Creature abilities (mana triggered) - how and when!

[RDJDenley]

Right, so I was playing mono green to see how it played, and I put four {Elvish Mystic}s in for their tap ability...

To what extent can you use a creatures ability? As far as I was aware, I could use a creatures ability just when I could use a sorcery.

My friend thinks he can use his creature abilities even in combat e.g pay 2 blue for +2/-1

Hope I'm making at least some sense here...

[fj76ts4]

Right, so I was playing mono green to see how it played, and I put four elvish mystics in for their tap ability...

To what extent can you use a creatures ability? As far as I was aware, I could use a creatures ability just when I could use a sorcery.

My friend thinks he can use his creature abilities even in combat e.g pay 2 blue for +2/-1

Hope I'm making at least some sense here...

Creature abilities (an activated ability, in this case) can be activated whenever you have priority (whenever you could cast an instant). Just remember if tapping is part of a cost, you can't tap until the creature has been under your control continuously since the turn began.

112.3b. Activated abilities have a cost and an effect. They are written as "[Cost]: [Effect.] [Activation instructions (if any).]" A player may activate such an ability whenever he or she has priority. Doing so puts it on the stack, where it remains until it's countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack.

[RDJDenley]

So even though a creature you just summoned has 'summoning sickness' the ability isn't considered the same way?

So I could pop a land turn one, drop my mystic then tap him for an additional land.. all on turn one?

[abstractApathist]

So even though a creature you just summoned has 'summoning sickness' the ability isn't considered the same way?

So I could pop a land turn one, drop my mystic then tap him for an additional land.. all on turn one?

No. Summoning sickness means you cannot attack with him nor tap him to activate one of his abilities, like making mana. Until your next turn, you cannot tap him for mana.

[Ekann1]

So even though a creature you just summoned has 'summoning sickness' the ability isn't considered the same way?

So I could pop a land turn one, drop my mystic then tap him for an additional land.. all on turn one?

No. Unless a creature has haste, or you have something that lets you activate abilities like they had haste, tap abilities of creatures can't be activated the turn they enter the battlefield. Summoning sickness affects attacking AND tap abilities.

[DylanW18]

So even though a creature you just summoned has 'summoning sickness' the ability isn't considered the same way?

So I could pop a land turn one, drop my mystic then tap him for an additional land.. all on turn one?

No, you can't. They cannot tap or attack while summoning sickness is induced. But you can tap the creature for mana at any time you could cast an instant if summoning sickness has passed

[RDJDenley]

Thank you very much!

What a helpful bunch you all are

[Ekann1]

Usually one person answers a question at a time.... but now I guess you have 3 answers!

[Presentjackson]

Lol, dog pile. Your oppoent would be able to use his creatures abilities at instant speed as long as he can pay for it and doesnt require it to tap, you can repeat until you have no mana left

[MementoMori]

tap him for an additional land.. all on turn one?

Creatures like {Elvish Mystic} and {Avacyn's Pilgrim} do not tap for land. They tap for mana.

When you tap your Mystic, you will have an extra {G} to spend on a spells and abilities. You will not get a Forest out of your deck.

[MuggyWuggy]

Reading the instructions is better than asking google