does summon sickness mean enter tapped

[kiokitu]

does summoning sickness means creature enters tapped?

[Arix]

No. It means it can't attack or use any activated abilities with the tap or untap symbol in the cost until your next turn.

[cboyer1951]

But as gameplay goes, isn't that the same thing as being tapped? It sure seems so and makes sense to a new comer. Let's see, to remind me 'not' to try to attack with that new creature I placed on the board, I'll just tap it, meaning it's not available to play yet. ????

Chuck

[Kenji]

No, it's absolutely not the same thing. For one, a tapped creature can't block.

So, having a creature tapped when it enters the battleield isn't only the wrong way to play -- it's generally a tactical disadvantage.

Have a look at this creature: Diregraf Ghoul - this creature enters the battlefield tapped, but only because that is its ability.

Also, here's just one of many examples of why "shortcutting" things your way could also be an advantage for you: Wake Thrasher

Since creatures are not supposed to enter the battlefield tapped, doing it the way you're suggesting -- again, the wrong way -- allows Wake Thrasher to get buffed by creatures that you play earlier than it's supposed to.

Have I driven the point home yet? Don't have creatures enter the battlefield tapped unless they're supposed to do that, because then you're playing your own version of the game, and it's not right. Turns don't take that long, and it's really not too difficult to simply remember which creatures are and are not "summoning sick." If it really is an issue for you, I suggest using a penny (or a glass bead, whatever you want) to mark the creature while it's still affected by summoning sickness.

Oh, and as an aside, it's generally poor form (not just here, but on almost every forum in existence) to revive old threads. Then again, this one's just over a year old, which isn't as bad as some thread necromancy I've seen (no joke, over on the official forums, I've 4+ year old topics necro'd). In the future, it's much easier and correct to simply make a new thread when you have a question to ask.

[cboyer1951]

Thanks, Kenji. Yes, the point has been driven home. Great examples.
I've spent a day reading cards 'text value' from different sets on 'gathering' card search and just searched instants per deck for instance, or Sorcery. And have seen many examples of cards being revived tapped or such. So yes, I get the point now.
And you're right there are not that many cards per turn to remember which are newly entered the battlefield and indeed, turns are short and quick generally. No, I don't want to be doing things the wrong way. Better to do it right from the start, good habits that way.


Thanks Kenji, a lot.
Personally I just have come from a couple of forums and in particular Pro-Tools recording forums, there for instance, the accepted form is to search for your question in past forums, not bringing the same topic up time after time bothering forum users with old hashed out topics. So I've taken the task here of reading older forum topics. I will note however not to use bad form here and perform necromancy of older threads. Lot of things when you're new, and I don't mind learning them.

I wish you well
Chuck