Junk Tokens in MTG: Rules, History, and Best Cards

Last updated on February 29, 2024

Boomer Scrapper | Illustration by Xavier Ribeiro

If you’ve ever played the Fallout games before, you’ll no doubt remember picking up all kinds of junk from around the game world and (hopefully) making good use of it later on, whether by selling it, trading it or crafting with it. Whatever you used it for, it’s been brought into the world of Magic in the form of Junk tokens.

What are Junk tokens, though? And are they of any use or just, well… junk! Let’s take a look at how they work and some of the cards they’re created by.

How Do Junk Tokens Work?

Junk tokens in Magic are artifact tokens with the text: “Tap, Sacrifice this artifact: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. Activate only as a sorcery.”

The latest in a long line of “utility” tokens, like Treasure or Clues, Junk gives the ability to “impulse draw,” which is usually seen on red cards as an alternative to drawing. It gives a flavorful pseudo-draw, but one that can only be made use of here and now, aligning to red’s impulsive section of the color pie.

Junk tokens can provide some great card advantage, as well as a way to get some extra artifacts onto the battlefield. They’re just itching to be broken!

The History of Junk Tokens in MTG

So far we’ve only seen Junk in the Fallout Commander decks, which released on March 2024. 15 cards in that set can create the tokens, mainly appearing in the Scrappy Survivors precon.

Whilst the mechanic isn’t evergreen, they seem to be super useful, and WotC has a habit of printing these kinds of utility tokens. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them again sometime.

Do You Have to Pay the Mana Cost for Cards Exiled With Junk Tokens?

Yes, you still need to pay the mana cost of the spell you exile with the Junk token if you want to cast it.

Is a Junk Token a Permanent?

Yes, a Junk token is a permanent like any other token (and it’s also an artifact!).

Do Junk Tokens Have Mana Value?

Junk tokens have a mana value of zero.

Are Junk Tokens Sent to the Graveyard?

When sacrificed (or destroyed by any other effect), a Junk token will go to the graveyard, but like any other token, it will cease to exist before you can perform any other action.

Can You Use a Junk Token With an Empty Library?

Yes, you can use a Junk token if your library is empty. You won’t exile anything with it, but you also won’t lose the game through ‘milling’ as it’s not the same as drawing a card. You might wish to do this if you have an effect that cares about sacrificing tokens, such as Mirkwood Bats.

Gallery and List of Junk Cards

• Boomer Scrapper
• Break Down
• C.A.M.P.
• Commander Sofia Daguerre
• Crimson Caravaneer
• Dogmeat, Ever Loyal
• Duchess, Wayward Tavernkeep
• Gunner Conscript
• Junk Jet
• Junktown
• Mister Gutsy
• Overencumbered
• Rose, Cutthroat Raider
• Thrill-Kill Disciple
• Veronica, Dissident Scribe

Best Junk Token Cards

At this point there’s not many cards that can make multiple Junk tokens, but these are the ones I’m looking at.

Top of the list is probably Rose, Cutthroat Raider, which can not only make multiple Junk tokens a turn, but makes mana off the back of them, which could really help in some kind of Junk-storm strategy. Another one I like is Mister Gutsy, who makes Junk tokens equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on it when it dies, allowing you to pile the counters on, then get a big ol’ pile of Junk after!

Decklist: Junk Tokens in Commander

Dogmeat, Ever Loyal | Illustration by Kieran Yanner

The best decklist for showcasing Junk tokens is probably the Scrappy Survivors precon, where they’re featured pretty heavily. Heading that up is Dogmeat, Ever Loyal, which has the potential to create a lot of Junk tokens if you have a good board of enchanted/equipped creatures. The deck even has an equipment card that makes Junk tokens, and has an alternative use for them in Junk Jet, potentially letting you close out the game with one big swing.

Final Thoughts

Mister Gutsy | Illustration by Zezhou Chen

Junk tokens are certainly something that could get out of hand if overdone, I feel, similar to how Wizards has had to pull back on Treasure tokens everywhere after leaning a bit too hard into them around 2022. Imagine a Dockside Extortionist that made Junk instead! Junk’s pretty cool, though, and I like the design. It would be cool to see a few more cards making them, or making use of them.

What do you think? Do you love collecting this Junk, or do you think it’s yet another resource token that you need to keep track of in your games? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and Draftsim Discord, and how you’re planning on making use of these bits and bobs.

Until next time, may you find some treasures in your junk.