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Tap Ability
Japanflag タップ能力のうりょく (Tappu Nōryoku)
Tap Ability
Released: DM-06 Invincible Soul
DM-06 Stomp-A-Trons of Invincible Wrath
Dmwiki.net: Article
Category for Tap Ability

Tap Ability is an unnamed keyword shared among each of the five monocolored civilizations.

Details[]

The ability gives the option of having your creature use an ability instead of attacking. While unofficially named, it is featured on many creatures and has been commonly seen in various blocks.

A Tap Ability can't be used while a creature has "Summoning Sickness".

If a creature is prevented from attacking by any kind of effect, then it can't use its Tap Ability. Also, if the creature can't legally attack by an effect such as Nariel, the Oracle, it can't use its Tap Ability.

As a creature with Tap Ability usually has a low power, they are extremely vulnerable to being destroyed by a stronger creature after they use their Tap Ability once. Additionally, most Tap Ability creatures tend to have summoning sickness and have a higher than usual cost, making them less preferable than a creature with a Come Into Play, Put Into Graveyard or an Attack Trigger ability.

Some creatures have an additional cost to their tap abilities. Balrun Shizou, Shobu Aini and Dimension Horn, of the Temporal Foundation require you to destroy themselves to trigger them. Necrodragon Gyouten Kyoutei and God Lupia require you to destroy themselves as well as 2 other creatures.

Types of Tap Abilities by set[]

DM-06 Invincible Soul had evolution creatures that can use tap themselves or one of your creatures with the same civilization.

DM-07 Invincible Charge had creatures that give effects to creatures of the same civilization.

DM-09 Invincible Blood had creatures that strengthened a race.

DM-24 Violence Heaven had an ability that also required 8 cards in your mana zone to be tapped.

DM-39 Psychic Splash had an ability that also required 4 cards in your mana zone to be tapped in order to put a psychic creature from your hyperspatial zone into the battle zone.

Reminder Text[]

The latest reminder text for the Tap Ability reads:

Instead of having this creature attack, you may tap it to use its Tap ability.
Tap

It also has a few variants where multiple cards in your mana zone also need to be tapped;

Instead of having this creature attack, you may tap this creature and # untapped cards in your mana zone to use its Tap ability.
Tap

Example[]

2 Rikabu's Screwdriver
Rikabu's Screwdriver
Fire Fire / Creature
Xenoparts
1000

■ Instead of having this creature attack, you may tap it to use its Tap ability.

Tap Destroy one of your opponent’s creatures that has “blocker.”


Cards with the Tap ability[]

Support[]

Supported[]

Cards supported by the Tap Ability

Supported Creature: Card Effect:
Saberfili, the Paladin ■ Instead of attacking, you may tap this creature to use another creature's Tap ability.

Anti-Tap Ability Cards[]

Anti-Tap Ability Cards

Card: Card Effect:
Lockdown Lizard ■ Players can't use the Tap abilities of their creatures.

Rulings[]

  • Q: My opponent has a linked Heavy, Extreme Dragon God in the battle zone. Can I use the Tap Ability of Kachua, Keeper of the Icegate?
    • A: Yes, you can use it. The use of Tap Abilities isn't prevented in situations where you "must attack if able". As a result of using the ability, Kachua is tapped and doesn't need to attack. source [2022.10.28]

Trivia[]

  • It is based on the Magic: The Gathering abilities where one has to tap a card for its ability. However, as creatures in Duel Masters have no resistance to creature combat unlike those in Magic: the Gathering, Tap abilities are considered weaker in Duel Masters than in Magic: The Gathering.
    • An additional form of tap abilities is tapping a creature then tapping a number of cards in the mana zone for the ability, which is reenacted in a cycle in DM-24 Violence Heaven. However, the cycle was known as one of the worst cards in the game due to their weak effects for 8 untapped mana.
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