March of the Machines with animatable artifacts?
Asked by UniqueUserID 8 years ago
What happens if I use Chimeric Sphere abilities when March of the Machines is on the field?
I am also guessing the answer is the same for all animatable artifacts such as Guardian Idol.
UniqueUserID says... #2
Does all auras, damage and equips and the like all remain as well?
Wondering if I can do anything cheeky like psuedo-heal the artifact creature!
June 23, 2015 7:31 p.m.
PremiumCola says... #3
Yeah, as long as the creature never stops being a creature all auras and equips will still remain on it.
June 23, 2015 8:51 p.m.
UniqueUserID says... #4
Thank you both. So just for final clarification the creature will remember how much damage it has sustained this turn?
For example, if Chimeric Sphere was hit by Magma Spray while March of the Machines is on the field so it will have 1 toughness remaining. If the Chimeric Sphere now uses either of it's abilities will it die?
June 23, 2015 9:20 p.m.
Its toughness does not become 1 when it takes 2 damage as a 3/3. It is a 3/3 with 2 damage marked on it.
Should it later change power/toughness, it will still have 2 damage marked on it. So as a 2/1 or a 3/2, the next time state-based actions are checked, it will die.
June 23, 2015 9:28 p.m.
PremiumCola says... #6
Yeah, damage will still be marked on the creature. If at any point the damage marked on the creature is greater than or equal to the creatures toughness it is destroyed by state based actions.
If Chimeric Sphere has 2 damage marked on it and you make it a 3/2 it will be destroyed by a state based action.
Colten_Lee says... Accepted answer #1
If a noncreature artifact becomes an artifact creature this way and then another effect animates it, the new effect overrides March of the Machines's effect. For example, Chimeric Staff is a 4/4 creature while March of the Machines is on the battlefield. If you activate Chimeric Staff's ability and choose X = 5, Chimeric Staff will be a 5/5 artifact creature for the rest of the turn.
Gatherer ruling on March of the Machines
June 23, 2015 7:01 p.m.