Are Treasure Tokens Now too Abundant?
General forum
Posted on April 30, 2022, 12:11 a.m. by DemonDragonJ
I recently saw this article, which comments on the ubiquity of treasure tokens, so I wish to share it with this forum, and discuss its message with the users, here.
Treasure tokens were introduced in the Ixalan block, and were a new and fascinating idea at that time. After that, a single card produced them, but that card was Smothering Tithe, a card that is rightly regarded as being extremely powerful. After that, treasure tokens have exploded in popularity, to the point that nearly every standard-legal sets uses them, and I am wondering if WotC has gone too far in emphasizing them.
I have no problem with treasure tokens on their own, but they are now so ubiquitous that I am worried that they shall warp the game, the way that planeswalekrs have. What does everyone else say about this? Do you feel that treasure tokens are simply being emphasized too heavily?
TypicalTimmy says... #3
Personally, I rather like the idea of treasure tokens. It's a nice way to gain temporary advantage and speed ahead, without it being a constant source. They can be easily interacted with, assist in color fixing, are easy to make and can fit in all decks. I think it's a great addition to Magic because it makes the game "easier" to play.
What I dislike is how new artifact tokens keep being produced trying to land on the same level as treasure. We began with Clues in Shadows Over Innistrad, and since then we have had Clues, Treasure, Food and now Blood. I sort of feel like we should take a step back and stop trying to force tokens that don't work. But perhaps that's just me.
April 30, 2022 2:08 a.m. Edited.
I am not totally sure yet. The speedup/tempo change involved when players are playing a creature spell that ramps, kill spell that ramps, redirect that ramps, etc (that ramps)... may enter the "strictly-better" territory. ___Spell + Lotus Petal is quite potent. I've also mentioned how you can think of Stimulus Package as an enchantment that has an ongoing effect while being a Skyshroud Claim just long enough for you to enable some massive swing plays. Enchantments, in general, that discount themselves or give you future "milk money" are really powerful. I think, they are fine right now, though they probably will cause a general tempo-change in the format. It is not all bad for players to be mana screwed less often or for Timmie-style plays to be more accessible across the format - I think the danger presented is the possibility for storm-decks to start popping up with: "cast x, get a treasure, rinse & repeat" for for 20 minute turns (you see some of this with repeatable recursion with Dockside Extortionist already. Right now the way treasures are at this moment, I do not think they are easily repeated enough for too much hokey-ass-pokey storm-engines with repetition. They are mostly at the sweet spot of enabling timmie plays next turn... but they are coming pretty close. I also feel that Bootleggers' Stash was a mistake as well, regardless of if it may be a "do-nothing" spell when it first comes in. Free-dropping artifacts is so easy & making it is a headscratcher but has Old Gnawbone just doing it better on the treasure front too so I guess they are just the color of "we do treasure better too"
April 30, 2022 4:16 a.m.
I liked treasure tokens in Ixalan as they felt like they fit the plane - after all, what do pirates search for? Treasure!
Now though, they're on every plane and in every set. The luster and magic behind them has disappeared in my opinion. Now, that isn't to say I disagree with TypicalTimmy in that they make the game easier to play in regards to mana fixing; in that regard I do like their general presence in the game. However, there are a few cards that are absolutely game-warping - examples being Dockside Extortionist, Smothering Tithe, and Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer - because of treasure tokens.
May 1, 2022 12:03 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #6
TypicalTimmy, perhaps I was being too strong when I said that planeswalkers have "warped" the game, but there is no doubt that they have had a major impact upon the game, and my main dislike about them is that they are receiving far too much focus, plus some of them have been extremely powerful, so I hope that WotC is aware of that, and is actively ensuring that planeswalkers are not too powerful.
May 1, 2022 5:40 p.m.
Stardragon says... #7
to put simply yes.
While i appreciate what treasure tokens are mostly for (temporary mana fixing) and it can go flavorwise on any plane since every plane will have a treasure of some sort that is highly valued or regarded
I feel like they making to many for each plane (1 or 2 a plane isn't bad but more than that is too much unless the treasure itself is a focus (like on Ixalan).) but once again green is getting way to much and unneeded treasure support while colors that need it (namely White and blue) are getting shafted yes ik white has Smothering Tithe and Monologue Tax but that's it (at this point I almost feel like Wizards should just cut white from the pie they shaft it enough as is and don't really give it the love it so desperately needs (and white is my least played color and even I can see the lack of love they give overall).)
So to reiterate while I like treasure as a concept they to 1. dial it back a bit on the amount printed and 2. focus on giving them to the colors that need it (again not green!!!!)
May 19, 2022 8:28 p.m.
golgarigirl says... #8
I liked that treasure was a great way to shore up weaknesses and grant additional clever synergies to colors that could really use it. My problem is that treasure seems like an incidental boon now. New set needs a loot effect? Slap some treasure generation on it. Want to make this counterspell feel different? Slap some treasure on it. And that means the ways to deal with it should also be more incidental than they are, especially since the treasure effectively 'refunds' any increase in mana cost a spell may have.
My biggest issue with treasure nowadays is that there are few good ways to deal with it. Most of the effects that hamper treasure are one-of effects that yes, may attempt to destroy it (most of the time, people sac in response...so now they just use the mana to cast an instant instead of doing something next turn) and then they just generate another pile of it next turn.
The hate effects need to be as cheap and incidental as the token generation. I would love to see a cross between a Bojuka Bog and a Blast Zone for treasure tokens. Something with little opportunity cost to put in a deck. Currently, depending on the color, I may have to dedicate 5 mana at sorcery speed to set my opponent back one turn of token generation with an effect like Vandalblast (which is a fine answer to artifacts in general, but a terrible answer for treasures). I might as well just let them Time Walk me. Heck, I'll settle for a Stony Silence with Cycling so it's not stuck doing nothing in the 66% of games treasure doesn't get out of hand.
TypicalTimmy says... #2
How have Planeswalkers warped the game?
April 30, 2022 12:41 a.m.