Token card

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Revision as of 21:00, 27 February 2023 by >Jerodast (Taking the plunge! It seems clear that token cards as a game term were a one-time thing for Mystery Booster, especially with the creation of Conjure. The use of the term going forward is very likely to refer to token marker cards rather than Myster Booster ones, so this page should describe both and start with the common usage. (We could split and disambiguate but that seems unnecessary given the short content.))
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Token Card
Mechanic
Introduced Mystery Booster
Last used Mystery Booster
Statistics
3 cards
{U} 33.3% {B} 66.7%
Scryfall Search
fulloracle:"Token Card"

Token card has two meanings:

  • Non-standard cards used as a marker to represent tokens, which are included in many Magic products.
  • A type of game object with the properties and rules of regular cards, but which are created by an effect, like regular tokens. They were introduced on Mystery Booster test cards, and are not part of the Comprehensive Rules.

Token markers

Main article: Token

Tokens created by various effects have game properties defined by abilities or game rules. However, a physical object must serve as a marker for the token. "Token cards", non-standard cards included in many Magic products, are one choice for such a marker. Dice, beads, scraps of paper, and so on could also be used. Regardless of the choice of marker, these objects follow the game rules defined for tokens; using a token card rather than a different option has no gameplay impact.

In many booster packs, a "slot" is reserved for token cards, marketing cards, and other special content printed in the shape of a card. Other products such as bundles may also include tokens. While token cards have no in-game meaning compared to other forms of marker, they include a card frame and artwork visually fitting with regular Magic cards, making them popular and sometimes even collectible. A token card's art is sometimes by the same artist as the card it's associated with, or both pieces of art may have been designed as a single artistic creation, especially for unique tokens only associated with one card.

Token cards do not have a standard Magic card back and may use different card stock, denoting them as illegal to use as regular cards. Token cards usually include the name, types, abilities, and power/toughness of the token created by an ability of another card. Some tokens are more general, such as tokens for copies which could have any properties. The word "Token" is usually present on the type line, although "Token" is not an actual card type or supertype. Many tokens use a full-art style.

Mystery Booster token cards

Unlike a normal token, token cards do not cease to exist in a zone other than the battlefield. It's both a token and a card. It can move between zones any number of times and continues to exist for the rest of the game.[1]

If a token card is put into a hidden zone, you must use a supplementary token card with a Magic card back to represent it. Since these do not exist yet, you may need to be creative.

For effects that look for or modify the creation of tokens, creating token cards isn't the same as creating tokens.

Conjure is a designed-for-digital mechanic that has many similarities with this concept.[2]

List

Token Name Color Type Line P/T Text Box Source Printings
Gunk Colorless Sorcery (This is a token card which doesn't cease to exist in a zone other than the battlefield and has no mana cost.)
Cycling {4}
Time Walk Blue Sorcery (This is a token card which doesn't cease to exist in a zone other than the battlefield and has a {1}{U} mana cost.)
Take an extra turn after this one.
Reassembling Skeleton Black Creature — Skeleton Warrior 1/1 (This is a token card which doesn't cease to exist in a zone other than the battlefield and has a {1}{B} mana cost.)
{1}{B}: Return Reassembling Skeleton from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped.
Leeches White Sorcery (This is a token card which doesn't cease to exist in a zone other than the battlefield and has a {1}{W}{W} mana cost.)
Target player loses all poison counters. Leeches deals that much damage to that player.

References