Do Copy Tokens Count Towards Devotion?
In the world of Magic: The Gathering, devoting yourself to a color or colors can have its advantages. Whether you’re playing Commander, Constructed, or Limited, understanding how devotion works is crucial. One common question arises from players: do copy tokens count towards devotion? This article will delve into the answer and provide insight on how devotion works.
What is Devotion?
Before we dive into the main question, it’s essential to understand what devotion is. Debtion is a mechanic introduced in the Theros expansion, which rewards players for having a certain number of permanents of the specified color(s) on the battlefield. This mechanic incentivizes players to build decks around specific colors, which leads to more strategic and color-focused gameplay.
Debtion and Permanents
Permanents are cards that stay on the battlefield until destroyed, discarded, or returned to the owner’s hand. This includes creatures, land, planeswalkers, and other cards with everlasting effects. Lands are a crucial component in devotion, as they fulfill the color requirements.
Now, let’s focus on copy tokens.
Copy Tokens: Understanding the Basics
Copy tokens are created by effects or abilities that duplicate an object, such as creatures or planeswalkers. This can be achieved through mechanics like copy, clone, or create copy. These copies have the same attributes, abilities, and effects as the original object, minus any unique characteristics. Examples of copy tokens include Clone, Copy, and Miniature Mimic.
Do Copy Tokens Count towards Devotion?
Answer: Yes, normal copy tokens count towards devotion. Normal copy tokens, created by effects that duplicate an object, should be treated as if they were the original card type. This means that as long as the copy token has the same mana symbol(s) as the original card, it will count towards devotion.
Note: Eternalized tokens, created by certain effects like Eternalize (e.g., Echoing Truth), may not count towards devotion.
Hybrid Mana in Copy Tokens
Copy tokens with hybrid mana, which can be played by either color, also work towards devotion. When these tokens are created, both colors that made up the hybrid mana contribute to the total devotion count. Take, for example, the card Spitting Image, which creates a copy token with green and blue mana. Even though the token only taps for one color at a time, it counts as both green and blue mana for devotion purposes.
| Card | Mana Cost | Debtion | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spitting Image | 2G/U | 2G (or U) | Has hybrid mana, contributes 2 devotion to green |
Gods and Alternatives
The Theros gods, with alternate versions, follow standard devotion rules. As indicated in the card text and flavor text, the devoted color(s) should also be considered when counting devotions.
Other Alternative Scenarios
While general rules apply to most copy tokens, specific scenario exceptions may arise:
- Eternalized tokens: As mentioned earlier, these tokens may not always count towards devotion.
- Token duplication: Cases where a token duplicates the same token or a single copy token, and further duplication occurs, should not affect devotion counting.
By understanding how devotion works in Magic: The Gathering and the rules surrounding copy tokens, you can confidently build and play devotion-centered decks. Remember, knowing the intricacies of card interactions and mechanics can boost your gameplay experience and strengthen your competitive edge.
*This article is an expert analysis and not official Wizard of the Coast Magic: The Gathering content.**
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