What's the difference between Minion Reflector and Flameshadow Conjuring rulings?
Asked by DeathBySprnkles 3 years ago
I'm trying to figure out the ruling between Flameshadow Conjuring and Minion Reflector for token(s) exiled after other token(s) have become the "soon-to-be-exiled" token. The two cards have basically the same wording but on Gatherer, they have different rulings associated with them. According to the rulings on Minion Reflector, "The copiable values of the token’s characteristics are the same as the copiable values of the characteristics of the creature it’s copying, plus haste and “At end of turn, sacrifice this permanent.” That means if something becomes a copy of the token, it will also have haste and it will also have to be sacrificed at the end of the turn." However, Flameshadow Conjuring ruling states, "If another creature becomes or enters the battlefield as a copy of the token, that creature won’t have haste and it won’t be exiled." Do I follow each ruling individually? Follow the more modern ruling? Please help so I can prevent possible disagreements.
One is being exiled, one is being sacrificed... two different operations, and hence the different card wordings and Gatherer rulings to accommodate them.
January 29, 2021 2:11 a.m.
There's also a difference in how they grant haste, which is why a copy of the Minion Reflector token with will have haste and a copy of the Flameshadow Conjuring token won't.
Minion Reflector says "create a token that's a copy of that creature, except it has haste and [...]"
Flameshadow Conjuring says "That token gains haste."
This difference is that Minion Reflector is modifying the copiable values, whereas Flameshadow Conjuring adds an ability immediately after creating (and setting) the copiable values.
January 29, 2021 2:25 a.m.
Nice catch! I wouldn't have caught that, and it definitely matters when lots of copies are being made.
Tyrant-Thanatos says... Accepted answer #1
Follow each ruling individually. These effects, while similar, are distinct from one another. Flameshadow Conjuring creates a single delayed trigger that is separate from the token and exiles only that token. Minion Reflector adds the following line of text directly to the token itself: “At the beginning of the end step, sacrifice this permanent.”
January 28, 2021 10:55 p.m.