Tapping Planeswalkers

[goblinguide]

Fate Stitcher from Shards of Alara can tap a permanent. It seems that Tezzeret the Seeker is broken. Once played he goes to 5 immediately with his first ability. If he becomes tapped after playing his first ability as a socery will that shut off his other abilities from being played - preventing all the artifacts from becoming 5/5 creatures the same turn he is cast? Or is there no way to stop this except with Pithing Needles (cards that prevent abilities from being used).

[NightLoki]

Tapping a planeswalker doesn't do anything, they can activate their abilities tapped or untapped.

[Shadowex3]

It makes more sense if you think of tapping as though it were a cost rather than it's own thing. An Imperious Perfect for example must pay green and tap to create a token, if it's tapped it can't pay the part of the cost that requires it tap. An Azorius Chancellor on the other hand need only have some mana paid to activate an ability, it doesnt need to pay "tap this creature" as part of the cost.

A planeswalker's abilities cost loyalty counters. Some cost adding counters, some cost removing them. They don't cost "tap this permanent".

[Seras]

also, you can only use one of his abilities per turn, regardless of tapping.

so no, you can never trigger his "Artifacts you control become 5/5 artifact creatures until end of turn." ability on the first turn he is in play.