Can You Target a Tapped Creature with a Tap Effect?
Yes, you absolutely can target a tapped creature with a tap effect. This is a common point of confusion for both new and experienced Magic: The Gathering (MTG) players, so let’s clarify the rules surrounding it. The key thing to understand is that targeting requirements and effect resolution are two distinct parts of a spell or ability. While a creature is already tapped, that doesn’t invalidate it as a legal target for a tap effect.
The vast majority of spells and abilities that cause a creature to tap simply specify “target creature” or “target permanent“. They do not specify “target untapped creature“. This is a crucial distinction. If a card was intended to only target an untapped creature, it would explicitly state that. Therefore, a tapped creature fully satisfies the targeting criteria of a standard tap ability.
How Tap Effects Resolve
Now, what happens when a tap effect attempts to tap a creature that’s already tapped? Here’s where the rules of MTG shine: the game attempts to follow the instructions of a spell or ability as closely as possible. If an instruction is impossible, it is simply ignored. In the case of a tap effect hitting a tapped creature, the instruction to “tap” that creature can’t happen. The creature is already in its tapped state. However, any other effects of the ability still occur. For example, if a spell said “Tap target creature, and it doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step“, targeting a tapped creature will do nothing with the tapping but still prevent it from untapping.
The principle at play here is known as “Do As Much As Possible” (DAMAP). The game mechanics are designed to handle these edge cases smoothly. The tap portion fails, as it’s redundant, but other effects still take place if they apply. This can often be a very useful way to use tap effects even when you suspect a creature is already tapped.
Why Would You Target a Tapped Creature with a Tap Effect?
There are several good reasons why you might target a tapped creature with an ability that includes tapping:
- Additional Effects: As we noted above, many tap effects come with additional clauses. Preventing a creature from untapping, for example, can be strategically valuable.
- Triggering Abilities: Some cards trigger when a creature is targeted, regardless of whether the tap effect has any further impact.
- Strategic Disruption: If your opponent is depending on a specific creature to untap at the start of their turn, preventing this, even if it’s already tapped, can disrupt their plans.
- Certain Card Interactions: Certain cards such as Shipbreaker Kraken or Dungeon Geists will prevent the creature from untapping, even if it does not tap it.
- Goading: Cards like Karazikar can goad creatures, making them attack other players. If this is all you want it’s perfectly fine to target a creature that is already tapped.
Understanding that a “tap” effect can indeed target already tapped creatures is fundamental to playing MTG effectively. It allows you to fully utilize your cards and exploit the nuances of the rules.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can a creature with summoning sickness be tapped?
A creature with summoning sickness cannot attack or activate tap abilities. However, it can be the target of a spell or ability that taps a creature. The rule of summoning sickness prevents using a creature’s tap abilities, not prevents external forces from tapping it.
2. What happens when you try to tap a tapped land that has turned into a creature?
When a tapped land becomes a creature, it remains tapped. The transformation itself does not change its tapped state. Unless the effect transforms it and explicitly states it becomes untapped, it will still be tapped.
3. If you transform a tapped creature, is it still tapped?
Yes. Transforming a permanent does not affect its tap status. A tapped creature that transforms will remain tapped in its new form, and an untapped creature that transforms will remain untapped.
4. Does “Sleep” affect tapped creatures?
Yes. The first part of the spell “Sleep” is “Tap all creatures target player controls“. This effect changes the status of all the creatures that player controls, regardless if they are already tapped. It will still tap a tapped creature.
5. Can you crew a vehicle with a tapped creature?
No, you cannot. The crew ability requires tapping creatures to meet the total power requirement. You cannot tap an already tapped creature.
6. Can a tapped creature fight another creature?
Yes, absolutely. The rules for fight don’t reference whether a creature is tapped or untapped. Each creature involved in the fight deals damage equal to its power to the other.
7. Does deathtouch work during a fight?
Yes. If a creature with deathtouch fights another creature, the damage is dealt simultaneously. Therefore, the deathtouch ability works as normal, and any amount of damage dealt by the creature with deathtouch is enough to destroy the opposing creature (unless it has indestructible).
8. Does indestructible stop deathtouch in a fight?
Yes. Indestructible creatures are immune to the effects of deathtouch. A creature with indestructible will survive damage dealt by a creature with deathtouch. The “lethal damage” is not lethal to indestructible creatures.
9. Does hexproof stop deathtouch?
No. Hexproof prevents a creature from being targeted by spells or abilities controlled by your opponents. Deathtouch does not target. Deathtouch does not target, but a deathtouch creature would be a target of any creature fighting it.
10. Can you attack with a tapped creature?
No. A tapped creature cannot attack. Creatures must be untapped to be declared as attackers.
11. What happens if you tap a creature that’s already tapped?
As discussed above, nothing. The game ignores the impossible instruction to tap an already tapped creature. However, other effects of the same ability might still occur.
12. Can you use a tap ability while a creature is attacking?
No. Once the declare attackers phase starts no player can activate any abilities. You must do this before the declare attackers phase.
13. Why might a tapped creature need deathtouch?
There are a few cards with specific abilities which give tapped creatures deathtouch. This allows for small creatures that are already tapped to kill much larger attacking creatures. In combination with trample, a deathtouch creature will deal full damage if it deals even one damage to the blocker.
14. Does first strike bypass deathtouch?
Yes, potentially. If a creature with first strike deals enough damage to destroy the creature with deathtouch during the first strike damage step, the deathtouch creature will be destroyed before it can deal damage back. If the first strike creature does not kill the deathtouch creature, then the deathtouch will apply.
15. Can you tap a tapped creature to activate an ability that requires tapping a creature?
No. When an ability requires tapping a creature as a cost, that creature needs to be untapped. If the creature is already tapped, it cannot be used to pay this cost.