Can I Equip an Artifact to an Opponent’s Creature in Magic: The Gathering?
The short answer is generally no, you cannot equip an artifact (specifically an Equipment) to an opponent’s creature using the Equip ability. This is because the Equip ability specifically targets a creature you control. However, as with most things in Magic: The Gathering, there are exceptions and nuances to this rule. Let’s delve deeper into the mechanics and explore situations where you might indirectly affect an opponent’s creature with your Equipment, and why the direct approach is usually prohibited.
Understanding the Equip Ability
The Equip ability is a keyword ability found on artifact cards of the Equipment subtype. This ability allows you to attach the Equipment to a creature on the battlefield, granting it certain bonuses or abilities as defined by the Equipment card. The crucial part is the targeting restriction.
The comprehensive rules for Magic: The Gathering explicitly state that the Equip ability requires you to choose a creature you control as the target. This means you can only activate the ability and attach the Equipment to your own creatures. The Equip ability is activated at sorcery speed, meaning you can only do it during your main phase when the stack is empty.
For example, consider Sword of Fire and Ice. You can only use its Equip ability to attach it to a creature you control. Attempting to target an opponent’s creature with the Equip ability will result in an illegal action, and the ability will not resolve.
Why This Restriction Exists
The restriction on equipping to your own creatures is fundamental to the design of Equipment. It maintains a balance of power and prevents players from using Equipment solely to hinder their opponents. Imagine a scenario where you could equip a weak Equipment to an opponent’s powerful creature, essentially neutering it. This would lead to frustrating gameplay and undermine the intended use of Equipment as a way to enhance your own forces.
Circumventing the Restriction: Indirect Influence
While you can’t directly use the Equip ability on an opponent’s creature, there are ways to indirectly affect their creatures with Equipment. These usually involve cards or abilities that allow you to attach an Equipment to a creature without using the Equip ability.
Spells and Abilities
Some spells and abilities can attach an Equipment to any creature, regardless of who controls it. These cards bypass the usual restrictions of the Equip ability.
For example, some cards have an ability that specifically states something like, “Attach target Equipment to target creature.” In this case, you can target an Equipment you control and an opponent’s creature, regardless of the normal restrictions. Read card texts carefully.
Gaining Control of the Creature
Another way to effectively equip an Equipment to an opponent’s creature is to gain control of the creature temporarily. If you have a spell or ability that lets you take control of an opponent’s creature, you can then use the Equip ability to attach an Equipment to it while you control it. Once the control effect ends, the Equipment remains attached to the creature, but you no longer control the creature. Your opponent now controls the creature and the Equipment attached to it.
Giving Your Opponent Equipment
In some rare situations, you might want to give your opponent an Equipment. While this seems counterintuitive, there could be strategic reasons for doing so. For example, you might have a card that punishes players for controlling Equipment, or you might want to use an Equipment to bait your opponent into a specific action. To give your opponent Equipment, you must use effects that allow you to do this. The Equip ability cannot be used to equip equipment to a creature your opponent controls.
FAQs: Equipping Artifacts in Magic: The Gathering
Let’s address some frequently asked questions to further clarify the rules surrounding Equipment and their interactions in Magic: The Gathering.
1. Can I equip an artifact creature to another artifact creature?
Yes! There is no restriction on equipping an Equipment to an artifact creature, provided you control both the Equipment and the artifact creature you are equipping it to. Just pay the equip cost, and the Equipment will be attached.
2. Do I still control the Equipment if it’s attached to an opponent’s creature via a spell or ability?
Yes, even if an Equipment is attached to a creature controlled by your opponent (through a spell or ability), you still control the Equipment itself. This means you can use its activated abilities (if it has any) and re-equip it later, provided you meet the necessary conditions (e.g., having a creature you control to equip it to).
3. Can I equip an Equipment to a creature with shroud?
No. Shroud prevents the creature from being the target of spells or abilities, including the Equip ability. If a creature has shroud, you cannot equip it with an Equipment.
4. What happens to an Equipment when the creature it’s attached to dies?
When the equipped creature dies, the Equipment remains on the battlefield, unattached. It simply sits there until you either equip it to another creature you control or it’s removed by another effect.
5. Can an opponent unequip an Equipment that I control attached to their creature?
No. Your opponent cannot “unequip” the Equipment. The act of unequipping by using the Equip ability to move it to another creature you control is solely under your control. They are stuck with it.
6. Can I move an Equipment at instant speed?
No, the Equip ability is activated at sorcery speed unless a specific card ability states otherwise. You can only activate it during your main phase when the stack is empty. However, some spells or abilities might allow you to move Equipment at instant speed, bypassing this restriction.
7. Does gaining control of a creature give me control of the Equipment attached to it?
No. Gaining control of the equipped creature does not give you control of the Equipment. The Equipment remains under the control of its original controller. This is crucial to remember when using control-changing effects.
8. Can I use an Equipment’s activated ability if it’s attached to an opponent’s creature?
Yes, if the Equipment has an activated ability (an ability that costs mana or tapping to activate), you can use it, even if the Equipment is attached to a creature controlled by your opponent. This is because you control the Equipment, and the ability originates from the Equipment itself.
9. What happens if I lose control of the Equipment while it’s attached to an opponent’s creature?
If you lose control of the Equipment, the new controller can then use the Equip ability (if they meet the conditions) to move the Equipment to a creature they control.
10. Can I attach an Equipment to a creature with hexproof?
Yes, you can attach Equipment to creatures with hexproof with spells and abilities, but not with the Equip ability. Hexproof only prevents the creature from being the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. Since you control the Equipment, you can attach it without targeting.
11. If I copy an Equipment, does the copy automatically attach to a creature?
No, copying an Equipment creates a new Equipment on the battlefield. It does not automatically attach to a creature. You must still use the Equip ability to attach it to a creature you control (or a spell/ability to attach it to any creature).
12. Can I sacrifice an Equipment?
Yes, Equipment are artifacts, and if you have a card that allows you to sacrifice an artifact, you can sacrifice your Equipment, regardless of whether it’s attached to a creature or not.
13. What is the difference between “equip” and “attach” regarding Equipment?
“Equip” refers specifically to using the Equip ability on the Equipment card. “Attach” is a more general term that describes the act of an Equipment being linked to a creature, regardless of how it got there (either through the Equip ability or another spell/ability).
14. Why is Skullclamp so powerful and banned in some formats?
Skullclamp is a powerful Equipment because it provides card draw when equipped to a creature with 1 toughness. When equipped, the creature gets +1/+0, and when the creature dies you draw 2 cards. In strategies that involve creating many small creatures that die easily (such as token strategies), Skullclamp can generate massive card advantage, which is why it’s banned in several formats.
15. Can an artifact have summoning sickness?
Yes, but only if the artifact is also a creature. Although all permanents experience summoning sickness, only Creatures, Artifact Creatures, Land Creatures, planeswalker creatures and Enchantment Creatures (or Land, Artifacts, planeswalkers or Enchantments that have become creatures) are affected by summoning sickness.
Strategic Considerations
While equipping an Equipment directly to an opponent’s creature is generally not possible with the Equip ability, understanding the nuances of Equipment interactions can open up strategic possibilities. Consider using spells and abilities that attach Equipment to manipulate the battlefield, gain control of creatures, or create unfavorable situations for your opponent. The world of Magic: The Gathering is all about exploiting the rules to your advantage!
For more insights into the game mechanics and strategic depth of Magic: The Gathering, consider exploring resources like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org. You’ll find a wealth of information on game-based learning and the educational aspects of games like Magic.