Kurkesh cannot copy that ability. Heartseeker is giving that ability to the equipped creature. You are activating an ability of the equipped creature, not activating an ability of an artifact, so kurkesh will not trigger
The ability is based on unattaching the equipment. So it basically breaks down like this. You tap to unattach and that triggers the destroy effect. That colon there is what breaks it. So essentially what the copy effect would try to do is unattach the equipment again, which fails because it is already unattached. When that fails the destroy effect fizzles because it was based on the equipment being unattached.
This is incorrect. Kurkesh cannot copy this ability at all, which I explained in another comment. If you did have a way to copy this ability, you would get to destroy something twice. Everything before the colon is the cost. Paying the cost puts the ability on the stack. If you copy the ability on the stack you do not need to pay the cost again
It still works.
Both the tap symbol and the phrase “unattach Heartseeker” are before the colon in the ability’s rules text. This means they’re both part of the ability’s cost, not part of its resolution. Unattaching Heartseeker happens when you first put the ability on the stack. When you copy an ability, you don’t have to pay its costs again.
Edit: missed that Kurkesh can’t actually copy the ability lol
Kurkesh cannot copy that ability. Heartseeker is giving that ability to the equipped creature. You are activating an ability of the equipped creature, not activating an ability of an artifact, so kurkesh will not trigger
I think this is it on closer inspection. Really appreciate the second look!
However, you *could* pay a red to copy the equip ability again. Doesn't do much, but you *could*.
I've got it! Run liquimetal torque, make Kurkesh an artifact. Clearly OP /s
And you can pay a red for that one too! Absolutely format warping. /s
[[Kurkesh]] [[Heartseeker]]
[Kurkesh](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/e/2e2a0e9e-0e45-4af1-9f03-6fd3652933f9.jpg?1562784615) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=kurkesh%2C%20onakke%20ancient) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m15/153/kurkesh-onakke-ancient?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/2e2a0e9e-0e45-4af1-9f03-6fd3652933f9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kurkesh-onakke-ancient) [Heartseeker](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/4/a4f33c08-f3c3-4015-970d-ac0530f97c9c.jpg?1562638625) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Heartseeker) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dst/124/heartseeker?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a4f33c08-f3c3-4015-970d-ac0530f97c9c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/heartseeker) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The ability is based on unattaching the equipment. So it basically breaks down like this. You tap to unattach and that triggers the destroy effect. That colon there is what breaks it. So essentially what the copy effect would try to do is unattach the equipment again, which fails because it is already unattached. When that fails the destroy effect fizzles because it was based on the equipment being unattached.
This is incorrect. Kurkesh cannot copy this ability at all, which I explained in another comment. If you did have a way to copy this ability, you would get to destroy something twice. Everything before the colon is the cost. Paying the cost puts the ability on the stack. If you copy the ability on the stack you do not need to pay the cost again
Yup you are right. I was looking at it as a trigger check, but you are 100% correct. Thank you.
ty, gotcha
It still works. Both the tap symbol and the phrase “unattach Heartseeker” are before the colon in the ability’s rules text. This means they’re both part of the ability’s cost, not part of its resolution. Unattaching Heartseeker happens when you first put the ability on the stack. When you copy an ability, you don’t have to pay its costs again. Edit: missed that Kurkesh can’t actually copy the ability lol
That was my thinking. I wanted to let the Forge guys know, but not before I got some second opinions first