Do Devoid Cards Count Towards Devotion?
The short, direct answer is: No, devoid cards do not count towards devotion. While this might seem counterintuitive at first glance, the mechanics behind devotion and devoid in Magic: The Gathering are distinct. Devotion only cares about the number of colored mana symbols in the mana costs of permanents you control. Devoid, on the other hand, is a static ability that makes a card colorless, regardless of the colors in its mana cost. Let’s delve deeper into how these two mechanics interact and clarify common confusions.
Understanding Devotion
What is Devotion?
Devotion is a mechanic that counts the number of colored mana symbols present in the mana costs of permanents you control. These mana symbols must be in the upper right-hand corner of the card, specifically within the casting cost. Let’s be clear about what devotion does not count:
- Mana symbols in the text boxes of cards, such as activation costs, don’t count.
- Large mana symbols printed on basic lands don’t contribute to devotion.
- Colorless mana symbols (the diamond symbol) do not count toward your devotion.
For example, if you control a creature with a mana cost of {2}{W}{B} and another with a mana cost of {1}{R}{R}, your devotion to white would be one, your devotion to black would be one, and your devotion to red would be two.
Why is this Important?
Devotion is a key component in the design of many cards and has been featured in multiple Magic: The Gathering sets, like Theros. Cards that use the devotion mechanic often have powerful effects that are scaled based on your devotion to a particular color. This means the more mana symbols of a specific color you have on the board, the more potent the effect becomes. This dynamic encourages players to build decks that heavily commit to specific colors, making it a strategic element of deck building and gameplay.
Understanding Devoid
What is Devoid?
Devoid is a characteristic-defining ability that makes a card colorless, no matter what its mana cost may be. It’s not an activated ability, nor is it a triggered ability. It’s always on, functioning even outside the battlefield. This means that a card with devoid is always colorless – in your hand, in the graveyard, in exile, and on the battlefield.
The Misconception
The confusion arises because devoid cards often have colored mana symbols in their mana cost. For instance, a card with a mana cost of {2}{G}{B} and the devoid ability would still be colorless, but has both green and black mana symbols in its mana cost. However, this does not mean the card adds to your devotion to green or black, because the card itself is colorless. Devotion counts the symbols, not the card’s overall color.
Why use Devoid?
Devoid provides synergy with specific cards and mechanics. For instance, Eldrazi Temple, a land that produces colorless mana for casting Eldrazi creatures or activating abilities of colorless Eldrazi, becomes significantly more useful when the cards you wish to cast are colorless through the devoid ability. This ability gives more flexibility to cards that otherwise would not be considered colorless.
Devoid and Devotion: The Crucial Distinction
The key takeaway here is that while devoid makes a card colorless, it doesn’t change the number of colored mana symbols in its mana cost. Consequently, devoid cards do not contribute to your devotion because they are, in fact, colorless objects.
Let’s recap with an example: Suppose you control a creature with the mana cost {2}{R} and no abilities. That card would contribute one devotion to red. Suppose you also control a creature with the mana cost {2}{R} with the devoid ability. That card would not contribute any devotion to red, because even though the mana symbol {R} is present in the mana cost, the card is considered colorless.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do lands count towards devotion?
No, lands do not count towards devotion. Devotion only counts the colored mana symbols in the mana costs of permanents you control. Lands do not have mana costs, so they do not contribute to devotion. The exception to this is Dryad Arbor which is a land and creature card that has a green color identity and mana symbol. This would contribute 1 to green devotion.
2. Does the colorless symbol count as devotion?
No, the colorless symbol (represented by the diamond) does not count towards devotion. Devotion only cares about colored mana symbols: white, blue, black, red, and green.
3. Do copies of cards count towards devotion?
Yes, copies of cards count towards devotion as long as the copy retains the original card’s mana cost. However, if the copy’s rules text explicitly states that it has no mana cost (like tokens created by eternalize), those copies do not add to your devotion.
4. Can you put devoid cards in a commander deck?
Yes, you can use devoid cards in a Commander deck, but their inclusion is limited by their color identity, not their color. A devoid card might be colorless, but it’s color identity, determined by mana symbols in its cost, limits what decks it can go in. For instance, a card with {G}{B} in its casting cost, but the devoid ability would be considered green and black in color identity.
5. Does devoid work in your hand?
Yes, the devoid ability works everywhere, including in your hand, in the graveyard, in exile, and on the battlefield. A card with devoid is always considered colorless, regardless of its location.
6. Does a card’s border tell you its color?
Yes, a card’s border is a visual indication of its color, making it easy to distinguish black cards, for example, from blue cards. It’s one way to quickly determine the card’s color, but devoid cards can be deceptive.
7. Do nonbasic lands count towards devotion?
No, nonbasic lands do not count towards devotion for the same reason that basic lands do not: they have no mana costs. Only colored mana symbols in the casting costs of permanents add to devotion.
8. Is a colorless card monocolor?
No, a colorless card is not considered monocolor. Monocolor refers to cards with exactly one color (white, blue, black, red, or green). Colorless cards have no color, therefore are not considered monocolor.
9. Does Gray Merchant of Asphodel count itself towards devotion?
Yes, Gray Merchant of Asphodel counts itself when its enter-the-battlefield ability triggers. It will “see” itself enter, and therefore include its black mana symbols in the devotion count.
10. Does copying a spell count as casting it?
No, copying a spell does not count as casting it. When a spell is copied, the copy is placed directly onto the stack and is not considered cast. This distinction is important for mechanics such as storm.
11. How does Devoid work with Eldrazi?
Devoid is often found on Eldrazi and cards associated with them. The colorless nature of devoid synergizes with cards that interact with colorless spells and permanents, providing unique build-around options for players.
12. What is the point of devoid?
The main point of devoid is to make cards colorless that would otherwise have color. This allows these cards to be used with synergies that care about a card being colorless rather than the color or colors of mana symbols in its mana cost.
13. Can you play devoid cards in a colorless deck?
No, you cannot play devoid cards in a commander deck that has a colorless commander unless their color identity matches your commander. This is because of the Commander rules using color identity, which differs from a card’s color.
14. Are lands always colorless?
Yes, lands are generally colorless by default, unless specifically stated otherwise on the card, as is the case with Dryad Arbor, a card which is considered both a land and a green creature card.
15. What is the rule 706?
Rule 706 is about copying objects. It explains that copying can turn one object into a “copy” of a spell, permanent, or card. Importantly, it clarifies that a copy of a spell is not considered to be cast, and a copy of an ability is not considered activated.
By understanding these nuanced differences between devoid and devotion, you can make better-informed decisions when deck building and playing Magic: The Gathering. Knowing how these mechanics interact is crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of your strategies. Remember, devotion focuses on colored mana symbols and devoid makes a card colorless, regardless of its mana cost.