Ability cards pretty much tel you when you can play them. Otherwise i believe they are to be played during battle. read our How to play page….. Once you play a card your opponent gets a chance to play a card as well. You are able to play as many cards as you want at any time but must wait and give your opponent a chance to respond before playing your next card. When each player has passed ( decided not to play an ability card) back to back, then there are no more ability cards able to be played that battle. For ex. if you play a card and your opponent says they dont want to, then you can play another card and then your opponent can now decide to play a card….. if you play a card and your opponent says they dont want to and then you decide you dont want to as well, no more ability cards can be played.Is this an official way to play? I dont know. Its common sense and the way many other games are played.