Discussion Forum

First off, the card's called Gideon's Lawkeeper.

Second, tap effects (Abilities with "Tap" in their cost) can always be used at instant speed as long as the creature doesn't have summon sickness or unless specified. (Yes, some cards have tap abilities that say only use them as a sorcery).

Also, this tap effect isn't permanent. Yes, you could leave 3 mana open at the end of each of your turns to tap them down but they will always untap during their controller's untap step so you gotta keep retapping them during their upkeeps.

so can use them to tap opponents creature during their untap phase right as long as the mana permits me to

[QUOTE=Kao007]so can use them to tap opponents creature during their untap phase right as long as the mana permits me to[/QUOTE]

No one can do ANYTHING during the untap step. Priority is never passed at this time, spells cannot be cast, abilities cannot be put onto the stack.(...I think)

It all has to be done during the upkeep step. All their stuff untaps, then it hits their upkeep to which you can tap down all their stuff. Then they proceed to go throughout their turn while all their creatures are tapped.

let me get this straight..

Ok i end my turn.. So on the opponents upkeep, everything is untapped.. and I know use my Gideons to tap target creatures... Now they are tapped cuase i[m playing them like an instance.. Do those creatures untap during my upkeep? Or doees it stay tap untill it is their turn again..

Hnnng. Basic turn structure man.

You end your turn and assuming he didn't attack, your lawkeepers and his creatures are untapped.

He starts his turn, he untaps his permanents. Then his upkeep begins. This is the first opportunity on his turn to do anything, this is where you tap down his creatures. He draws his card for turn. Now he goes through his turn with his creatures being tapped. Yours are tapped as well as tap is a cost to activating the ability. Your turn comes around. You untap EVERYTHING, even your lawkeepers. Then your upkeep hits, nothing special happens. Draw your card for turn, then commence your turn like you normally would. You can do this over and over assuming you didn't tap your lawkeepers on your turn because his stuff will just untap during his untap step anyways which will allow him to attack.

Well that is what ive been doing and they said i cannot tapped their creatures, becuase they are attacking with it. But i said it is an instant ability i can tapped them before you atttack

[QUOTE=Scotty1700]No one can do ANYTHING during the untap step. Priority is never passed at this time, spells cannot be cast, abilities cannot be put onto the stack.(...I think)[/QUOTE]

This is correct.

[QUOTE=Kao007;28768]Well that is what ive been doing and they said i cannot tapped their creatures, becuase they are attacking with it. But i said it is an instant ability i can tapped them before you atttack[/QUOTE]

Your opponents have to declare the Beginning of Combat Step (which precedes declaring attackers). This is the last chance you have to tap their creatures before they attack. If they skip this step and try to tell you that their creatures are already attacking, tell them that they are in violation of the rules (skipping a step) and tell them to untap all attacking creatures and go back to the Beginning of Combat Step.

One other thing to bare in mind is that if you tap an opponents creature, they can respond by tapping said creature to activate one of its abilities (if applicable), and tapping target creature in response to it activating an ability will have no effect -- its ability has already been activated.

yes indeed

as a bit of a strategic note, it's not a bad play to just wait to tap until the beginning of combat. Since there's a step before declare attackers, you can tap their guy after they have a chance to play spells during their first main phase but before they declare attacks. That way if they have a haste guy or something with a relevant ability, you can change your decision based on what they've cast. You just have to make sure to stop them before they declare attacks (or make them back up if they just rush through) or just have them say 'combat?' or something to that effect.