Hi guys,

there is a huge discussion on FB that I started regarding the ruling on Spangler Box.

From the rules for "Leaves Play"

If a card that is in play leaves play (is returned to hand or deck, destroyed, discarded, archived, or purged), all non-Æmber tokens and status cards on the card are removed, all upgrades on the card are discarded, and all lasting effects applied to the card expire. If a creature with Æmber on it leaves play, the Æmber is returned to the opponent’s Æmber pool. If a non-creature card with Æmber on it leaves play, the Æmber is returned to the general token pool. If a card has a “Leaves Play:” ability, the effect happens automatically immediately before the card leaves play.

So for the Spangler Box, you play it as an artifact on one turn.
On a subsequent turn, you use the artifact, and purge a creature that is in play (this purge should go under the Spangler Box, due to the effect of the card), and the Spangler Box is transferred to the control of your opponent.
If you opponent uses the Spangler Box on a subsequent turn, they would put a card under the box and then the artifact would transfer back to you.

If/When the Spangler Box leaves play (is destroyed, returned to a player's hand, etc.) all cards that were purged into the Spangler Box the cards return to being in play, but the play actions do not resolve, per the rule book under the "Play" section (relevant text bolded):

When a card has a “Play:” ability, the effect occurs any time the card is played. For creatures, artifacts, and upgrades, the ability resolves immediately after the card enters play. For action cards, the ability resolves, and then the card is placed in its owner’s discard pile.

If an ability “plays” a card from a source other than hand, “Play:” abilities on the card resolve. If an ability “puts” a card “into play,” “Play:” abilities on the card do not resolve.

So my assumption is correct that a play ability on a card purged by the box does not trigger after it "returns" to play. The card is actually not "played".

That seems correct to me

1 hour ago, Tillke said:

So my assumption is correct that a play ability on a card purged by the box does not trigger after it "returns" to play. The card is actually not "played".

That'said right, because it's not actually being played.

Wild Wormhole is a good example of a card whose ability causes a card to be played from a source other than hand. When Wild Wormhole causes you to play the top card of your deck, if it has a play ability it would trigger.