Do tokens count towards devotion?

Do Tokens Count Towards Devotion?

In Magic: The Gathering, devotion is a key concept that determines the power and abilities of many cards. But what about tokens? Do they count towards devotion? In this article, we’ll delve into the world of tokens and devotion to find out.

Direct Answer

According to the official Magic: The Gathering FAQs, tokens do not count towards devotion unless they are an exact copy of something with mana pips. This means that if a token is created with a specific mana cost, such as the tokens created by Nacatl War-Pride’s ability, it will contribute to your devotion to a color. However, if a token is created without a specific mana cost, such as a token created by a random effect, it will not count towards devotion.

Why Do Tokens Need to Have Mana Pips?

In Magic, mana pips are small symbols on a card that indicate the card’s mana cost. These mana pips are what allow us to cast the card and pay for its effect. When a token is created with a specific mana cost, it inherits that cost and becomes a part of the game in the same way as a regular card. This means that the token can be affected by effects that care about mana cost, such as devotion.

Example: Nacatl War-Pride

Let’s take the card Nacatl War-Pride as an example. This card creates 2 2/2 Beast tokens with flying when it dies. These tokens have a specific mana cost, which is 2G (2 green mana). Because they have mana pips, they count towards devotion to green.

Example: Random Token Creation

Now let’s take the card Sylvan Caryatid as an example. This card creates a 2/2 green Beast token when it dies. However, this token does not have a specific mana cost, and therefore does not count towards devotion to green.

Consequences of Tokens Not Counting Towards Devotion

So what does this mean for your gameplay? If you have a token that doesn’t count towards devotion, you won’t be able to trigger devotion-based effects or abilities. This can be a significant drawback, especially in decks that rely heavily on devotion for their power.

Tips for Using Tokens in Devotion Decks

If you’re building a devotion deck and want to use tokens to contribute to your devotion, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Use cards that create tokens with specific mana costs. Cards like Nacatl War-Pride are great examples of this.
• Use cards that create tokens that have a specific color. Cards like Sylvan Caryatid are not as useful for devotion decks because they create tokens that don’t count towards devotion.
• Use tokens to supplement your devotion. Tokens can be a great way to add extra value to your devotion-based effects, especially in combination with other devotion cards.

Conclusion

In conclusion, tokens do not count towards devotion unless they are an exact copy of something with mana pips. This can be a significant limitation for devotion decks, but there are still ways to use tokens effectively. By using cards that create tokens with specific mana costs and using tokens to supplement your devotion, you can still get the most out of your tokens in a devotion deck.

Summary Table

I hope this article has been helpful in answering your questions about tokens and devotion. Happy drafting!