Planeswalkers: Unleashing Their Power on Turn One

Yes, absolutely! You can use a Planeswalker’s ability the very turn it enters the battlefield, provided you meet certain conditions. Namely, it has to be your turn, and the Planeswalker needs to have enough loyalty counters to pay the ability’s cost. Think of Planeswalkers as powerful allies that can impact the game right from the start. They come with unique abilities fueled by loyalty, letting you shape the game to your advantage from the moment they arrive.

Understanding Planeswalker Abilities

Planeswalkers are a card type in Magic: The Gathering (MTG) that represent powerful mages or warriors from different planes of existence. These cards have a loyalty value and a set of abilities that can be activated by adding or removing loyalty counters.

Here are some key things to remember:

• Loyalty Counters: Planeswalkers enter the battlefield with a specific number of loyalty counters, indicated on the bottom right of the card.
• Activated Abilities: Planeswalker abilities are activated abilities, meaning they have a cost (adding or removing loyalty counters) and an effect.
• Sorcery Speed: You can only activate Planeswalker abilities at sorcery speed, meaning during your main phase when the stack is empty.

The Turn One Activation

The crucial point is that summoning sickness does not apply to Planeswalkers. This means they don’t have the restriction that prevents creatures from attacking or using tap abilities the turn they enter the battlefield. As long as it’s your turn and the Planeswalker has enough loyalty, you can activate one of their abilities.

Examples in Practice

Imagine you play Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset. It enters with 3 loyalty counters. You could immediately use his +1 ability, targetting a land and another target.

Similarly, if you played Wrenn and Seven and it entered with 5 loyalty counters, you could use its +1 ability to place a land onto the battlefield and create a token.

Important Considerations

There are, however, some restrictions:

• Only Once Per Turn: You can only activate one loyalty ability per Planeswalker per turn. This is a fundamental rule. Unless you have a card in play that explicitly states otherwise, you can only use one ability per turn.
• Sufficient Loyalty: You must have enough loyalty counters to pay the cost of the ability. If an ability costs -2 loyalty, your Planeswalker needs at least 2 loyalty counters to activate it.
• Timing Restrictions: As mentioned, you can only activate a loyalty ability during your main phase when the stack is empty – essentially, at sorcery speed.

Planeswalker FAQs: Your Guide to Planeswalker Mastery

To further clarify the ins and outs of Planeswalkers, here are 15 frequently asked questions:

1. Can I activate a Planeswalker ability on my opponent’s turn?

Generally, no. Planeswalker abilities can only be activated at sorcery speed, which means during your own main phase. However, some cards or emblems, like Teferi, Temporal Archmage, allow you to activate loyalty abilities at instant speed, even on your opponent’s turn.

2. Can I activate multiple Planeswalker abilities in a single turn?

Again, generally no. You can activate only one loyalty ability per Planeswalker per turn. Some cards, such as The Chain Veil, or certain Planeswalker abilities themselves (like that of Urza, Planeswalker) can override this rule.

3. What happens if a Planeswalker’s loyalty reaches zero?

If a Planeswalker’s loyalty reaches zero, it is put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based action. This means it happens automatically, without using the stack, and it can’t be responded to.

4. Do Planeswalkers have summoning sickness?

No, Planeswalkers do not have summoning sickness. This is why you can use their abilities the turn they enter the battlefield, assuming you meet the other requirements.

5. Can I attack a Planeswalker directly?

Yes, you can attack a Planeswalker directly. When declaring attackers, you can choose to attack the opposing player or any Planeswalker they control.

6. How is damage dealt to Planeswalkers?

If a creature attacks a Planeswalker, the damage is dealt directly to the Planeswalker, and loyalty counters are removed equal to the damage dealt. For example, if a creature with 3 power attacks a Planeswalker, that Planeswalker loses 3 loyalty counters.

7. Does Deathtouch affect Planeswalkers?

No, Deathtouch does not directly affect Planeswalkers. Deathtouch only applies to creatures. However, there are cards like Vraska, Swarm’s Eminence that allow creatures with Deathtouch to also deal damage to Planeswalkers, making Deathtouch relevant.

8. Does Indestructible protect Planeswalkers?

Indestructible does not prevent loyalty counters from being removed. If a Planeswalker has indestructible and is dealt damage, it won’t be destroyed, but it will still lose loyalty counters. If it reaches zero loyalty, it will still be put into the graveyard.

9. What is the “Legend Rule” for Planeswalkers?

The “Legend Rule” also applies to Planeswalkers. If you control two or more Planeswalkers with the same Planeswalker type (e.g., two different versions of “Jace”), you must choose one to keep and put the others into your graveyard. For example, you can’t control both Jace, the Mind Sculptor and Jace Beleren at the same time.

10. Can I use a Planeswalker ability if there are no valid targets?

It depends on the ability. Some abilities require a target, and if there are no legal targets, you can’t activate the ability. However, some abilities target the Planeswalker itself, so they can always be activated.

11. What happens if I flicker a Planeswalker?

If you flicker a Planeswalker (exile it and return it to the battlefield), it returns as a new permanent. This means it loses any memory of its previous state. You can then activate another loyalty ability that turn, as it’s considered a different instance of the card.

12. Can other players activate Planeswalker abilities?

No, only the controller of the Planeswalker can activate its abilities. Planeswalkers are under your control, and only you can decide when and how to use their abilities. Cards like Oath of Teferi specifically call out other players activating loyalty abilities on your Planeswalkers, this would not be legal without that card’s effect.

13. How do I protect my Planeswalkers?

Protecting your Planeswalkers is essential. Use creatures with high toughness to block attackers, cast removal spells to eliminate threats, and use counterspells to prevent opponents from playing cards that target your Planeswalkers.

14. What happens if a Planeswalker is also a creature?

Some Planeswalkers, such as Gideon cards, have the ability to become creatures. When a Planeswalker is a creature, it is subject to summoning sickness and can be targeted by creature-specific spells and abilities. When it stops being a creature, it loses summoning sickness again.

15. Are Planeswalker Loyalty Abilities Triggered or Activated?

Planeswalker loyalty abilities are Activated abilities. While they don’t have a colon within their syntax that’s just because of the way planeswalker cards are templated. They still count as activated abilities.

Mastering Planeswalkers: A Strategic Advantage

Planeswalkers are a powerful card type that can significantly impact the game. Understanding the rules and nuances of Planeswalker abilities, including when you can use them, is crucial for strategic play. By mastering these concepts, you can leverage Planeswalkers to gain a significant advantage over your opponents and dominate the battlefield. Always remember that Games Learning Society provides valuable insights into strategic gameplay and learning through games. Check out GamesLearningSociety.org for more information.