Creature

From Magic: The Gathering

Probably the most common spell and permanent (except lands) played in the game, the Creature summon is used to summon "creatures" to take the offense and reduce your opponents life points. They can also be use for blocking your life count as well as using special abilities.

In a lower right corner is a box with two numbers. The left is the power that is used to deal combat damage. The right, the toughness on how much damage it can take before it can be destroyed.

The first turn under your control it suffers Summoning Sickness and can't attack or use tap abilities, though the next turn it can. It can still block if untapped. The Haste ability allows creatures to attack or use activated abilities the turn they are played.

There are special creatures that are also artifacts, called Artifact Creatures. They are affected by anything that affects creatures and/or artifacts.

[edit] Tokens

There are certain creatures that are represented by tokens, called Token Creatures, these are treated the same as creatures. Tokens in a game are often represnted by a facedown card or there are also token creatures such as soldier. They can range from small 1/1 creatures, to large, expensive creatures, such as Mirror-Sigil Sergeant.

Tokens go to the graveyard as regular creatures, and are removed as a "state-based effect" when a player gets priority again. They stay in the graveyard long enough to trigger abilities, like the one of Soulcatchers' Aerie, before they are removed.

In casual play, people generally don’t bother putting the token (coin/piece of paper/dice) in the graveyard because it’s removed right after, but it’s supposed to be put in the graveyard. Read more about this and other State-Based Effects in the Comprehensive Rulebook, section 420. ---