Do Creatures with Vigilance Tap When Blocking? An Expert’s Guide
The simple answer is no, creatures with vigilance do not tap when blocking. Vigilance, in the context of trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, is an ability that allows a creature to attack without tapping. Tapping is a fundamental game mechanic representing exertion or commitment. Vigilance essentially grants a creature the ability to participate in combat without becoming “spent,” meaning it remains available for other actions, such as blocking, during the opponent’s turn. This opens up a lot of tactical and strategic opportunities.
Understanding Vigilance and Tapping
To truly understand why vigilance creatures don’t tap when blocking, let’s delve deeper into the mechanics of tapping and vigilance:
- Tapping: In many trading card games, tapping a card (usually by rotating it 90 degrees) indicates that it has been used for a specific action, most commonly attacking. A tapped creature is generally unavailable for further actions until it becomes untapped (usually during your next untap step).
- Vigilance: Vigilance is a keyword ability that modifies the standard rule of tapping when attacking. Creatures with vigilance can attack without being tapped. This is a significant advantage, as it allows them to contribute to the offense while still being ready to defend. This ability has wide-reaching effects on the game!
The Blocking Phase: A Closer Look
The blocking phase is a crucial part of combat. During this phase, the defending player (or players in multiplayer games) declares which of their creatures will block the attacking creatures. The act of declaring a creature as a blocker does not inherently tap it. Creatures only tap when explicitly required by a game rule or card effect. Vigilance specifically impacts the attacking phase, not the blocking phase. Therefore, a creature with vigilance that blocks will remain untapped and available for subsequent actions.
Strategic Implications of Vigilance
Vigilance provides a versatile strategic advantage:
- Offensive Pressure and Defensive Security: Vigilance allows you to pressure your opponent with attacks while simultaneously maintaining a strong defense. This can force your opponent into unfavorable decisions.
- Value with Abilities: Some creatures have activated abilities that require tapping as a cost. A vigilant creature can attack and then use such an ability, providing further value.
- Control and Board Presence: Vigilance enables you to maintain a strong presence on the board, ready to react to your opponent’s moves on both offense and defense.
FAQs: Vigilance and Blocking
Here are 15 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to further clarify the nuances of vigilance in the context of trading card games, especially Magic: The Gathering:
1. Does Declaring a Creature as a Blocker Tap It?
No. Declaring a creature as a blocker does not tap it, regardless of whether it has vigilance or not. The tap symbol is reserved for the act of attacking, abilities, or other special card effects.
2. What Happens If a Blocking Creature Becomes Tapped After Blocking?
If a blocking creature becomes tapped after it has already been declared as a blocker, it remains a blocker. The attacking creature is still considered blocked. The damage still resolves as normal. Any effects it might have still resolve as well.
3. Can I Tap a Creature to Prevent It From Blocking?
You can’t tap a creature in response to it being declared as a blocker. Once a creature is declared as a blocker, it’s already blocking. However, you can tap a creature before the declare blockers step to potentially prevent it from being declared as a blocker.
4. Does Giving Vigilance Untap a Creature?
No. Giving a creature vigilance does not automatically untap it. Vigilance only prevents the creature from tapping when it attacks.
5. Can I Give a Creature Vigilance After It Has Already Attacked?
Yes. While this won’t untap the creature immediately, it will mean that on your next turn, it can attack without tapping.
6. If a Creature Has Vigilance, Can I Attack With It Multiple Times in a Turn?
No. Even with vigilance, a creature can only be declared as an attacker once per turn unless other effects or abilities specifically allow for multiple attacks.
7. Can I Tap a Creature While It Is Blocking?
Yes, you can tap a creature while it is blocking, if you have an ability that allows you to tap a creature. Tapping (or untapping) a creature that is already blocking doesn’t remove it from combat, though it might change its power/toughness or have other relevant effects.
8. Does Vigilance Override Summoning Sickness for Blocking?
Summoning sickness prevents a creature from attacking or using abilities with the tap symbol on the first turn it enters the battlefield. It does not prevent the creature from blocking. Vigilance has no interaction with summoning sickness in regards to blocking, though it would apply once the summoning sickness has worn off.
9. Can a Creature With Vigilance Block an Attacker With Deathtouch?
Yes. Vigilance does not affect a creature’s ability to block a creature with deathtouch. If the blocking creature is dealt damage by the creature with deathtouch, it will be destroyed.
10. Does Protection From Creatures Prevent a Creature From Blocking?
No. Protection from creatures prevents damage from creatures, but it does not prevent the creature with protection from blocking.
11. Can I Use an Ability That Requires Tapping on a Creature With Vigilance After It Attacks?
Yes. Because vigilance prevents the creature from tapping when attacking, it remains untapped and can be used to pay the cost of an ability that requires tapping.
12. If a Creature Has Defender, Can It Still Attack If It Gains Vigilance?
No. Defender prevents a creature from attacking, regardless of whether it has vigilance or not. Vigilance only addresses whether a creature taps when attacking; it doesn’t override the defender ability.
13. Can I Respond to a Creature Being Declared as an Attacker With Vigilance?
You cannot directly respond to the act of declaring a creature as an attacker, regardless of whether it has vigilance or not. You can, however, respond to spells or abilities that might be played before the declare attackers step.
14. If a Creature With Vigilance Attacks and Gains a Stun Counter, What Happens?
A stun counter will prevent a permanent from untapping. If a creature with vigilance attacks and is then given a stun counter, it will remain tapped until the stun counter is removed.
15. Can a Creature That Is Already Tapped Block If It Somehow Gains Vigilance?
No. While vigilance itself doesn’t prevent a tapped creature from being declared a blocker (the tapped status does that!), the fact that the creature is already tapped prevents it from being declared as a blocker. Vigilance only affects whether a creature taps when it attacks, not its eligibility to block.
Conclusion: Mastering Vigilance
Vigilance is a powerful ability that provides both offensive and defensive flexibility. Understanding how vigilance interacts with other game mechanics, especially blocking and tapping, is crucial for strategic gameplay. By mastering the nuances of vigilance, you can enhance your gameplay! Continue exploring the strategy and rules with the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.