regenerate

[Mogg Fanatic]

Can you regenerate a creature only the turn it dies?
Also, when regenerated, what is the status of the creature?  Is it tapped, attacking, blocking, ect.

[Godder]

Can you regenerate a creature only the turn it dies?

Regeneration shields only last until the end of the turn they are created, so basically, yes.

Also, when regenerated, what is the status of the creature? Is it tapped, attacking, blocking, etc.

Regenerating a creature taps it and removes it from combat. If it was attacking or blocking, it won't be after regeneration.

[Komatteru]

Regenerating a creature taps it and removes it from combat. If it was attacking or blocking, it won't be after regeneration.

Note that the creature become tapped and removed from combat only when the regeneration shield is actually used.  If you set the regeneration shield up during the declare attackers phase, then the creature doesn't become tapped and removed from combat until it is actually dealt leathal damage.

[epeeguy]

Can you regenerate a creature only the turn it dies?

Regeneration shields only last until the end of the turn they are created, so basically, yes.

This question actually bears further need to comment on.

It is a common misconception that when you regenerate a creature you are returning it from the graveyard to play.  This is false.  You can only regenerate a creature while it is in play, and this prevents it from going to the graveyard.  If the creature is destroyed as a result of some effect or damage, then this regeneration shield prevents the destruction of the creature and leaves it in play.  But it does not allow you to return it to play at all from the graveyard.

[Limbo]

This made me think of the "Furry creature" thread a long while ago :

Q: Does a creature that is regenerated spend some time in the graveyard at any point and therefore trigger cards like Grave Pact? --Wendy

A: No, regenerated creatures never leave play.

*Extra*: Imagine a salamander... No, not a Magic Salamander--a real life salamander (Magic ones don't regenerate, oddly enough). So this real salamander has its tail caught. This would often be lethal since getting your tail eaten often means the rest of you is eaten, too. However, the salamander drops its tail and regenerates a new one. The salamander isn't dead and then alive--it's just hard to make dead. Now let's say a truck hits the salamander. It's flat. We're talkin' definite 0/0 salamander here. No amount of regeneration is going to help that. So, with lethal damage, regeneration can save it, and it never dies. But if its toughness is reduced to nothing, regeneration won't matter--it's gone.