What exactly are the rules regarding Pride Sovereign and its exert ability

Asked by YetAnotherMulligan 6 years ago

Most "exert" creatures say the creature may exert as it attacks, and the WOTC website implies that "exert" is an attacking function that occurs only during combat when attackers are declared. But Pride Sovereign has no mention of attacking with its exert ability.I had ssumed the exert ability was independent of attacking, and worked more like any other activated ability, where you pay your 1 white, tap PS, put the exert chip on him, and he stays tapped the next untap step. But now I see a youtube channel guy saying if you use Always Watching to give him vigilance, PS won't tap when he exerts.
Can I attack AND exert PS at the same time?
Do I have to attack in order to exert PS?
Or is PS's exert more like any other activated ability, and can be activated at any time independent of attacking?
If I use an enchanment or spell to give PS vigilance, does he tap (and stay tapped the extra turn) to exert, or not?

acbooster says... Accepted answer #1

This should answer your main question:

701.37a To exert a permanent, you choose to have it not untap during your next untap step.

Exerting is a choice rather than a cost in most cases, and in the first printings of the mechanic, it was done as an optional choice when attacking. Now that there're creatures that can exert without attacking, it becomes more defined as the rule I cited above.

In the case of Pride Sovereign, you cannot attack and exert it at the same time, because you need to exert it as a cost for activating its ability.

September 5, 2017 3:27 p.m.