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I have a question that relates to untapping a creature enchanted by Charmed Sleep. It says "Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step".

Does this apply to the following controller's untap step, or for any untap step?

(That is, does the enchantment last for one round or forever?)

3 Answers 3

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It lasts permanently (as long as it's enchanting the creature). It simply states something which is true, so it will apply to all untap steps (of the creature's controller), not just the following one.

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  • Thank you for the explanation. Can I ask a bit more? You refer to a property of language - "states something which is true" [without restrictions when] so applies to all. Is it a property of English generally, or is it just English as used on the cards ?
    – user30128
    Commented Dec 28, 2019 at 19:34
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    @user30128 It is a property of the English language used, but you can be sure that Magic’s rules specify it in detail (rule 113.3d, per ikegami’s answer).
    – KRyan
    Commented Dec 29, 2019 at 17:17
  • @user30128 I think you're thinking about it the wrong way. It doesn't have a duration, it's simply there. Each time the creature would untap during its controller's untap step, if it is still enchanted by the aura (which it will be indefinitely unless a spell or an ability explicitly removes either the creature or the aura off one another or off the battlefield) the aura says that instead it doesn't untap. It's as simple as that.
    – Arthur
    Commented Dec 30, 2019 at 0:28
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"Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step." is a static ability.

113.3d Static abilities are written as statements. They’re simply true. Static abilities create continuous effects which are active while the permanent with the ability is on the battlefield and has the ability, or while the object with the ability is in the appropriate zone. See rule 604, “Handling Static Abilities.”

So the rule-modifying continuous effect it creates will last until the Charmed Sleep leaves the battlefield.

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  • Charmed Sleep is not a change of control effect...
    – GendoIkari
    Commented Dec 29, 2019 at 2:22
  • Ack! Fixed, but I'm not sure there's much point to the answer anymore with the extra paragraph that simply no longer applies. That said, the OP was confused by the other answer, so I'm going to leave this here.
    – ikegami
    Commented Dec 29, 2019 at 6:46
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Have a look at Crippling Chill. It states (emphasis mine):

Tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.

Here you can see how long this effect lasts. Without the "next", it simply means that whenever that player has their untap step, the enchanted creature does not untap.

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