MTG: Magic the Gathering; Merfolk Card Surgespanner ability?

Question

http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=141828

If this creature was tapped by attacking whatever, etc. could I pay 4(2UU) to return two permanents to my opponents hand, or is it 1 for 1 (a tap gives me the ability to use it once)

Thanks so much

Answer 1

It's a 1 for 1 ability like you said.  Surgespanner becomes tapped once so you can only use the ability once when it becomes tapped.

Now if you were to throw a Freed from the Real on him, you could pay {U} to tap him, pay {1}{U} to use his ability, and then pay {U} to untap him.  Repeat the steps until you're out of mana.

Answer 2

Surgespanner's ability is a triggered ability (it uses when/whenever/at). It will trigger ONCE every time it becomes tapped, which means that you can only pay 1U ONCE.

Answer 3

No,

You may use the ability only once each time the creature becomes tapped.  Now if you have an ability that would untap the creature, then the possibility of using it twice exists.  I like using the "when this creature becomes tapped" ability with Mothdust Changeling.  Tap an untapped creature you control to give mothdust changeling flying.  It doesn't even matter if mothdust changeling already HAS flying, activate the ability anyway.  This works really well with Grimore Thief.  Now if you have another spell or ability to untap the creature, you can play the ability twice, or a third time, etc.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

No. You can only activate the ability once per trigger, which means that whenever Surgespanner becomes tapped, you can activate the ability once and once only.

Hope that helped!