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As far as I understand the undying ability, a creature returned to the battlefield by its undying effect with a +1/+1 counter on it is considered a new object. Due to this it cannot attack if it returned to the battlefield on my turn anytime before the combat phase.

Is that correct?

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  • An Undying create with Haste would be able to attack if it came back to the battlefield in the first main phase. However, an Undying Haste creature would probably be a pretty terrible card design - after all, how often do creatures die in the first main phase?
    – thesunneversets
    Mar 22, 2012 at 9:40
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    @thesunneversets Totally disagree on the card design - it's already a card, and it makes excellent fodder for sac engines (e.g. Birthing Pod).
    – Ian Pugsley
    Mar 22, 2012 at 12:54
  • @IanPugsley Heh, yes, I wondered if there was an Undying Card with Haste (Geist was at the back of my mind somewhere...) Obviously there's nothing wrong with a card having both Haste and Undying, but I wouldn't say they were two abilities that have special synergy with each other. Creatures with Haste are good, creatures that come back to fight again are good, that's about it. Though I guess I can imagine an amusing board state where your opponent has 3 life and you need to kill your own Geist in your first main phase to win...
    – thesunneversets
    Mar 22, 2012 at 13:03
  • @thesunneversets In the current R/G aggro deck, this is a thing that happens a lot: you cast a Sword and equip it to Strangleroot Geist; your opponent kills the Geist in response to the equip activation (before it would gain protection from his removal spell); you're out of mana so you can't equip again this turn, but at least you can swing for 3 with the returned Geist.
    – Alex P
    Mar 22, 2012 at 13:10
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    I think haste is an excellent design choice in combination with Undying and similar abilities, because you get to benefit from Haste twice instead of the usual once. As already pointed out, this opens a lot of combo options that just aren't there without Haste.
    – Hackworth
    Mar 22, 2012 at 20:26

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Yes,

A creature with undying returned to the battlefield would have summoning sickness. Undying does not provide an exception to the general rule.

302.6. A creature's activated ability with the tap symbol or the untap symbol in its activation cost can't be activated unless the creature has been under its controller's control continuously since his or her most recent turn began. A creature can't attack unless it has been under its controller's control continuously since his or her most recent turn began. This rule is informally called the "summoning sickness" rule.

As you noted, the Undying creature returns as a new creature and thus has not been under its controller's control continuously since the the turn began.

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    "the turn began" means upkeep, right? What if I sacrifice a creature with undying in order to Fling the creature during the upkeep before draw step?
    – installero
    Mar 22, 2012 at 15:38
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    @Installero - also note the "continuously" part. Once you Fling it, you will no longer be able to meet the requirements of it being under your continuous control.
    – Pat Ludwig ♦
    Mar 22, 2012 at 15:42

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