Opalescence and Theros Gods without Devotion: Are they creatures?

Asked by ekim32 11 years ago

Opalescence makes each other non-Aura enchantment a creature whose power and toughness are each equal to their CMC.

Theros' Gods have a static ability that, if your devotion is insufficient, makes them not creatures.

Two questions:

  1. If my devotion is not enough, are they creatures?(I seem to recall a rule of thumb that 'isn't/can't' overrule 'is/can', so I'm guessing not.)

  2. If my devotion is enough, what power and toughness does the God have?(I would say CMC, making this combo a nerf, because Opalescence is 'overwriting' them as it were.)

Skyfolk says... #1

I'm gonna direct you to this thread offsite: http://www.gatheringmagic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=36670

Pretty much explains the whole thing better than I could.

September 10, 2013 12:59 p.m.

Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #2

It depends on which one entered the battlefield most recently.

If Opalescence is newer, then its type-changing ability has a newer timestamp than the God's natural devotion ability and will always be applied after it. Whether devotion is "on" or "off", the God will be a creature with P/T equal to its CMC.

If the God is newer, then its devotion ability has a newer timestamp than Opalescence 's type-changing ability. If devotion is "on", it will be a creature with P/T equal to its CMC. If devotion is "off", it won't be a creature.

September 10, 2013 1:15 p.m.

ekim32 says... #3

That's a helpful discussion, but I'd have to disagree with some points there:

  • The Gods' P/T is not applied in the layer system when it is a creature, because it is simply the text of the card.
  • The Gods being creatures, likewise, isn't applied. If devotion isn't high enough, they become noncreatures, which is set in the layers.

So I guess the answers to my questions are:

  1. If the God was played first, it becomes a creature with Opalescence . Otherwise, it doesn't.
  2. The God has its CMC for P/T in this situation.

In effect, Opalescence nerfs the Gods. However, it boosts some of the Bestow creatures - when these creatures are not Bestowed they are non-Aura enchantments so will get their CMC as their P/T.

Anyone feel free to correct any of this if it's wrong XD

September 10, 2013 1:19 p.m.

ekim32 says... #4

Ninja'd on my own question... how odd. X) Thanks, both.

September 10, 2013 1:20 p.m.

This discussion has been closed