Are Basic Lands Tapped When Played in Magic: The Gathering?
No, basic lands enter the battlefield untapped unless a specific effect states otherwise. This is a fundamental rule in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), and it’s crucial for understanding how mana and gameplay work. The official rules, as often referenced, support this concept, ensuring you can immediately use your freshly played land to generate mana (typically) on subsequent turns.
Understanding the Basics of Lands in MTG
Lands are the backbone of any MTG deck. They provide the mana needed to cast spells and activate abilities. Knowing the ins and outs of how lands function is essential for successful gameplay.
Lands and Mana Production
Lands are primarily used to generate mana. Basic lands – Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest – each produce one mana of their corresponding color. Other lands can produce colored mana, colorless mana, or even multiple types of mana.
Lands and the Stack
It’s important to note that playing a land is a special action that doesn’t use the stack. This means opponents can’t respond to you playing a land with instant spells or abilities. You simply put the land onto the battlefield.
The One Land Per Turn Rule
A key restriction in MTG is that you can typically play only one land per turn, and only during a main phase when the stack is empty. This rule balances the game and prevents players from flooding the board with mana sources too quickly.
Common Misconceptions and Clarifications
Many new players sometimes struggle to understand all the nuances of playing lands. Let’s clear up some common misconceptions.
“Tapped” vs. “Untapped”
A card that is “tapped” is turned sideways, indicating that it has been used for an ability or action and is typically unavailable for further action until it is “untapped.” Unless an effect says otherwise, lands enter untapped, ready for immediate use (on later turns for instance).
Lands with Additional Effects
Some lands have abilities that are not mana abilities. Tapping these lands does use the stack and can be responded to.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Lands in MTG
1. Is it true that all permanents enter the battlefield untapped?
Yes, all permanents, including lands, enter the battlefield untapped unless a specific effect says otherwise. Rule 110.5b clarifies this in the comprehensive rulebook. This includes creatures, artifacts, enchantments, and planeswalkers in addition to lands.
2. Can I play a land for my opponent?
No, you cannot play a land for your opponent. Each player plays lands from their own hand as part of their turn. Some effects might let you put a land from their library onto the battlefield under their control, but that isn’t playing a land from their hand.
3. Do lands have a mana cost?
Lands do not have a mana cost. They are played from your hand as a special action. They provide mana.
4. Are creatures tapped when played?
Creatures enter the battlefield untapped. However, they are subject to summoning sickness, meaning they cannot attack or use tap abilities on the turn they enter the battlefield unless they have haste.
5. Can I tap a land the same turn I play it?
Yes, you can tap a land the turn you play it, but usually this would be on a later turn. There are rare exceptions to this, but they are typically very corner-case scenarios.
6. What’s the difference between basic and nonbasic lands?
Basic lands have the “basic” supertype, and you can have any number of them in your deck (in most formats). Nonbasic lands do not have the “basic” supertype, and their quantity in a deck is usually restricted by format rules.
7. Do I need priority to tap lands for mana?
Tapping a land for mana is a mana ability and does not use the stack. Therefore, it doesn’t require priority in the same way as casting a spell or activating other abilities. The act of paying costs happens during the resolution of a spell or ability.
8. Can my opponent respond to me tapping a land for mana?
No, your opponent cannot respond to you tapping a land for mana. Mana abilities don’t use the stack. However, if the land is tapped for a different reason, that activated ability might be responded to.
9. What does it mean when a land enters tapped?
When a land enters tapped, it means it cannot be used to generate mana or activate abilities until your next untap step. This is a disadvantage, making lands that enter tapped generally less desirable than those that enter untapped.
10. Is tapping a land an instant?
Tapping a land for mana is not an instant; it’s a mana ability. Tapping a land for an ability other than mana generation does use the stack, so it follows instant-speed rules, where it can be responded to.
11. Does turning a land into a creature untap it?
No, turning a land into a creature does not automatically untap it. Unless the effect specifically states that the land untaps, it remains in its current state (tapped or untapped).
12. Does land have summoning sickness?
Lands, by themselves, do not have summoning sickness. However, if a land is turned into a creature, it is subject to summoning sickness on the turn it became a creature.
13. Can I return a tapped land to my hand?
Yes, you can return a tapped land to your hand using spells or abilities that allow you to do so. The land will be tapped while it’s on the battlefield being returned.
14. Do shock lands count as basic lands?
Shock lands do not count as basic lands, but they have basic land types (e.g., Island and Swamp). This means they can be searched for using fetch lands, but they are still considered nonbasic.
15. Can you respond to playing a land?
No, you cannot respond to a player playing a land. Playing a land is a special action that does not use the stack.
Deepening Your Knowledge of MTG
Mastering the rules of Magic: The Gathering takes time and practice, but understanding fundamental concepts like how lands function is key to becoming a skilled player. The Games Learning Society offers resources and a community to further explore these concepts. Consider exploring the GamesLearningSociety.org to enhance your knowledge and connect with other MTG enthusiasts.