Do copy tokens have summoning sickness?

Do Copy Tokens Have Summoning Sickness?

When it comes to summoning sickness in Magic: The Gathering, it’s essential to understand the rules that govern creature tokens and how they interact with the game. One of the most common questions players have is whether copy tokens have summoning sickness. In this article, we’ll explore the answer to this question and provide guidance on how to handle creature tokens in various scenarios.

Direct Answer

The answer to this question depends on whether the token is a copy of a non-creature permanent or a copy of a creature permanent.

• If the token is a copy of a non-creature permanent, it does not have summoning sickness. In this case, the token can be tapped immediately, and its abilities can be activated as usual.
• If the token is a copy of a creature permanent, it has summoning sickness. This means that the token cannot be tapped, and its abilities cannot be activated until the beginning of its controller’s next main phase.

Summoning Sickness

Before we dive into the specifics of copy tokens, let’s take a quick look at what summoning sickness is and how it works. Summoning sickness is a rule that governs creature permanents and applies when a player creates a creature token on the battlefield.

• When a player creates a creature token on the battlefield, that creature token has summoning sickness.
• Until the beginning of its controller’s next main phase, the creature token with summoning sickness cannot attack or block.
• At the beginning of its controller’s next main phase, the creature token can attack, block, and be activated as usual.

Copy Tokens and Summoning Sickness

Now that we understand what summoning sickness is, let’s examine how copy tokens interact with it. When a player creates a copy of a creature permanent, the resulting token is a new creature token that has all the abilities and characteristics of the original creature.

• When a player creates a copy of a creature permanent, the resulting token has summoning sickness. This is because the copy token is a new creature token, just like the original creature token.
• The copy token with summoning sickness cannot attack or block until the beginning of its controller’s next main phase.

Population and Loyalty Abilities

In some cases, creature tokens can have loyalty abilities, which allow them to return to the battlefield after being sent to the graveyard. In these cases, the creature token’s loyalty ability may interact with its summoning sickness status.

• When a creature token with a loyalty ability is sent to the graveyard, it returns to the battlefield with summoning sickness at the beginning of its controller’s next main phase.
• The creature token’s loyalty ability may also trigger when the token is sent to the graveyard, allowing it to return to the battlefield immediately.

Key Takeaways

In summary, the answer to the question of whether copy tokens have summoning sickness is:

• Non-creature tokens (copied from non-creature permanents) do not have summoning sickness and can be tapped and activated immediately.
• Creature tokens (copied from creature permanents) have summoning sickness and cannot be tapped or activated until the beginning of their controller’s next main phase.

Remember that the summoning sickness rule only applies to creature permanents, so it’s essential to keep this in mind when creating or copying tokens.

Common Scenarios

Here are some common scenarios where you might encounter copy tokens with summoning sickness:

• copying a creature from another player’s deck
• copying a planeswalker from another player’s hand
• creating a token through an ability or effect
• activating a token’s loyalty ability to return it to the battlefield

In each of these scenarios, it’s crucial to understand how summoning sickness interacts with the token, so you can make the most of your abilities and card advantage.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve explored the complex world of copy tokens and summoning sickness in Magic: The Gathering. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting out, understanding the rules surrounding these concepts is crucial for making informed decisions and improving your gameplay. By following the guidelines outlined above, you’ll be well-equipped to handle the nuances of creature tokens and make the most of your copies and loyalty abilities. Happy gaming!