Navigating the Seas of Summoning Sickness: Artifact Vehicles in Magic: The Gathering
Yes, artifact vehicles do indeed suffer from summoning sickness in Magic: The Gathering. But like navigating a complex maze of gears and levers, understanding how this works requires a deeper dive into the rules governing creatures, artifacts, and the act of crewing. While vehicles themselves are artifacts, they only become creatures when crewed. This transformation is key to understanding their vulnerability to summoning sickness. So, when a vehicle is crewed and becomes an artifact creature, it is then subject to the same rules as any other creature entering the battlefield under your control. This means that if you haven’t continuously controlled that vehicle since the beginning of your turn, it can’t attack or use activated abilities with the tap symbol (T).
Crewing the Basics: Understanding Artifact Vehicles
What are Artifact Vehicles?
Vehicles are a unique card type in Magic: The Gathering, blending the resilience of artifacts with the power of creatures. By themselves, they are simply artifacts, immune to summoning sickness. The fun begins when you utilize the Crew ability.
How Does Crew Work?
The Crew ability allows you to tap creatures you control with a combined power equal to or greater than the vehicle’s Crew number. This temporarily transforms the vehicle into an Artifact Creature until the end of the turn. It’s like jump-starting a machine, bringing it to life and making it capable of combat.
The Summoning Sickness Connection
The moment a vehicle becomes an Artifact Creature by being crewed, it becomes susceptible to summoning sickness if it wasn’t under your control continuously since the start of your most recent turn. This rule prevents creatures from immediately attacking or using tap abilities the turn they come under your control. Think of it as the vehicle needing a turn to warm up its engines before it can fully participate in combat.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Artifact Vehicles and Summoning Sickness
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the intricacies of artifact vehicles and summoning sickness in Magic: The Gathering:
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Does summoning sickness affect a vehicle the turn I play it?
No. When you initially play a vehicle, it enters the battlefield as an artifact. Summoning sickness only applies to creatures. It’s only when you Crew it and it becomes an Artifact Creature that summoning sickness becomes a factor.
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Can I crew a vehicle on my opponent’s turn to block?
Yes! You can Crew a vehicle on your opponent’s turn at instant speed to block. The vehicle becomes an Artifact Creature at the moment you activate the Crew ability, allowing it to defend you. However, if you didn’t control the vehicle continuously since the beginning of your turn, it will have summoning sickness, and be unable to attack if it becomes your turn.
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If a vehicle has haste, does it still suffer from summoning sickness?
Yes and no. A vehicle itself can’t have haste, as it’s only an artifact. However, if it gains haste (through an external source like an enchantment or ability) the turn it becomes a creature through crewing, it bypasses the restriction against attacking or using tap abilities. It still has summoning sickness, but haste lets it ignore the effects.
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Can I use the Crew ability of a vehicle the same turn I play it?
Yes, you can use the Crew ability the same turn you play the vehicle. However, remember that if it becomes an Artifact Creature that turn, it will be subject to summoning sickness.
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Can creatures with summoning sickness crew a vehicle?
Absolutely! Summoning sickness only prevents creatures from attacking or using tap abilities. It doesn’t stop them from being tapped to pay costs, such as the cost to Crew a vehicle. This makes summoning-sick creatures still useful on the turn they enter the battlefield.
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If I flicker (exile and return) a vehicle, does it get summoning sickness again?
Yes. When a vehicle is flickered, it leaves the battlefield and returns as a new permanent. If it’s then crewed, it is considered a new creature entering the battlefield under your control and is subject to summoning sickness again.
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Can I tap a vehicle for mana if it becomes a creature due to Crew?
No. Summoning sickness prevents a creature from using any tap abilities the turn it comes under your control. The vehicle can’t use tap abilities on the turn it becomes a creature.
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Does untapping a vehicle remove summoning sickness?
Untapping a vehicle does not remove summoning sickness. Summoning sickness is a state determined by when the creature entered the battlefield and how long it has been under your continuous control. Untapping only changes its state from tapped to untapped.
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What happens if a land becomes a vehicle? Is it affected by summoning sickness?
This is a very rare case! It would be affected by summoning sickness, as a land that becomes a creature may be affected by summoning sickness. You can’t attack with it or use any of its tap abilities (including its mana abilities) unless it began your most recent turn on the battlefield under your control.
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Do effects that grant creatures additional combat phases impact vehicles with summoning sickness?
Yes, but not in a good way! If a vehicle has summoning sickness at the beginning of the first combat phase, it won’t be able to attack. Additional combat phases won’t change this fact.
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Can a vehicle block if it entered the battlefield this turn but I crew it on my opponent’s turn?
Yes, absolutely! Summoning sickness only matters during your turn for attacking and using tap abilities. If you crew the vehicle on your opponent’s turn, it can block as a normal Artifact Creature.
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If I have multiple vehicles, can I crew them all on the same turn?
Yes! You can Crew as many vehicles as you have the resources (creatures) to crew them with. Just remember that each vehicle that becomes a creature that turn will be subject to summoning sickness if applicable.
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Can I crew a vehicle that is already tapped?
Yes, you can. Activating the Crew ability doesn’t require the vehicle to be untapped. However, crewing a tapped vehicle does not untap it.
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If a creature with Deathtouch crews a vehicle, does that grant the vehicle Deathtouch?
No. The creatures that crew the Vehicle are not affected by the crew. The vehicle will only have Deathtouch if a separate effect granted it that ability. However, as long as the Vehicle is a Creature, yes. It’ll be destroyed when it’s dealt damage from a source with Deathtouch.
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What happens if I crew a vehicle and then the creatures I used to crew it leave the battlefield?
The vehicle remains an Artifact Creature until the end of the turn, regardless of what happens to the creatures used to crew it. Crewing is a one-time cost.
Mastering the Mechanics: Strategy and Play
Understanding summoning sickness and artifact vehicles is crucial for strategic play. Knowing when to play a vehicle, when to crew it, and how to utilize it defensively or offensively can significantly impact your game. Consider using cards that grant haste or allow you to bypass summoning sickness to maximize your vehicles’ potential.
Also, remember that Magic: The Gathering is a game where knowledge is power. Delving deeper into the rules and interactions can give you a competitive edge. Exploring resources such as the Games Learning Society or GamesLearningSociety.org can offer insights into the educational aspects of gaming and how complex systems like Magic: The Gathering can enhance cognitive skills. So, whether you’re a seasoned planeswalker or a newcomer to the game, keep learning, keep strategizing, and keep enjoying the intricate world of Magic: The Gathering!