If a token is put into my graveyard can I use Molten-Tail Masticore's ability to remove it and deal 4 damage?
Asked by kabrazell 14 years ago
If a token, say an eldrazi spawn, is sacrificed or otherwise destroyed do I get a chance to use Molten-Tail Masticore 's 4 damage ability?
Not at all, sadly. Whenever a token goes to the graveyard, you don't get priority to activate abilities.
November 19, 2010 1:04 p.m.
I agree with Sem48 and do tokens even fit the description of "creature card" since they are tokens not cards
November 19, 2010 1:38 p.m.
Its in the new MTG rules. I'm having issues finding them, but tokens do enter the graveyard. From there you can activate and spells or abilities, then after that they cease to exist
November 19, 2010 1:40 p.m.
I think in this case you cannot use the Masticore's ability. I think that because Molten-Tail Masticore 's ability reads "4, Exile a creature CARD from your graveyard:" as his cost for dealing 4 damage. A token is not a card and therefore cannot be removed from the graveyard int eh short time they exist there.
However as Dracog said, since tokens do go to a graveyard they trigger effects such as Fecundity . Tokens are creatures , but not cards.
November 19, 2010 1:41 p.m.
"Tokens are considered creatures in every way, and theyre affected by all the rules, spells, and abilities that affect creatures. If one of your token creatures leaves the battlefield, however, it moves to the new zone (such as your graveyard) and then immediately vanishes from the game."
http://www.wizards.com/magic/rules/EN_MTGM11_Rulebook_LR_Web.pdf
November 19, 2010 1:43 p.m.
xeratheenigma says... #7
dracog the rule you just posted seems to go against what you have been saying and confirming what sem48 has said
in particular "immediately vanishes" sounds like you cant respond to it disappearing. i also agree tokens are not considered cards.
November 19, 2010 1:50 p.m.
Yeah based on what I've been reading, Tokens to the graveyard can trigger abilities, can't be responded to. Thanks yall. If anyone wants to respond to this non-rules realted question: http://tappedout.net/mtg-forum/deck-help/arc-trail-experiences/ -that would be really neat too.
November 19, 2010 1:58 p.m.
Tokens are not cards. Molten-Tail Masticore 's ability requires you to exile a creature card. Regardless of when the token leaves the graveyard, you can't exile it for Molten-Tail Masticore 's ability.
November 19, 2010 5:12 p.m.
Joshwarudd says... #10
Tokens are not cards, so therefore you cannot activate Molten-Tail's ablility. But on the subject of tokens, I have asked a judge a question based on this, and you can activate ablilities when a token enter's the graveyard. The token first hits the graveyard, remains there only for an instant and then vanishes from the game. It's the reason why cards like Mimic Vat say nontoken creatures.
November 19, 2010 5:25 p.m.
The reason Mimic Vat says 'nontoken creature' is (I believe) actually simply to avoid confusion, since if it didn't it would imply that you would able to put a copy of said token into play with the activated ability, which you can't since the token ceases to exist as soon as the Mimic Vat 's triggered ability finishes resolving.
In any case, Mimic Vat is awesome.
November 19, 2010 6:22 p.m.
Tokens do indeed get sent to the graveyard as Dracog believes, but there are two things that happen.
1) They immediately cease to exist. This is not something that goes on the stack or waits to resolve. It is checked at the time the token dies.
2) Molten-Tail Masticore has a very specific cost, which is removing a card from your graveyard, from the game. You need to have a card in the graveyard already to remove as the cost. Costs cannot be responded to, only abilities/activations of abilities. You could never pay for Molten-Tail Masticore 's cost with a token (even if it was a 'card', which it isn't), because it ceases to exist before the cost could ever be paid for the ability could ever get triggered.
November 20, 2010 12:53 a.m.
Just for clarification, tokens do not cease to exist immediately when they enter the graveyard. They disappear the next time state-based actions are checked, not when the token is actually sent to the graveyard. Any triggered abilities that would trigger during the resolution of the effect that sends the token to the graveyard are held off until the effect finishes resolving, so the triggered abilities and the token's disappearance go on the stack at the same instance (APNAP, yadda).
November 20, 2010 11:51 a.m.
djdauenbaugh says... #15
Wow, after reading all the answers, i'm more confused than when I started. Lot of disagreement about this. Is there not an official MTG ruling regarding this issue?
November 23, 2010 4:16 a.m.
there's no disagreement. to quote myself,
"Tokens are not cards. Molten-Tail Masticore 's ability requires you to exile a creature card. Regardless of when the token leaves the graveyard, you can't exile it for Molten-Tail Masticore 's ability."
Dracog says... #1
Yes. Tokens go to the graveyard, then are sent to the "Does not exists" zone. You can respond to this with any instant-speed effects, such as Molten-Tail Masticore
November 19, 2010 12:35 p.m.