Last updated on March 13, 2024

Dark Depths - Illustration by Mathias Kollros

Dark Depths | Illustration by Mathias Kollros

Updated for ONE by Pedro

Tokens are cool and that’s a fact. Not an opinion. A fact. You can argue with me all you like, but you’ll find no success in swaying my opinion fact.

But what makes tokens so cool? Well, tokens can be anything. Literally anything. You could even use your cat to represent an in-game token, although I’d seriously advise against it. It’s just as terrible as it sounds. Trust me.

Players typically use dice, empty sleeves, or actual tokens printed by Magic to represent creatures that your spells have summoned. But if you want to play with tokens (which you do), then you’ll need some token generators!

Table of Contents show

What Counts as a Token Generator?

Blade of Selves - Illustration by Alan Pollack

Blade of Selves | Illustration by Alan Pollack

There isn’t any formal definition of a token generator, but most players agree that it’s any card that can create a token. It doesn’t matter how the token is created. Whether the effect is recurring or if the token-maker is a creature.

If a card says “create a token” or anything similar to that, it’s a token generator. That card can create a token once per turn, once every two turns, or just once (think Goblin Rally).

Got it? Okay, let’s continue!

Best White Token Generators

#8. Entreat the Angels

Entreat the Angels

Anybody remember Azorius () Miracles? If you play Legacy, then you’re probably still facing it to this day and will likely face it until the end of time.

Entreat the Angels may be the perfect payoff card in a slow control deck running white. You obviously want to cast it for its miracle cost so that you get the best bang for your buck. For as little as you get to say: “Hey, I just created five 4/4 fliers and I’m going to win next turn.”

#7. Elspeth, Sun’s Champion

Elspeth, Sun’s Champion

Just keeping activating Elspeth, Sun's Champion’s first ability and you’ll have a board full of 1/1 Soldiers in no time. Elspeth also clears the way for your attackers with its second ability so your tokens are sure to face a fair fight.

#6. Spectral Procession

Spectral Procession

Now this has a pretty confusing mana cost. Technically I could label this card as colorless, but nobody wants to create three little spirits for . Spectral Procession can be a devastating turn 2 play if your mana base allows it, though.

#5. Legion’s Landing / Adanto, the First Fort

This one does very little, but for very little cost. Legion's Landing gives you a 1/1 creature with lifelink which is slightly below the expected power level for a 1-mana creature. But you won’t have much trouble flipping it to Adanto, the First Fort if you’re playing an aggressive deck.

This legendary land can either ramp you a little bit or provide recurring value. It’s what Magic players like to refer to as a mana sink, which is a way to transform excess mana into some form of value.

#4. Monastery Mentor

Monastery Mentor

Monastery Mentor is so good that it's actually restricted in Vintage! That's right, it's up there with Black Lotus and Ancestral Recall. Well, it may not be that level of broken, but in a format where you can cast a multitude of zero-mana artifacts and cheap spells, Monastery Mentor and its Monk tokens can make quick work of your opponent.

#3. Dawn of Hope

Dawn of Hope

Drawing cards every time you gain a single life is already annoying, and the fact that you can make little lifelink tokens with Dawn of Hope just to keep the engine rolling is the perfect complement.

#2. Wedding Announcement

Wedding Announcement

Wedding Annoucement is a token maker that gives you some cards and some tokens before converting itself into a +1/+1 effect, which is perfect for token decks.

#1. Skrelv's Hive

Skrelv's Hive

The white Bitterblossom, Skrelv's Hive makes a mite token each turn. You can even eventually give them lifelink.

Best Blue Token Generators

#5. Blade of Shared Souls

Blade of Shared Souls

Blade of Shared Souls is the new “Clone” variant of the set, though it is limited to creatures you control like Glasspool Mimic. The nice thing about this is that the Clone effect is repeatable, so you can change the equipment user and have a different copy effect.

#4. Shark Typhoon

Shark Typhoon

Yep, Sharknado. Sure, this card could make the list by flavor alone, but Shark Typhoon is also one of the most versatile token generators in the game. It’s every blue player’s dream. You hold up all your mana during your opponent’s turn and you can create a token without going down in card advantage if you don’t end up using your counterspell.

Oh, and you can’t counter Shark Typhoon’s cycling ability because it doesn’t count as casting a spell so it’s also every blue player’s nightmare. The fact that it’s also an enchantment with a busted ability is just the cherry on top.

#3. Rite of Replication

Rite of Replication

Rite of Replication is great if you’re looking to wreak havoc at your next EDH game. As if EDH games weren’t chaotic enough already. You should note that Rite doesn’t need be cast on your own creature, so you can pretty much create an entire army out of nowhere even if your board is empty. Who doesn’t like that?

#2. Jace, Cunning Castaway

Jace, Cunning Castaway

We’re looking at Jace, Cunning Castaway’s ultimate in particular. First of all, any card that can create copies of itself is bound to get out of hand eventually. Second, very few cards can create planeswalker tokens. Third, this goes infinite with Doubling Season, which is just hilarious.

#1. Urza, Lord High Artificer

Urza, Lord High Artificer

Urza, Lord High Artificer has a whole lot of text, and all of it is good. That Construct is a force to be reckoned with in the right deck. Not to mention that Urza can generate extra mana and transform that mana into immediate value!

Best Black Token Generators

#3. Bitterblossom

Bitterblossom

Bitterblossom was actually banned in Modern for a while because of how powerful it is. Okay, not quite as powerful as Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis, but it’s still a good card. Bitterblossom may look relatively tame to the untrained eye but I guarantee you that those pesky little fliers become a real threat over time. You get an absolute ton of on-board material for a very low mana cost.

#2. Liliana, the Last Hope

Liliana, the Last Hope

Liliana, the Last Hope has it all: consistent removal for annoying creatures, value generation, and possibly one of the best planeswalker emblems in the game. Nothing screams “zombie apocalypse” more than an emblem that generates board after board of zombie tokens.

#1. Bridge from Below

Bridge from Below

Oh boy, Bridge from Below has always been busted. You don’t technically have to pay mana for its effect. In fact, it won’t do anything if you cast it for mana. Bridge only works if it’s in your graveyard, not your battlefield. This enchantment has often been the card to push graveyard strategies over the edge. Thank goodness it’s banned in Modern.

Best Red Token Generators

#6. Dragonwing Glider

Dragonwing Glider

Look, a 4/4 with flying and haste! Dragonwing Glider is actually an equipment that comes with a 2/2 token attached, but it’s a threat pushed enough to see play.

You’ll attack for four here and there, and even if all the creatures get destroyed, your next creatures can have +2/+2, flying, and haste.

#5. Young Pyromancer

Young Pyromancer

Young Pyromancer strategies are always fun to play. This card is typically found in midrange decks where the goal is to generate crazy amounts of value and grind out your opponent in the process. Like I mentioned with Bitterblossom, even 1/1 creatures can get out of control when in great numbers.

#4. Krenko, Mob Boss

Krenko, Mob Boss

Did I forget to mention that even 1/1 creatures can get out of control when there’s a ton of them? I must say, exponential growth is a great phenomenon, and nothing highlights this better than Krenko, Mob Boss. Plus, if you love goblin tribal synergies, this is the card for you! It's even great as a commander.

#3. Splinter Twin

Splinter Twin

Splinter Twin + Deceiver Exarch = win(?)

Veterans of the game know that this combo is a real thing and that it’s been played at the highest levels of competition on many occasions. I should also mention that Splinter Twin is functionally similar to Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker but Kiki-Jiki also goes infinite with Restoration Angel and similar cards.

#2. Dragonmaster Outcast

Dragonmaster Outcast

Good dragon token generators can be hard to come by, I know. Dragonmaster Outcast, however, is fantastic for generating dragon tokens every turn. It’s a small, vulnerable creature, but you can start creating 5/5 dragon tokens out of nowhere for just a little investment!

#1. Empty the Warrens

Empty the Warrens

Storm players know what I’m talking about with Empty the Warrens. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Storm, it’s a deck where you play as many cheap cards as possible in a turn and then play Grapeshot or Tendrils of Agony for the win. Your opponent often sideboards Leyline of Sanctity in to stop this but you’ll be prepared to fight this with Empty the Warrens, which can get you a dozen or so goblin tokens as early as turn 2!

Best Green Token Generators

#4. Tireless Tracker

Tireless Tracker

Remember, Clues also count as tokens. The great thing about Clues is that you don’t have to cash them in right away; you can ignore them for as long as you want (although that would make for a terrible detective story). Magic players hate being flooded with lands and Tireless Tracker removes that concern altogether which makes it very appealing. The Tracker also works great with fetch lands.

#3. Wrenn and Seven

Wrenn and Seven

This planeswalker’s a bit of a new one from Midnight Hunt. The successor to the meta-warping Wrenn and Six, Wrenn and Seven is a tad bit more balanced but still powerful. Its - ability gives you a nice beefy creature to protect your planeswalker. Oh, and the token also has reach, a fact I learned the hard way. Don’t make the same mistake I did when playing against Wrenn and Seven.

#2. Esika's Chariot

Esika's Chariot

Esika's Chariot is a vehicle that makes two 2/2s by itself, and it copies a token every time it attacks. The Chariot works really well with cards that make huge tokens like Wrenn and Seven.

#1. Scute Swarm

Scute Swarm

Another green token generator that works great with fetch lands. While it might take some time for this insect to get going, Scute Swarm feels like an insect infestation once you start to push into the ultra-late game (something that always seems to happen at my EDH games). If you’re playing against this, just kill it before it’s too late.

Please.

Best Multicolored Token Generators

#5. Lingering Souls

Lingering Souls

I debated whether to put this under white, black, or multicolored. Very few white decks run Lingering Souls without at least splashing black, but I’ve seen decks that weren’t running white in their mana base play this.

Decks with Faithless Looting and similar cards only care about the flashback side of Lingering Souls, which I hope highlights just how good this card is. You get four 1/1 flying spirit tokens for , and you get to pay that mana in two installments!

#4. Oko, Thief of Crowns

Oko, Thief of Crowns

I wrote a description for this, but it was turned into a 3/3 elk. Sorry!

Okay, in all seriousness, you don’t even need to be a seasoned player to know that Oko, Thief of Crowns made a lot of players angry, and for good reason. All creatures and artifacts would slowly be transformed into 3/3 creatures over the course of the game.

But since the player running Oko, Thief of Crowns would also transform their Food tokens into elks, the opponent was hard-pressed to form a winning attack. Like many other players in the community, I’m glad this card is banned. It only made this list because of its sheer power level.

#3. Assemble the Legion

Assemble the Legion

Yes Assemble the Legion is expensive, but it'll win a game based on the sheer number of tokens produced given time. Plus, there’s always soldier tribal to buff it.

#2. Rhys the Redeemed

Rhys the Redeemed

Another recurring token generator for only one mana? Sign me up!

Rhys the Redeemed’s first ability is cool and all, but I’m really playing it for that second one. If you see me playing Rhys at the table, you can be sure that I’m doubling my tokens every single turn even if it isn’t the best play. That’s just how cool it is.

#1. Marneus Calgar

Marneus Calgar

Marneus Calgar is an Esper () commander that draws you a card every time a token enters the battlefield, and it can even make a few tokens itself. Marneus is both a token maker and a payoff.

Best Colorless Token Generators

#4. Retrofitter Foundry

Retrofitter Foundry

I love low-cost mana sinks, especially when they generate tokens. Retrofitter Foundry’s ability to activate its effects multiple times a turn means it doesn’t matter how much excess mana you have during a game because you always have a way to use it.

#3. Thopter Foundry

Thopter Foundry

Yes, another Foundry. This is the artifact section, what did you expect?

I’m putting Thopter Foundry here because it synergizes really nicely with Sword of the Meek which allows you to gain one life and create a 1/1 flier for every mana you spend. Did I mention that I love low-cost mana sinks?

#2. Blade of Selves

Blade of Selves

Tired of deciding who to attack at your 4-player EDH game? With Blade of Selves, you won’t have to! Now I should note that these tokens only last until end of combat, but hey! They’re still tokens, right?

#1. Batterskull

Batterskull

Whoa there, now we’re starting to push the definition of “token generator” a bit. But I think Batterskull’s inclusion on this list is justified. The living weapon mechanic is great, especially since most equipment is too slow to see competitive play. Having Batterskull ready to enter combat as soon as it hits the battlefield is one of the main reasons to run it in every one of your Stoneforge Mystic decks.

Best Land Token Generators

Oh, you thought we were done, didn’t you? Think again! This little section includes some of the most hated lands in Magic’s history. Brace yourself.

#5. Urza’s Saga

Urza's Saga MH2

Urza's Saga takes the “permanent” out of permanent, making it a… Never mind, I don’t know where I was going with that.

Despite you having to sacrifice it after three turns, Saga is still a dangerous land if I do say so myself. Those constructs can be pretty scary and that ability to tutor the tech artifact of your choice leaves you more than happy, even after you have to say goodbye to your beloved land.

#4. Castle Ardenvale

Castle Ardenvale

Castle Ardenvale has become a free inclusion in a lot of white decks, especially Azorius () draw-go decks since it gives you another thing to do with your mana other than countering spells. Given time, the tokens generated by the castle will win the game.

#3. Field of the Dead

Field of the Dead

Who said you needed to play spells to win? If you sense that your opponent is holding a bunch of counterspells in their hand, all you have to do is make your land drops. Then attack with your horde of zombies à la Field of the Dead and, uh, win. It’s that easy.

#2. Dark Depths

Dark Depths

Dark Depths requires thirty mana to create a token and it doesn’t even tap for mana! Yes, this legendary snow land is virtually unplayable unless you pair it with something like Thespian's Stage, Vesuva, or Vampire Hexmage.

Then you get the best token in the game: Marit Lage. Sure, it doesn’t do much against Karakas or Path to Exile, but hey! You can always pray that your opponent doesn’t have those cards. That usually works for me.

#1. Westvale Abbey / Ormendahl, Profane Prince

Again, paying thirty mana to get a big bad creature isn’t the best deal in the world. But if you think of Westvale Abbey as a way to transform your puny little tokens into a giant payoff card it starts to look a whole lot more appealing.

Best Token Support Cards

Sometimes having token generators simply isn’t enough. If your token-based strategy lacks that power to compete with other players at your table, consider some of the following options.

Doubling Season

Doubling Season

This is the old-school way to really go overboard with your token generators (and planeswalkers). Doubling Season often leads to some wacky combos (infinite copies of Jace, Cunning Castaway, as mentioned earlier) or it blows up in your face (sacrificing one of your two copies of Marit Lage thanks to the legend rule). Either way, Doubling is bound to spice up your game.

Primal Vigor

Primal Vigor

Basically Doubling Season, but slightly worse. You might want to run Primal Vigor anyway if you’re playing EDH to provide some redundancy in your singleton deck.

Mondrak, Glory Dominus

Mondrak, Glory Dominus

The newest in the tradition of doubling tokens, Mondrak, Glory Dominus is also a 4/4 threat that can become indestructible. A creature is easier to interact with than an enchantment, so the indestructibility is nice.

Anointed Procession + Parallel Lives

Anointed Procession Parallel Lives

Anointed Procession and Parallel Lives are the same card in different colors. Also Doubling Season but worse, but also for one less mana. If you’re going full tokens and don’t care about the counters then you may as well run one of these instead of Doubling Season.

As the old saying goes, a mana saved is a mana earned! Feel free to quote me on this.

Thalisse, Reverent Medium

Thalisse, Reverent Medium

If you’re already in the market for creating tokens, make some more with Thalisse, Reverent Medium. For each token you create in a given turn, you get an extra 1/1 flying spirit.

Wrap Up

Adanto, the First Fort - Illustration by Svetlin Velinov

Adanto, the First Fort | Illustration by Svetlin Velinov

Thanks a lot for your time! Hopefully I’ve inspired you to add a little bit of flair to your deck, token-based or not. There are a lot of token generators out there and some great ones may have slipped my mind.

Feel free to mention some of your favorite token generators that didn’t make the list in the comments below. As always, you can message us on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, or any of our other social media.

Until then, keep generating those tokens!

Follow Draftsim for awesome articles and set updates:

5 Comments

  • Avatar
    Reagan Miles May 9, 2022 11:35 am

    I think assemble the legion is a pretty worthy add, getting incrementally bigger each turn

    • Avatar
      Dan Troha May 9, 2022 11:45 am

      Great suggestion. Loved that card, but hated playing against it in limited!

  • Avatar
    Kal June 6, 2022 4:43 pm

    Rabble Uprising is a new card that will create a token per attacking creature. Now you don’t need to worry about losing tokens! Simply attack with tokens and new 1/1 tokens will be created in their place. Pair that with when creatures enter the field effects for even more token shenanigans! … I’m yet to try this out with a token generating deck 🙂

    • Avatar
      Dan Troha June 6, 2022 6:32 pm

      Agree! Rabble Rousing is very powerful and pretty fun (for you)

      • Avatar
        HartEm February 4, 2024 7:35 am

        A token generator that I love is Otharri, suns’ glory.
        It is a legendary creature, with flight, lifelink and haste.
        It create an experience counter each time it attacks, then create a 2/2 rebel attacking token for each counter you have.
        But the best thing about this card is that if it dies, you can bring it back by paying 4 mana and just tap a rebel (which we already generate with this Otharri). And the counter, don’t disappear when he dies, because they are on you and not on Otharri. So, he comes back and continues as if nothing happened

Add Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *