Tap
| Tap | |
|---|---|
|
[[File:{{#setmainimage:T.svg}}|70x70px]] | |
| Keyword Action | |
| Introduced | Alpha |
| Last used | Evergreen |
| Reminder Text | No official reminder text |
| Scryfall Search | |
| fulloracle:"Tap" | |
Tap is a keyword action that is usually represented on cards with 
symbol.
Description
To tap a permanent, turn it 90 degrees from an upright position. For example, one of the first things that any player learns about Magic is that you tap your lands to cast your spells.[1] As it is integral to the game and TCGs in general, Wizards of the Coast has the concept of turning a card sideways patented.[2]
Actions that cause a card to tap include:
- Using its activated ability if that ability requires it to tap (for example, ": Add
.") - Declaring a creature as an attacker (see Declare Attackers Step)
- Regenerating a creature that would be destroyed and is not already tapped (see Regeneration)
- Paying a cost of a spell or ability (see Additional cost, Alternative cost, and Activation cost)
Forced tapping
White is the primary color of tapping creatures.[3]
Twiddle
Ever since the card Twiddle appeared in Alpha, blue has had the ability to tap or untap permanents. It's most often used just on creatures. Blue doesn't tend to just tap or just untap, but rather give you the choice between the two.[3] The one exception is when it "freezes" creatures, tapping creatures and keeping them from untapping for a turn.
Rules
From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 701.21. Tap and Untap
- 701.21a To tap a permanent, turn it sideways from an upright position. Only untapped permanents can be tapped.
- 701.21b To untap a permanent, rotate it back to the upright position from a sideways position. Only tapped permanents can be untapped.
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Tap
- To turn a permanent sideways from an upright position. See rule 701.21, “Tap and Untap.”
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Tapped
- A status a permanent may have. See rule 110.5 and rule 701.21, “Tap and Untap.” See also Untapped.
Tap symbol
Originally cards used the word tap explicitly (e.g., the text on Samite Healer in Unlimited was "Tap to prevent 1 damage to any target.") or were of type "Mono Artifact" (Cyclopean Tomb). Revised introduced the tap symbol as a tilted T inside a gray circle.[4][5] This didn't work, because in foreign languages the word for "tap" didn't start with a T.[6] In Fourth Edition, it was changed to a white curved arrow with a tilted black rectangle representing the tapping card. In Eighth Edition, it was changed to a black curved arrow without the rectangle behind it .[7]
The tap symbol was considered too advanced for first Portal sets. Thus it was written out again (Capricious Sorcerer (Portal), Apprentice Sorcerer (Portal Second Age)), (Wu Longbowman (Portal Three Kingdoms)).
The untap symbol 
was introduced in Shadowmoor where "untapping" was a mechanic of the set.[8][9] By 2010, the introduction of the symbol was considered a failure; players just mistook the untap symbol for the tap symbol.[10]
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Tap Symbol
- The tap symbol {T} in an activation cost means “Tap this permanent.” See rule 107.5.
From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 107.5. The tap symbol is {T}. The tap symbol in an activation cost means “Tap this permanent.” A permanent that’s already tapped can’t be tapped again to pay the cost. A creature’s activated ability with the tap symbol in its activation cost can’t be activated unless the creature has been under its controller’s control continuously since their most recent turn began. See rule 302.6.
From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 302.6. A creature’s activated ability with the tap symbol or the untap symbol in its activation cost can’t be activated unless the creature has been under its controller’s control continuously since their most recent turn began. A creature can’t attack unless it has been under its controller’s control continuously since their most recent turn began. This rule is informally called the “summoning sickness” rule.
Trivia
- "Tapping" originates from the verb to tap, which means "to draw out, from, or upon". You "tap" the energies/resources of the card.
See also
References
- ↑ Gavin Verhey (April 20, 2017). "Tap, Tap . . . Oops!". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Trading card game method of play. Patents.
- ↑ a b Mark Rosewater (June 5, 2017). "Mechanical Color Pie 2017". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ David Howell: Contributions
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 4, 2004). "Change For the Better". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (February 16, 2009). "25 Random Things About Magic". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (July 12, 2004). "The Changing Tap Symbol". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (April 14, 2008). "Shadowmoor than Meets The Eye, Part III". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Devin Low (April 11, 2008). "The Day the Cards Tapped Backwards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 8, 2010). "Essay What". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.