Activated abilities of creatures can't be activated.
Pass me from soul to soul, / soldier to herder, herder to beast, beast to soil / until I am everywhere. / Then pass me those souls.
—Totem inscription (translated)
(08/06/2016)
Activated abilities contain a colon. They're generally written “Cost: Effect.” Some keywords are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text.
(18/06/2021)
Cursed Totem doesn't stop players from activating abilities of creature cards that aren't on the battlefield, such as cycling or unearth.
(18/06/2021)
Activated abilities of noncreature permanents that would make them become creatures (such as a Vehicle's crew ability) can still be activated. Once they become creatures, any abilities they have cannot be activated.
(18/06/2021)
Cursed Totem stops players from activating mana abilities of creatures.
(18/06/2021)
Other abilities of creatures, including static abilities and triggered abilities, are unaffected.
