Does the Creature Have to Be Tapped for Spinal Embrace?
The short, direct, and crucial answer is: No, the creature does not need to be tapped for Spinal Embrace to work. This might seem counterintuitive at first glance, given the spell’s text, but the rules of Magic: The Gathering (MTG) allow for some interesting interactions. Let’s delve deeper into how this spell functions and why the tapped status of the target creature is ultimately irrelevant to its effectiveness.
Spinal Embrace: How It Works
Spinal Embrace is a spell that reads, “Untap target creature, then gain control of it until end of turn. That creature gains haste until end of turn.” The key phrase here is “Untap target creature, then…” This order of operations is essential to understanding how it works in practice.
The spell attempts to untap a target creature. However, if the targeted creature is already untapped, the game simply skips the “untap” part of the effect. It does not stop the rest of the spell from resolving. This means you will still gain control of the target creature until the end of the turn, and it will still gain haste until the end of the turn.
The rules of MTG are very literal, and only the actions that can be legally performed must be performed. If an action is impossible (such as untapping an already untapped creature), that action is skipped, but the rest of the spell continues.
Why Is This Important?
This interaction is important for several reasons:
- Versatility: Spinal Embrace doesn’t require a pre-tapped target. You can use it on any creature, making it a more flexible and potent spell. This is critical in situations where you need immediate control of an opponent’s creature.
- Strategic Play: Knowing that you can target untapped creatures opens up opportunities for aggressive plays and creature stealing at opportune moments. You don’t have to wait for your opponent to use a creature to take control of it.
- Understanding Rules: This highlights a fundamental rule in MTG: the game only does what it can do. If a spell tells you to do something impossible, it’s ignored without affecting the rest of the spell’s resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Tapped Creatures and Spinal Embrace
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the rules surrounding tapped creatures and how they relate to spells like Spinal Embrace.
1. Can You Tap a Tapped Creature?
Yes, you can target a tapped creature with an effect that says, “Tap target creature.” While it won’t change the creature’s status (it’s already tapped), the effect will still apply, if it has secondary effects. For example, If you use a spell to “tap target creature” with a secondary affect like adding counters, that will still work.
2. What Happens if You Target a Tapped Creature with Spinal Embrace?
As explained above, Spinal Embrace will attempt to untap the already-tapped creature. Because it’s already tapped, it stays tapped, but the spell continues to resolve normally, granting you control and haste.
3. Do Creatures Enter the Battlefield Tapped?
Creatures only enter the battlefield tapped if the card specifically says so, or if another card effect states it. Otherwise, creatures enter untapped.
4. What is Summoning Sickness?
Summoning sickness means a creature can’t attack or activate abilities with tap or untap symbols on the turn it comes under your control, unless it has haste. This prevents players from dropping creatures and attacking immediately without any setup time.
5. Can a Creature with Summoning Sickness Tap?
No. A creature with summoning sickness can’t use abilities that require tapping it, unless it has haste. It’s in a kind of “recovery” period after being summoned.
6. Does Attacking Tap a Creature?
Yes, declaring a creature as an attacker taps it. This is part of the game’s combat system, and it happens automatically. If a creature has vigilance, it doesn’t tap when it attacks.
7. Can You Tap a Creature That is Already Attacking?
No, not while it is declared as an attacker. The attack already causes the tap. However, after attackers are declared, and if the creature has vigilance, you could potentially tap it.
8. What Happens if You Tap a Creature Twice in One Turn?
A creature normally untaps during the untap phase on your turn. If you tap a creature twice in one turn, it doesn’t change the creature’s tap status, and it will still untap normally during the next untap step. However, there might be effects that benefit from it.
9. Does “Entering Tapped” Count as Becoming Tapped?
“Entering tapped” means the creature starts tapped when it enters the battlefield. It doesn’t ‘become’ tapped, so untap effects work as normal on creatures that “enter tapped.”
10. Can a Tapped Land Become a Creature and Remain Tapped?
Yes, if a land becomes a creature, such as with the effect of a card like [[Awakening of Vitu-Ghazi]], the land would remain tapped. Unless the effect specifically says it will untap, it will remain as it is.
11. Can You Tap a Creature with Vigilance?
Yes, you can target a creature with vigilance with effects that tap creatures. Vigilance simply means it doesn’t tap when it attacks. It can still be tapped by other effects.
12. Can a Tapped Creature Fight?
Yes, the fight mechanic doesn’t consider the tapped/untapped status of the involved creatures. Creatures can fight regardless of whether they’re tapped or not.
13. How Does Tapping Interact with “Sleep” Effects?
If a creature is already tapped, it won’t be untapped by a “Sleep” effect, but the effect will still apply. The creature will remain tapped, but any secondary effects will still apply.
14. If a Creature Enters Tapped, Can You Untap it Normally?
Yes, you can untap a creature that entered the battlefield tapped. Unless the card states otherwise, you can untap it during your untap step, just like any other tapped creature.
15. Can You Tap a Creature the Turn You Play it if it has Haste?
Yes, a creature with haste can attack and activate tap abilities on the turn you play it. The haste ability ignores the summoning sickness rule.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the nuanced rules of MTG, such as how spells interact with tapped and untapped creatures, is crucial for effective gameplay. Spells like Spinal Embrace highlight how rules interact in sometimes surprising ways. The key takeaway here is that the game attempts to follow the instructions given on cards as closely as possible and ignores instructions that cannot be performed. By keeping these principles in mind, you can significantly improve your strategic gameplay and take full advantage of all the complexities that Magic: The Gathering has to offer.