Can You Target a Creature If It’s Tapped?
In the world of Magic: The Gathering, targeting a creature with a spell or ability can be a crucial part of the game. But, what happens if the creature you want to target is tapped? Can you still target it, or is it off-limits? In this article, we’ll dive into the rules surrounding tapped creatures and explore when and how you can (or can’t) target them.
Direct Answer
Yes, you can target a creature if it’s tapped. The official Magic: The Gathering rules explicitly state that a creature that’s been tapped is still a legal target for an ability or spell. This means that, regardless of whether a creature is tapped or untapped, it can be targeted by a spell or ability that specifically targets a creature.
Why Is This Important?
Why does it matter whether you can target a tapped creature or not? Well, there are several reasons. First and foremost, tapping a creature can be an important part of the game. Tapping a creature can prevent it from attacking, blocking, or playing additional abilities. If a creature is tapped, you may not be able to use its abilities or benefit from its effects. Knowing that you can still target a tapped creature can help you plan your moves strategically.
When Can You Target a Tapped Creature?
So, when can you target a tapped creature? The answer is: whenever the ability or spell specifically targets a creature, regardless of its tap status. This means that if a spell or ability has the following text: "Target creature", you can target any creature, including a tapped one.
Examples and Counterexamples
Let’s take a look at some examples to illustrate this:
- Example: If a spell says "Target creature", and a creature is tapped, you can still target that creature.
- Counterexample: If a spell says "Untap a creature", you can’t target a tapped creature. The spell specifically mentions untapping, not targeting, a creature.
In general, if a spell or ability targets a specific creature, you can still target that creature even if it’s tapped.
Special Cases
There are some special cases to keep in mind when targeting a tapped creature. For instance:
- Deathtouch: Deathtouch is an ability that allows a creature to kill any creature it touches, regardless of its toughness. If a deathtouch creature is tapping another creature, the touched creature is destroyed even if it’s tapped.
- Intervening effects: Intervening effects are abilities that can modify the effect of another ability or spell. If an ability says "Target tapped creature", and you’re trying to target a creature that’s not tapped, an intervening effect that changes the creature’s tapped status can affect the legality of the target.
In summary, you can target a creature if it’s tapped, as long as the ability or spell specifically targets a creature.