What happens to a token that dies?
Asked by the5ervant 11 years ago
It's my understanding that a token just dissolves or something when it dies (since it doesn't go into the graveyard). If I have Mikaeus, the Unhallowed and a token on the board and the token dies without a +1/+1 counter on it, does it return to the battlefield with the +1/+1 counter?
In the undying help text, when it says "dies" this means "enters the graveyard". When a token would be moved anywhere besides the battlefield, instead it is removed from play and ceases to exist. Therefore, the token would never enter the graveyard, and the undying ability would not trigger.
March 5, 2014 12:40 a.m.
Tokens do enter the graveyard (they die) but next time state based actions are checked they are removed from game.
March 5, 2014 1:12 a.m.
That is incorrect. They do not enter the graveyard. From the official rules:
"110.5g A token that has left the battlefield cant move to another zone or come back onto the battlefield. If such a token would change zones, it remains in its current zone instead. It ceases to exist the next time state-based actions are checked"
March 5, 2014 1:21 a.m.
kmcree, that's actually reinforcing what Draugo correctly said. That quote is just saying that if a token is in a graveyard, for example, it can't be moved from there to exile. Nothing stops tokens from getting put into zones other than the battlefield, they just then cease to exist. As in example (reinforced in the Gatherer rulings for the card), tokens can be shuffled into libraries with Warp World .
The token is put into the graveyard and Mikaeus will trigger, but the token will cease to exist before the undying ability even goes on the stack (the ability will still resolve and do as much as possible, which is nothing).
TL;DR: Tokens hit the grave normally then cease to exist the next time state-based actions are checked.
March 5, 2014 6:05 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #6
The accepted answer and several other answers are all incorrect.
Tokens can change zones one time. They can move from the battlefield to one other zone. Once in that second zone, they cannot change zones again, and they will cease to exist the next time state-based actions are checked.
Because tokens can change zones once, they can go to the graveyard. This means they can die, and on-death abilities will trigger. In this case, undying will trigger, the token will cease to exist, and the ability will then be put onto the stack. The ability will do nothing when it resolves.
110.5f A token that's phased out, or that's in a zone other than the battlefield, ceases to exist. This is a state-based action; see rule 704. (Note that if a token changes zones, applicable triggered abilities will trigger before the token ceases to exist.)
March 5, 2014 10:15 a.m.
the5ervant says... #7
Epochalyptik- So would a token of mine dying trigger Grave Pact 's ability and cause an opponent to sac a creature?
March 6, 2014 1:11 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #8
Yes. Your token actually dies, so it triggers on-death abilities.
March 6, 2014 1:16 a.m.
the5ervant says... #9
Epochalyptik, the deck with that mechanic in question is an EDH I'm developing, The Telemarketing Call Center. Would you take a look at it and weigh in?
EKGwins says... #1
The token will just cease to exist. It would disappear before undying is checked.
March 5, 2014 12:26 a.m.