Does Xenagos Count as a Creature? A Deep Dive into Magic: The Gathering’s God of Revels
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The answer to whether Xenagos, God of Revels counts as a creature in Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is nuanced and depends entirely on the zone he’s currently residing in and your devotion to red and green mana symbols. Simply put, Xenagos is a creature in most zones, but may not be on the battlefield.
Understanding Xenagos’s Creature Status
Xenagos, God of Revels, is a Legendary Enchantment Creature card. However, his creature status fluctuates due to a static ability. He is a creature only if your devotion to red and green is seven or greater. Devotion is calculated by counting the number of red and green mana symbols on permanents you control.
Xenagos in Different Zones: A Breakdown
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Library, Hand, Graveyard, Exile: In all these zones, Xenagos is a creature card. His type-changing ability only functions on the battlefield. This means he is subject to effects that target creature cards while in these zones.
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Stack: When Xenagos is cast, he becomes a creature spell on the stack. He can be countered by spells that counter creature spells.
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Battlefield: This is where things get interesting. On the battlefield, Xenagos is only a creature if your devotion to red and green is seven or more. If your devotion is less than seven, he’s just a Legendary Enchantment. This distinction matters for cards that target creatures or enchantments specifically.
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Command Zone: Like the library, hand, graveyard, and exile, Xenagos is always considered a creature card in the Command Zone. This is important for Commander format rules.
Xenagos and Game Mechanics: Why it Matters
Knowing whether Xenagos is a creature or not impacts how he interacts with other cards and abilities. For example:
- Creature Removal: If Xenagos is on the battlefield and your devotion is less than seven, he’s immune to creature removal spells like “Murder”. However, he’s vulnerable to enchantment removal like “Disenchant”.
- Creature Buffs: Creature buffs like “Giant Growth” will only affect Xenagos if your devotion is high enough for him to be a creature.
- “Creaturefall” Triggers: If your devotion is low, playing Xenagos will not trigger any “When a creature enters the battlefield” abilities, but he will trigger “When an enchantment enters the battlefield” abilities.
- Summoning Sickness: If Xenagos enters the battlefield as a creature (devotion is seven or more), and you haven’t controlled him continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn, he has summoning sickness and can’t attack or activate abilities with the tap symbol.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Xenagos
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the nuances of Xenagos and his creature status:
1. Is Xenagos a creature spell when I cast him?
Yes, Xenagos is a creature spell when you cast him and while he is on the stack. This means he can be countered by spells that target creature spells like Counterspell or Essence Scatter.
2. What happens if my devotion drops below seven while Xenagos is on the battlefield?
If your devotion drops below seven while Xenagos is on the battlefield, he immediately stops being a creature. If he was attacking or blocking at the time, he is removed from combat.
3. Can Xenagos be targeted by “Destroy target enchantment” if my devotion is less than seven?
Yes. If your devotion to red and green is less than seven, Xenagos is an enchantment, and therefore can be targeted by cards like Disenchant or Naturalize.
4. If Xenagos is not a creature, can he attack or block?
No. If Xenagos is not a creature due to insufficient devotion, he cannot attack or block. He is simply an enchantment.
5. Does Xenagos trigger “enters the battlefield” abilities related to creatures?
If Xenagos enters the battlefield and your devotion is seven or more, he will trigger abilities that trigger when a creature enters the battlefield. If your devotion is less than seven, he won’t.
6. Can I use a creature tutor like “Chord of Calling” to find Xenagos?
Yes, regardless of your devotion on the battlefield, in your library, Xenagos is always a creature card and can be found with creature tutors.
7. If I flicker Xenagos, will he be a creature when he returns to the battlefield?
Yes, but the calculation for whether he is a creature is made as he enters the battlefield. If your devotion is seven or higher at that moment, he enters as a creature; otherwise, he enters as just an enchantment.
8. Can I equip Xenagos with equipment if he’s not a creature?
No. Equipment can only be attached to creatures. If Xenagos isn’t a creature, you can’t equip him. Auras are different as they have broader targeting criteria.
9. Is Xenagos affected by summoning sickness if my devotion is high enough for him to be a creature?
Yes. If Xenagos enters the battlefield as a creature (devotion is seven or more), and you haven’t controlled him continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn, he has summoning sickness.
10. If Xenagos is blocked, and then my devotion drops below seven, does he still deal combat damage?
No. Once Xenagos stops being a creature, he is removed from combat and will not deal any combat damage.
11. Can I use a card that says “Destroy target noncreature permanent” to destroy Xenagos when my devotion is high enough for him to be a creature?
No. When your devotion is high enough for Xenagos to be a creature, he is not a noncreature permanent.
12. What happens if I Clone Xenagos?
The Clone will enter the battlefield as a copy of Xenagos. The devotion check will apply to each Xenagos independently based on your devotion at that time. One could be a creature while the other isn’t. Remember the Legend Rule if you control two legendary permanents with the same name.
13. Does Xenagos have any activated abilities?
Xenagos, God of Revels himself does not have any activated abilities. However, keep in mind that his triggered ability affects other creatures. Activated abilities are identified by a cost followed by a colon.
14. Why is Xenagos an enchantment creature in the first place?
The “God” creature type in Theros sets are enchantment creatures to represent that the gods are born from the beliefs and devotion of mortals. They are beings of immense power intrinsically tied to the plane’s beliefs and the actions of its inhabitants. The Games Learning Society can tell you that this is an example of a flavor-rich design decision.
15. If Xenagos is my Commander, is he always a creature?
Yes, Xenagos is always a creature card in the command zone. This ensures that he can be cast using commander tax and adheres to the deckbuilding restrictions of the Commander format. As clarified on GamesLearningSociety.org, the choice to make Xenagos a creature even outside the battlefield is a deliberate design decision by Wizards of the Coast.