Dash, Intimidate and all things Judge-y

[Kazuaro]

So, what I really need to ask is this, as I'm training up to be an MTG judge soon...

How does dash work? To my knowledge, you cast a creature for it's dash cost, attack and do you take it back into your hand during your end step? or is it during your next end step?

Secondly, creatures that have intimidate cannot be blocked by anything other than artifact creatures or creatures that share that colour, am I right?

Lastly, abilities. When do artifact abilities activate? Presumably, since artifacts are not creatures, they do not have summoning sickness? And once a creature with a "tap, to activate ability" is played can that ability be activated just like an instant? or does it only activate during your turn?

Thanks guys!

[KlaiveMist]

Kazuaro,

You appear to understand Dash correctly.  My only note for you is that the creature doesn't have to attack.  You cast for the dash cost and when you reach your end step of the current turn it is returned to your hand.  This ability combos really well with cards like Impact Tremors and Outpost Siege.  As far as Intimidate is concerned, only creature of the same color or artifact creatures can block creatures with Intimidate.  Finally, as far as abilities are concerned they become active a soon as the spell resolves.  Meaning it doesn't matter whether it is a creature's ability or an artifact's ability.  The only ability that can not be used are creatures abilities that require the creature to be tapped on the turn it is cast ,as summing sickness prevents creature cards from tapping and/or attacking the turn they are cast unless the creature has the ability Haste.

     KlaiveMist