Exertion and Untapping in Magic: The Gathering – A Comprehensive Guide

Yes, you absolutely can untap an exerted creature in Magic: The Gathering! While the act of exerting a creature normally prevents it from untapping during your next untap step, this limitation can be bypassed through various card effects and abilities that specifically untap creatures. Let’s delve deeper into the nuances of exertion and untapping.

Understanding Exert in MTG

Exert is a mechanic introduced in the Amonkhet block, allowing creatures to gain a significant bonus when attacking. However, this power comes at a cost: the exerted creature doesn’t untap during your next untap step. This can leave you vulnerable on defense, making the decision to exert a strategic one.

Think of it like a burst of adrenaline; a quick, powerful surge of energy that leaves you temporarily drained. This trade-off between immediate advantage and future vulnerability is what makes exertion an interesting and tactical element in MTG.

Bypassing the Untap Restriction

While exerting a creature imposes the “doesn’t untap” restriction, it’s not an absolute barrier. Various card effects and abilities can override this. The key is to look for cards that explicitly untap creatures.

For instance, spells or abilities that read “Untap target creature” will successfully untap an exerted creature, effectively negating the delayed untap effect. This opens up strategic possibilities for aggressive plays while mitigating the downside of exertion.

Synergies and Strategies

The ability to untap exerted creatures opens doors to powerful synergies. Consider combining exerted creatures with cards that grant vigilance. Vigilance allows a creature to attack without tapping, entirely circumventing the need to untap it later. This effectively grants you the exertion bonus without any of the drawback.

Another strategy is to use cards that untap creatures proactively, allowing you to attack with the exerted creature, then untap it during your opponent’s turn or even during your own main phase to block or use other activated abilities.

Exertion in Decks

Exert can be a cornerstone of aggressive, combat-focused decks. The initial boost provided by exerting creatures can quickly overwhelm opponents. To maximize the effectiveness of an exert strategy, it’s crucial to incorporate cards that either untap creatures or allow you to attack without tapping them, like creatures with vigilance. Decks containing these cards allow for strategic deployment of exerted creatures, and mitigation of its drawbacks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Exertion and Untapping

Can a creature be exerted twice?

Yes! A creature can be exerted multiple times in a turn. However, each “doesn’t untap” effect will only apply to the next untap step. Exerting a creature more than once before your next untap step won’t stack the effects; they’ll all expire during the same untap step.

Does untapping a creature remove it from combat?

No. Tapping or untapping a creature that’s already been declared as an attacker or blocker doesn’t remove it from combat and doesn’t prevent its combat damage. The creature remains in combat unless removed by another effect.

Is it still attacking if you untap an attacking creature?

Yes, it’s still attacking! Since declaring the creature as an attacker is an action independent of its tapped/untapped state, untapping it doesn’t change its attacking status.

Does a creature have to be tapped to untap it?

Yes. A creature must be tapped to be untapped. The act of untapping involves returning a card from a sideways (tapped) position to an upright (untapped) position.

Does turning a land into a creature untap it?

No. If a land is tapped and then transformed into a creature, it remains tapped unless the effect specifically states that it should be untapped.

Does untapping a creature give it haste?

Untapping a creature doesn’t inherently grant it haste. However, some cards that untap a creature also grant it haste as part of the same effect, such as Act of Treason.

What happens if you forget to untap a creature?

You are required to untap all your permanents during your untap step. If you miss it, there is no ‘gotcha’ moment. Your opponent cannot make the creature stay tapped, since the game rules require you to untap all of your permanents during your untap step.

Can you exert a creature with vigilance?

Yes! Creatures with vigilance are excellent choices for exertion. Since vigilance allows a creature to attack without tapping, you get the benefit of exertion without the disadvantage of it being tapped.

Can you exert a creature twice in MTG?

Yes, you can exert a creature multiple times in MTG. Exerting a permanent more than once before your next untap step causes each “doesn’t untap” effect to expire during the same untap step.

Can a creature with summoning sickness use an untap ability?

A creature with summoning sickness cannot use an untap ability if that ability requires tapping as a cost. However, if an ability untaps the creature as part of its effect without requiring a tap cost, the summoning sickness restriction doesn’t apply.

Can I cast spells before my untap step?

No. Players do not receive priority during the untap step. This means that you cannot cast spells or activate abilities during the untap step. Abilities that trigger during this step are held until the next time a player would receive priority, which is usually during the upkeep step.

Does untapping a creature remove summoning sickness?

No, untapping a creature does not remove summoning sickness. Summoning sickness prevents a creature from attacking or using activated abilities with the tap or untap symbols in their cost.

What enchantment gives all creatures haste?

Emblem of the Warmind is a red enchantment that can give all your creatures haste. There may be others as well, so be sure to check your card database!

Can you tap a tapped permanent?

No. A permanent that is already tapped cannot be tapped again to pay a cost or as part of an effect.

Can you play instants during the untap step?

No, you can’t. No one can cast spells or activate abilities during this step.

The Strategic Depth of Exert and Untapping

Exert, when combined with the ability to untap creatures, adds a layer of strategic depth to Magic: The Gathering. It allows for aggressive plays, clever synergies, and the ability to control the flow of combat in unexpected ways. Understanding the rules and interactions surrounding exertion and untapping is essential for any player looking to gain a competitive edge.

By mastering these concepts, you can create powerful decks that capitalize on the temporary boost provided by exertion while mitigating its drawbacks through clever card combinations. Consider visiting GamesLearningSociety.org to further your understanding of strategic gameplay and the rules of Magic: The Gathering. The Games Learning Society offers tons of valuable articles to improve your strategy.