Navigating the Maze of Summoning Sickness: A Comprehensive Guide to Ability Use in MTG
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
The question of whether you can use abilities with summoning sickness in Magic: The Gathering can be answered directly: it depends on the ability. A creature with summoning sickness cannot attack or use activated abilities that include the tap symbol ({T}) or the untap symbol ({Q}) in their cost. However, it can use other activated abilities, triggered abilities, and static abilities. This complex interplay of rules often leads to confusion, so let’s delve deeper and clarify the nuances of this essential MTG concept.
Understanding Summoning Sickness
Summoning sickness, while not explicitly named on any card, is a crucial game mechanic. It essentially states that a creature that has just entered the battlefield or has come under your control this turn (and has not had haste) is “sick” and cannot immediately be used to attack or use tap/untap activated abilities. The rationale behind this rule is thematic – the creature is still disoriented from being summoned and needs time to adjust.
This restriction only applies to creatures. Planeswalkers, artifacts, enchantments, and lands do not suffer from summoning sickness. This means you can immediately activate a Planeswalker’s loyalty ability the turn it enters the battlefield (assuming it has enough loyalty counters).
The Key Distinction: Activated vs. Triggered vs. Static Abilities
To fully understand when you can and cannot use abilities, it’s important to differentiate between the three types of abilities:
-
Activated Abilities: These abilities are identified by their format: “[Cost]: [Effect]”. The cost typically involves tapping the creature, paying mana, sacrificing something, or any combination thereof. A creature with summoning sickness cannot activate an ability that requires it to tap.
-
Triggered Abilities: These abilities automatically trigger when a specific event occurs. They start with words like “When,” “Whenever,” or “At.” Summoning sickness does not prevent triggered abilities from functioning. If the trigger condition is met, the ability will go on the stack and resolve normally.
-
Static Abilities: These abilities are continuously in effect while the permanent is on the battlefield. They don’t use the stack and don’t require any activation. Summoning sickness does not affect static abilities.
The Haste Exception
The exception to the summoning sickness rule is haste. A creature with haste ignores the restrictions imposed by summoning sickness. It can attack and use tap/untap activated abilities the turn it enters the battlefield or comes under your control. Cards like “Lightning Greaves” and “Swiftfoot Boots” are invaluable for granting haste and circumventing summoning sickness.
Practical Applications
Consider the following examples:
- A creature with the ability “Tap: Add one mana of any color.” cannot use that ability the turn it enters the battlefield unless it has haste.
- A creature with the ability “Whenever this creature attacks, draw a card.” will still trigger and allow you to draw a card if it attacks due to haste.
- A creature with the static ability “Other creatures you control get +1/+1.” will immediately provide the bonus, even if the creature with the ability just entered the battlefield.
Summoning Sickness and Vehicles
Vehicles introduce another layer of complexity. While a creature with summoning sickness can be used to crew a vehicle (because crewing is an ability of the vehicle, not the creature), the vehicle itself will have summoning sickness the turn it becomes a creature.
FAQs: Delving Deeper into Summoning Sickness
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the rules surrounding summoning sickness:
1. Can creatures with summoning sickness block?
Yes. A creature with summoning sickness can block. Summoning sickness only prevents attacking and using tap/untap activated abilities.
2. Can I use a mana ability the turn a creature enters the battlefield?
It depends. If the mana ability requires tapping the creature, it is subject to summoning sickness. If the ability adds mana without requiring a tap (like a triggered ability), then yes, it can be used.
3. Does flickering a creature reset summoning sickness?
Yes. “Flickering” a creature (exiling it and then returning it to the battlefield) essentially treats it as a brand new creature entering the battlefield. It will be subject to summoning sickness again.
4. Can I use a creature with summoning sickness to pay a cost, like sacrificing it?
Yes. Summoning sickness only restricts attacking and tap/untap activated abilities. Paying a cost, like sacrificing a creature, is perfectly legal.
5. What if a creature gains control of another creature on my turn?
The creature that changed controllers is now considered to have just come under your control. Thus, it is affected by summoning sickness unless it has haste.
6. Can a creature with summoning sickness use abilities that require paying mana but not tapping?
Yes. As long as the ability doesn’t require tapping, summoning sickness doesn’t apply.
7. Does summoning sickness affect abilities that trigger when the creature enters the battlefield?
No. These abilities trigger when the creature enters the battlefield, so summoning sickness is irrelevant.
8. Can I tap a creature with summoning sickness for Convoke?
Yes. Convoke allows you to tap creatures as a cost reduction for spells. The creatures are being tapped as an effect of the Convoke ability, not as a cost of their own ability, so summoning sickness does not prevent this.
9. If a creature transforms on the turn it enters the battlefield, does it have summoning sickness?
Yes, it does. Summoning sickness is checked when the creature is declared as an attacker. Even though it has only been a creature for a short time, it still has summoning sickness.
10. How does summoning sickness interact with creatures that have both tap abilities and other abilities?
The creature can use any abilities that don’t require tapping, but cannot use its tap abilities until summoning sickness wears off or it gains haste.
11. Can I respond to someone tapping a creature?
You cannot respond to the tapping itself, as tapping is typically a cost of activating an ability or declaring an attack, and costs cannot be responded to. You can, however, respond to the activated ability that the player is activating by tapping the creature.
12. If I gain control of a creature during my opponent’s turn, can I attack with it on my turn?
Yes, as long as you’ve maintained control of the creature since the beginning of your turn. Summoning sickness only applies to the turn a creature enters the battlefield or comes under your control.
13. Does summoning sickness affect mana abilities of lands?
No. Lands are not creatures, and summoning sickness only applies to creatures. You can tap lands for mana the turn they enter the battlefield.
14. Can I tap a creature to pay for a cost even if it has summoning sickness?
It depends on whether tapping the creature is the activation cost of that creature’s ability. For example, if a card says “Sacrifice a creature: Draw a card”, then you can sacrifice a creature with summoning sickness to draw a card because the sacrificed creature is not activating any abilities. Another example would be a creature with summoning sickness crewing a vehicle because the vehicle is activating its own ability, not the creature. But if the card says “Tap: Do something”, then that creature with summoning sickness can not activate its ability.
15. What is the purpose of summoning sickness?
The rule helps prevent explosive turns where a player can summon a large number of creatures and immediately attack with them. It also adds a layer of strategic depth, forcing players to plan ahead and consider the timing of their creature deployments. You can learn more about the strategic elements of Magic: The Gathering and other educational games by visiting the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.