Does Turning a Creature Face Up Count as Entering the Battlefield?
The short answer is no. Turning a creature face up, whether through a morph, megamorph, or similar mechanic, does not count as the creature entering the battlefield. This is a crucial distinction in Magic: The Gathering, often impacting gameplay and strategy. Understanding why requires a deeper dive into how the game mechanics work. A permanent is already on the battlefield when it is face down, so flipping it over changes its state, but not its location. Let’s explore this in detail and answer some frequently asked questions.
Why Turning a Creature Face Up Isn’t Entering the Battlefield
The core principle is that “entering the battlefield” refers specifically to the moment a permanent moves from a different zone (like your hand, library, or graveyard) onto the battlefield. When a card is placed face down on the battlefield through a mechanic like morph, it is already considered on the battlefield. Therefore, turning it face up is simply a change of state, not a movement between zones.
The Difference Between State Changes and Zone Changes
A state change is when a permanent’s characteristics alter without leaving its current location. Examples include:
- Tapping or Untapping: A creature stays on the battlefield but its state changes from untapped to tapped or vice versa.
- Transforming: Double-faced cards change from one side to the other while remaining on the battlefield.
- Flipping a Morph: A face down creature turns face up while remaining on the battlefield.
A zone change, on the other hand, involves a permanent moving from one location to another. Examples include:
- Casting a spell: A creature card moves from your hand to the battlefield.
- Returning a creature to your hand: A creature moves from the battlefield to your hand.
- Exiling a permanent: A creature moves from the battlefield to the exile zone.
The key takeaway is that turning a creature face up falls under the category of a state change, not a zone change. It’s already on the battlefield, so it cannot enter the battlefield again.
The Impact on Enter-the-Battlefield (ETB) Abilities
Understanding this distinction is critical because it affects Enter-the-Battlefield (ETB) abilities. These are triggered abilities that activate specifically when a permanent enters the battlefield. Since turning a creature face up isn’t an “enter the battlefield” event, ETB abilities will not trigger when you flip it face up. For example, a card with an ETB that states “When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card” will not trigger when a morphed creature is turned face up.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To further clarify the intricacies of turning creatures face up, here are some common questions:
1. Does Morph Count as Entering the Battlefield?
No, morph does not count as entering the battlefield. When you use the morph ability, you are placing a card face down on the battlefield, not having it enter the battlefield. Therefore, when you later turn it face up it is still not entering the battlefield.
2. Do Flipped Creatures Enter the Battlefield?
No, normally flipped creatures do not count as entering the battlefield. They change state on the battlefield, but do not move zones. The exception to this is the five planeswalkers from the Magic Origins set which do get exiled and return to the battlefield transformed, which does trigger ETB abilities.
3. Does Morphing Count as Casting?
Yes, morph is an alternative way of casting a spell. When you play a card face down via morph, you’re casting it for its morph cost instead of its normal mana cost.
4. Does Copying Count as Entering the Battlefield?
No, a permanent that enters the battlefield “as a copy” or “that’s a copy” of another object does not enter the battlefield. It becomes a copy as it enters the battlefield, so there is no ETB trigger.
5. What Counts as Entering the Battlefield?
Entering the battlefield refers to the act of placing a permanent from any zone other than the battlefield onto the battlefield, whether it’s from your hand, the graveyard, or any other zone.
6. What Counts as Leaving the Battlefield?
A permanent “leaves the battlefield” when it moves from the battlefield to another zone. Examples of this include being returned to a player’s hand, exiled, or placed in the graveyard.
7. Does Disturb Count as Casting a Spell?
Yes, disturb allows you to cast the back face of a card from your graveyard. It’s considered a cast, just like any other spell.
8. Do Morphs Count as Colorless Spells?
Yes, spells that are cast face down with morph are treated as colorless spells until they are turned face up.
9. Does Mutate Count as Casting a Creature?
Yes, casting a creature spell using its mutate cost is still casting a creature spell. It’s an alternate cost that allows the creature to merge with an existing non-Human creature.
10. What If a Creature Would Enter the Battlefield and Wasn’t Cast?
If a non-token creature would enter the battlefield without being cast, it is exiled instead. If it would enter under an opponent’s control this turn, it enters under your control instead.
11. Do Transformed Creatures Leave the Battlefield?
No, a double-faced card that transforms does not leave the battlefield. It stays on the field with its counters, auras, and equipment intact.
12. Do Enchantments Enter the Battlefield?
Yes, enchantments do enter the battlefield. When they do they may trigger abilities.
13. Does Ninjutsu Trigger Entering the Battlefield?
Yes, creatures that are put onto the battlefield using ninjutsu do trigger entering the battlefield effects. This is because they are being brought onto the battlefield from another zone (the hand).
14. Does Megamorph Count as Morph?
Yes, megamorph is a variation of morph with an added bonus of placing a +1/+1 counter on the creature when it is turned face up. However, similar to morph, turning a card face up through megamorph does not trigger ETB abilities.
15. Does Phasing Trigger ETB Effects?
No, phasing does not trigger ETB or LTB effects. Because the permanent is not moving zones, it is not leaving or entering the battlefield.
Conclusion
The seemingly simple act of turning a creature face up can be confusing, but it all boils down to the distinction between state changes and zone changes. Turning a creature face up is a state change and, as such, does not trigger ETB abilities. Understanding this difference is essential for mastering the intricacies of Magic: The Gathering, whether you are morphing a creature to surprise your opponents or building a synergistic deck around enter-the-battlefield triggers. By knowing these rules, you will be better equipped to strategize and play effectively.