Does Blinking a Creature Give it Summoning Sickness?

Yes, blinking a creature does give it summoning sickness. “Blinking,” in Magic: The Gathering, refers to exiling a permanent and then returning it to the battlefield. When a creature enters the battlefield, it is generally subject to summoning sickness, meaning it cannot attack or activate abilities with the tap or untap symbol unless you have continuously controlled it since the beginning of your most recent turn. Blinking effectively treats the creature as a brand new entity entering the battlefield, thus triggering summoning sickness anew. Continuously controlled is very important – if it has been blinked, bounced and recast, killed and re-animated, etc., then it is no longer continuously controlled.

Understanding Summoning Sickness and Blinking

To fully grasp why blinking causes summoning sickness, it’s essential to understand both mechanics separately:

• Summoning Sickness: This rule prevents newly summoned creatures from immediately attacking or using abilities that require tapping. The reasoning behind this rule is thematic: a creature needs time to adjust to its new environment before engaging in combat or exerting its abilities. Although all permanents experience Summoning Sickness, only Creatures, Artifact Creatures, Land Creatures, planeswalker creatures and Enchantment Creatures (or Land, Artifacts, planeswalkers or Enchantments that have become creatures) are affected by Summoning Sickness.

• Blinking: This action is the nickname (alluding to the effect of its namesake, the Urza’s Destiny card Flicker) for exiling something, then returning it to the battlefield. The mechanic is sometimes also called blinking after Blinking Spirit (which actually has a self-bounce effect and not a flicker). When a permanent is blinked, it leaves the battlefield and then immediately returns. Upon returning, it is considered a new game object with no memory of its previous existence.

Because a blinked creature is treated as a completely new permanent upon its return, it is subject to the rules of summoning sickness just as if it were just cast from your hand. This is a key aspect of the game’s design to prevent abuse of certain abilities and maintain a balanced gameplay environment.

Exceptions and Nuances

While the general rule is that blinking resets summoning sickness, there are certain exceptions to consider. The most notable is Haste. A creature with Haste can ignore the effects of summoning sickness and attack or use tap abilities immediately upon entering the battlefield, even if it was just blinked.

It is important to note that haste does not remove summoning sickness. Having haste allows the creature to bypass or ignore summoning sickness, but it doesn’t prevent the creature from having it outright. If a creature were to lose its haste on the turn it enters the battlefield from something like Dress Down, then it would still have summoning sickness and be affected by it that turn.

Here’s a breakdown of how the mechanic works:

1. A creature is on the battlefield.
2. A spell or ability blinks the creature (exiles it and returns it to the battlefield).
3. The creature returns to the battlefield as a new game object.
4. If the creature does not have Haste, it is affected by summoning sickness.
5. If the creature does have Haste, it can attack or use tap abilities immediately.

Strategic Implications

Understanding how blinking interacts with summoning sickness is crucial for strategic deck building and gameplay. Players often use blinking effects to:

• Dodge Removal: Blinking can save a creature from targeted removal spells, as it leaves the battlefield and returns, becoming a new target.
• Re-trigger Enter-the-Battlefield Abilities (ETB): Many creatures have powerful abilities that trigger when they enter the battlefield. Blinking allows players to repeatedly activate these abilities for significant value.
• Reset Counters and Auras: Blinking removes all counters and auras from a creature, which can be both beneficial and detrimental depending on the situation.

However, players must also be mindful of the summoning sickness that blinking introduces. It can be a disadvantage if you need to attack or use tap abilities immediately after blinking a creature.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about blinking, summoning sickness, and related mechanics in Magic: The Gathering:

1. What exactly does it mean to “blink” a creature?

To “blink” a creature means to exile it and then immediately return it to the battlefield. This is often done using spells or abilities with effects similar to the card “Flicker.”

2. Does blinking remove Auras attached to a creature?

Yes, blinking removes all Auras attached to a creature. When the creature returns, it is considered a new game object and is no longer associated with the Auras that were previously attached to it.

3. Does blinking remove counters from a creature?

Yes, blinking removes all counters from a creature.

4. If I blink a creature with an Equipment attached, what happens to the Equipment?

Similar to Auras, blinking removes Equipment attached to a creature. The Equipment remains on the battlefield, but it becomes unattached.

5. Can I blink a creature token?

If you blink a creature token, it will be exiled. However, creature tokens cease to exist when they leave the battlefield, so it will not return. Momentary Blink reads in part: “Exile target creature you control, then return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control.” If this spell is used on a creature token, it will be exiled, but it cannot come back to the battlefield and so stays in the exile zone.

6. Does blinking count as “casting” a creature?

No, blinking does not count as casting a creature. You are not paying the creature’s mana cost or putting it on the stack as a spell. Play means either to cast (i.e. to put on the stack as a spell) or the special action of playing a land. If you flicker a permanent, you will put it onto the battlefield, but that will not count as playing/casting it.

7. Can I blink a Planeswalker?

Yes, you can blink a Planeswalker. It will return to the battlefield with full loyalty counters and can use its abilities on the same turn it returns (assuming you haven’t already activated an ability of that planeswalker that turn).

8. Does blinking fizzle spells targeting the creature?

Yes, blinking will cause spells targeting the creature to “fizzle” because the original target no longer exists when the spell tries to resolve.

9. If I blink a blocking creature, what happens?

If you blink a blocking creature after blockers have been declared, it will still block and your attacker would be blocked but if the creature does not return until the end of turn they will not take damage. If you wanted to prevent blocking you would have to flicker it before blockers are declared.

10. Can I use a creature’s activated ability the turn it’s blinked if it doesn’t require tapping?

Yes, you can use a creature’s activated ability if it doesn’t require tapping, even if the creature has summoning sickness.

11. Does giving a creature Haste after blinking it negate summoning sickness?

Yes, giving a creature Haste after blinking it will allow it to attack or use tap abilities on the same turn it was blinked.

12. Can I blink an artifact creature?

Yes, you can blink an artifact creature. It will be subject to summoning sickness unless it has Haste.

13. Does untapping a creature remove summoning sickness?

No, untapping a creature does not remove summoning sickness.

14. If I blink a creature, does it keep any enchantments it had?

No, blinking removes any enchantments that were attached to the creature before it was blinked. Flicker blinks a target nonland permanent. If the permanent is an Aura, it will reenter the battlefield unattached and then become attached to a legally enchantable object of your choice.

15. Where can I learn more about game mechanics and strategy?

You can explore various online resources, forums, and communities dedicated to Magic: The Gathering. Additionally, organizations like the Games Learning Society offer insights into game design and the educational aspects of gaming. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.

Conclusion

In conclusion, blinking a creature in Magic: The Gathering does indeed cause summoning sickness. However, understanding this interaction, along with the exceptions and strategic implications, can significantly enhance your gameplay. By mastering the intricacies of these mechanics, you can gain a competitive edge and make informed decisions in your games. Whether it’s dodging removal, re-triggering ETB abilities, or resetting counters, blinking can be a powerful tool in the hands of a skilled player.