Does Crew Ignore Summoning Sickness in Magic: The Gathering?
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No, crew does not ignore summoning sickness. When you crew a Vehicle in Magic: The Gathering, you are turning it into an artifact creature. If you haven’t controlled that Vehicle continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn, it will be subject to summoning sickness, preventing it from attacking or activating abilities with the tap or untap symbol in their cost. So, choose your crew wisely and time your maneuvers carefully!
Understanding Crew and Summoning Sickness
To truly grasp why crew is affected by summoning sickness, we need to delve into the mechanics of both features. Crew is an activated ability found on Vehicle cards. It allows you to tap a certain number of untapped creatures you control with a combined power equal to or greater than the crew number on the Vehicle. This turns the Vehicle into an artifact creature until the end of the turn.
Summoning sickness, on the other hand, is a rule that prevents a creature you haven’t controlled continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn from attacking or using abilities with the tap or untap symbol in their cost. The important part is that summoning sickness only affects creatures. A Vehicle that is not a creature is immune to summoning sickness.
The act of crewing makes the Vehicle a creature, thus making it susceptible to summoning sickness if applicable. It is just like any other effect that turns a non-creature permanent into a creature such as the infamous card “Skilled Animator”.
Strategic Implications
This interaction between crew and summoning sickness creates interesting strategic layers. You need to consider when to crew your Vehicles. Crewing a vehicle at instant speed in response to removal is a great play. However, you need to crew the vehicle on your turn to attack, and that may not be possible if the vehicle is new to the board.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Crew and Summoning Sickness
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the interaction between crew and summoning sickness, providing even more insight into this aspect of Magic: The Gathering:
Can I tap a creature with summoning sickness to crew a Vehicle?
Yes, you absolutely can. Summoning sickness only restricts what the creature itself can do. It doesn’t prevent you from using it as a resource to activate other abilities, such as crewing a Vehicle. As long as the creature meets the power requirement, it can be tapped to pay the cost of the crew ability.
If I crew a Vehicle on my opponent’s turn, can I attack with it on my turn?
Yes, you can attack with it. Crewing a Vehicle turns it into a creature, and summoning sickness only applies to creatures that haven’t been under your continuous control since the beginning of your most recent turn. If you crewed it on your opponent’s turn, you will have controlled it through the beginning of your turn.
Can I crew a Vehicle with a Vehicle that has summoning sickness?
Yes, you can. Similar to the first question, summoning sickness only affects the Vehicle with summoning sickness, not its ability to contribute to crewing another Vehicle. Think of it as a chain of Vehicles supporting each other! These vehicle chains were common when trying to crew cards like Heart of Kiran that had a high crew cost relative to the power of creatures in the format.
Does giving a Vehicle haste negate summoning sickness after crewing?
Yes, haste allows the Vehicle to ignore the effects of summoning sickness. Haste says that the creature can attack and use tap abilities the turn it came into play, ignoring summoning sickness.
What happens if I crew a Vehicle, then it loses its creature status?
If a Vehicle ceases to be a creature after you’ve crewed it, it is no longer affected by summoning sickness. Remember, summoning sickness only affects creatures. However, if the Vehicle becomes a creature again later in the turn, it will still be affected by summoning sickness if it originally had it.
Can I block with a Vehicle that has summoning sickness after being crewed?
Yes, you can block with a Vehicle that has summoning sickness. Summoning sickness only prevents attacking and activating abilities with the tap or untap symbol in their cost. Blocking is perfectly legal.
If I flicker a Vehicle, does it get summoning sickness after I crew it again?
Yes, if you flicker a Vehicle and then crew it the same turn it returns, it will have summoning sickness. Flickering resets the game’s memory of the Vehicle, treating it as a brand-new permanent that you haven’t controlled continuously.
Can a Planeswalker with a creature ability crew a Vehicle on the turn it enters the battlefield?
Yes, a Planeswalker that has become a creature can crew a Vehicle on the turn it enters the battlefield. The Planeswalker is subject to summoning sickness, but it can be used to crew a Vehicle.
Can I crew a tapped Vehicle?
Yes, you can crew a tapped or untapped vehicle. Crewing the vehicle won’t untap the vehicle.
Does crewing a Vehicle count as attacking?
No, crewing a Vehicle does not count as attacking. Attacking is a specific action taken during the declare attackers step of the combat phase. Crewing is an activated ability that transforms the Vehicle into a creature, allowing it to potentially attack, but the act of crewing itself isn’t attacking.
Can I crew a Vehicle at instant speed?
Yes, you can crew a Vehicle at instant speed, as long as you can pay the crew cost. This allows you to respond to threats or opportunities during your opponent’s turn.
Does summoning sickness prevent a Vehicle from being sacrificed?
No, summoning sickness does not prevent a Vehicle from being sacrificed. Summoning sickness only prevents attacking and activating abilities with the tap or untap symbol in their cost. Sacrificing a Vehicle is not restricted.
If I have a creature that triggers when it crews a Vehicle, does it trigger if the Vehicle has summoning sickness?
Yes, the creature’s ability will still trigger when it crews a Vehicle, regardless of whether the Vehicle has summoning sickness. The trigger condition is simply crewing the Vehicle, not the Vehicle’s ability to attack or use abilities afterward.
Can an Incubate token crew vehicles?
No. Incubate tokens are noncreature artifacts that are created with the incubate keyword ability. They cannot be used to pay the crew cost of Vehicles.
Is there any way to crew a Vehicle the same turn it enters the battlefield and still attack with it?
Yes. You can use cards such as [[crashing drawbridge]] and [[akroma’s memorial]] to give the vehicle haste, which will allow you to crew it and attack with it the same turn it enters the battlefield.
Crewing for Victory!
Understanding the interplay between crew and summoning sickness is crucial for mastering Vehicles in Magic: The Gathering. Knowing when and how to crew your Vehicles can turn the tide of battle. Keep these FAQs in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to victory!
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