activated ability. “Level up [cost]” means “[Cost]: Put a level counter on this permanent. Activate only as a sorcery.”

Each card printed with a level up ability is known as a leveler card. It has a nonstandard layout and includes two level symbols that are themselves keyword abilities. See rule 711, “Leveler Cards.”

Some enchantments have the subtype Class and associated abilities that give them a class level. These are not the same as level up abilities and class levels do not interact with level counters. See rule 716, “Class Cards.”

Rebound

Rebound appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack and may create a delayed triggered ability. “Rebound” means “If this spell was cast from your hand, instead of putting it into your graveyard as it resolves, exile it and, at the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.”

Casting a spell as an effect of its rebound ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.

Multiple instances of rebound on the same spell are redundant.

Umbra Armor

Umbra armor is a static ability that appears on some Auras. “Umbra armor” means “If enchanted permanent would be destroyed, instead remove all damage marked on it and destroy this Aura.”

Some older cards were printed with the ability “totem armor” or referenced that ability. The text of these cards has been updated in the Oracle card reference to refer to umbra armor instead.

Any ability a leveler card has that isn’t preceded by a level symbol is treated normally. In particular, each leveler permanent has its level up ability (see rule 702.87) at all times; it may be activated regardless of how many level counters are on that permanent.

Some older creature cards, called leveler cards, have level up abilities that add level counters to them. These are not the same as class level abilities. Level counters do not interact with Class cards, and class levels do not interact with leveler cards. See rule 702.87, “Level Up,” and rule 711, “Leveler Cards.”