Does Blinking a Creature Give it Summoning Sickness?
When it comes to Magic: The Gathering, summoning sickness is a crucial concept to understand. It’s a rule that affects creatures and prevents them from attacking or using activated abilities that require tapping during their first turn on the battlefield. But what happens when a creature is blinked? Does this action give it summoning sickness? In this article, we’ll delve into the details and provide a comprehensive answer to this question.
What is Summoning Sickness?
Before we dive into the blinking question, let’s quickly review what summoning sickness is. Summoning sickness is a rule that states that creatures cannot attack or use activated abilities that require tapping during their first turn on the battlefield. This means that creatures cannot attack or use abilities like "Fly" or "Trample" on their first turn.
What is Blinking?
Blinking is a type of effect that temporarily removes a creature from the battlefield and then returns it to the battlefield. This can be done through various cards, such as "Flicker" or "Blink". When a creature is blinked, it is removed from the battlefield and then returns to the battlefield under the control of the player who controlled it before.
Does Blinking a Creature Give it Summoning Sickness?
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s get to the main question: does blinking a creature give it summoning sickness? The answer is no, blinking a creature does not give it summoning sickness. When a creature is blinked, it is removed from the battlefield and then returns to the battlefield under the control of the player who controlled it before. This means that the creature is not considered to have been "summoned" in the classical sense, and therefore is not subject to summoning sickness.
Why Does Blinking Not Give a Creature Summoning Sickness?
There are a few reasons why blinking a creature does not give it summoning sickness:
- Blinking is not considered a "summoning": When a creature is blinked, it is not considered to have been "summoned" in the classical sense. Instead, it is simply removed from the battlefield and then returned to the battlefield under the control of the player who controlled it before.
- The creature is not considered to have been "played": When a creature is blinked, it is not considered to have been "played" in the sense that it is not considered to have been placed on the battlefield for the first time. This means that it is not subject to the summoning sickness rules.
- The creature is still under the control of the same player: When a creature is blinked, it is still under the control of the same player who controlled it before. This means that the creature is not considered to have been "summoned" by a new player, and therefore is not subject to summoning sickness.
Examples of Blinking
Here are a few examples of blinking in Magic: The Gathering:
- Flicker: Flicker is a spell that removes a creature from the battlefield and then returns it to the battlefield under the control of the player who controlled it before.
- Blink: Blink is a ability that allows a creature to be removed from the battlefield and then returned to the battlefield under the control of the player who controlled it before.
- Temporal Trespass: Temporal Trespass is a spell that allows a player to blink a creature and then return it to the battlefield under the control of the player who controlled it before.
Conclusion
In conclusion, blinking a creature does not give it summoning sickness. Blinking is a type of effect that temporarily removes a creature from the battlefield and then returns it to the battlefield under the control of the player who controlled it before. This means that the creature is not considered to have been "summoned" in the classical sense, and therefore is not subject to summoning sickness.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are a few common mistakes to avoid when blinking creatures:
- Mistaking blinking for summoning: Blinking is not the same as summoning a creature. When a creature is blinked, it is removed from the battlefield and then returned to the battlefield under the control of the player who controlled it before.
- Thinking that blinking gives a creature summoning sickness: Blinking a creature does not give it summoning sickness. Summoning sickness only applies to creatures that are played or summoned for the first time.
- Failing to consider the player’s control: When a creature is blinked, it is still under the control of the same player who controlled it before. This means that the creature is not considered to have been "summoned" by a new player, and therefore is not subject to summoning sickness.
FAQs
Here are a few frequently asked questions about blinking and summoning sickness:
- Q: Can a creature be blinked multiple times?
- A: Yes, a creature can be blinked multiple times. Each time the creature is blinked, it is removed from the battlefield and then returned to the battlefield under the control of the player who controlled it before.
- Q: Does blinking a creature prevent it from attacking?
- A: No, blinking a creature does not prevent it from attacking. Once a creature is blinked and returned to the battlefield, it can attack as normal.
- Q: Can a creature be blinked while it is already on the battlefield?
- A: Yes, a creature can be blinked while it is already on the battlefield. This is known as "blink targeting" and can be done through various cards and abilities.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, blinking a creature does not give it summoning sickness. Blinking is a type of effect that temporarily removes a creature from the battlefield and then returns it to the battlefield under the control of the player who controlled it before. This means that the creature is not considered to have been "summoned" in the classical sense, and therefore is not subject to summoning sickness.