Tawnos, Solemn Survivor is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
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: Create a token that's a copy of up to one target artifact token you control. Mill two cards.
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Complete guide
Tawnos, Solemn Survivor is a powerhouse for artifact-based decks, offering a way to multiply your existing tokens or bring back fallen legends as metallic echoes. Representing the legendary artificer's mastery, this card bridges the gap between the graveyard and the battlefield. Whether you are duplicating simple treasures or complex machines, Tawnos ensures your board state continues to evolve.
Dual Masteries: Copying and Reanimating
Tawnos features two distinct activated abilities. The first ability allows you to pay two mana and tap him to duplicate an artifact token you already control while milling two cards to fuel your graveyard. The second, more expensive ability allows you to sacrifice two artifact tokens to 'reanimate' a creature or artifact card from your graveyard as an artifact token. This transformation is permanent, making the new token an artifact in addition to its other types, which synergizes perfectly with Tawnos's first ability.
Step-by-Step Resolution
When activating the first ability, you must choose a target artifact token you control. Upon resolution, a new token enters the battlefield that is a copy of the original; then, you mill two cards. For the second ability, you pay the mana, tap Tawnos, sacrifice two tokens, and exile a card from your graveyard as a cost. When it resolves, a token enters the battlefield copying the exiled card's original characteristics, plus the artifact type. Note that 'enters the battlefield' triggers will occur for these new tokens, but values of X in mana costs will always be zero.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
One common mistake is trying to copy non-token artifacts with the first ability; remember it must target a token. Additionally, the second ability can only be activated as a sorcery, meaning you cannot use it during an opponent's turn or in response to a spell unless you have an effect that allows for instant-speed sorceries. Finally, remember that when copying a token that is already a copy of something else, you copy the base characteristics of what it is currently copying, not the counters or temporary buffs on it.
When to Activate Tawnos
The first ability is best used at the end of an opponent's turn to build your resources or refine your graveyard for later turns. The second ability should be reserved for your main phase when you have valuable targets in the graveyard, such as high-impact creatures that would benefit from the added artifact type for further synergy or protection.
Interaction examples
Tawnos, Solemn Survivor
Esper SentinelIf you have Esper Sentinel in your graveyard, you can activate Tawnos's second ability by sacrificing two artifact tokens. You exile the Sentinel and create a token copy that is an artifact (which it already was). You now have a fresh Esper Sentinel on the board. Later, you can use Tawnos's first ability to target this new token, creating a second Esper Sentinel token, doubling the tax on your opponent's spells.
Blood ArtistWith Blood Artist in your graveyard, you can use Tawnos's second ability to exile it and create a token copy that is both a Creature and an Artifact. When you later activate Tawnos's first ability to create another copy of this Blood Artist token, the new token enters as an Artifact Creature. If any creature dies, both Blood Artist tokens will trigger, causing the opponent to lose 2 life while you gain 2 life.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Tawnos, Solemn Survivor
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The token you create with the first ability copies the original characteristics of the token it’s copying as stated by the effect that created that token. The newly created token doesn’t copy whether the original token is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it, whether it has any Auras and/or Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If the original token is copying something else, the token you create will use the copiable values of the original token. In most cases, it will be a copy of whatever the original token is copying.
Card named in this ruling
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
For both abilities, if a token is created copying a token or card with
in its mana cost, X is 0.Card named in this ruling
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the token you create will trigger when it enters the battlefield. Any “as [this permanent] enters the battlefield” or “[this permanent] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the copied token or card will also work.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Tawnos, Solemn Survivor + Corridor Monitor + Krark-Clan Ironworks
- 1Activate Tawnos's second ability by paying
, tapping it and sacrificing two artifact tokens, exiling Corridor Monitor from your graveyard and creating a token copy of it that is an artifact in addition to its other types. - 2When the Corridor Monitor token enters, it triggers, untapping Tawnos.
- 3Activate Tawnos's first ability by paying and tapping it, creating a copy of the Corridor Monitor token and causing you to mill two cards.
- 4When the Corridor Monitor token enters, it triggers, untapping Tawnos.
- 5Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing a Corridor Monitor token, adding
. - 6Repeat from step 3.
Tawnos, Solemn Survivor + Ashnod's Altar + Corridor Monitor
- 1Activate Tawnos's second ability by paying , tapping it and sacrificing two artifact tokens, exiling Corridor Monitor from your graveyard and creating a token copy of it that is an artifact in addition to its other types.
- 2When the Corridor Monitor token enters, it triggers, untapping Tawnos.
- 3Activate Tawnos's first ability by paying and tapping it, creating a copy of the Corridor Monitor token and causing you to mill two cards.
- 4When the Corridor Monitor token enters, it triggers, untapping Tawnos.
- 5Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing a Corridor Monitor token, adding .
- 6Repeat from step 3.
Tawnos, Solemn Survivor + Intruder Alarm + Tivit, Seller of Secrets
- 1Activate Tawnos's second ability by paying , tapping it and sacrificing two artifact tokens, exiling Tivit from your graveyard and creating a token copy of it that is an artifact in addition to its other types.
- 2When the Tivit token enters, it and Intruder Alarm trigger.
- 3Resolve the Intruder Alarm trgger, untapping all creatures.
- 4Resolve the Tivit trigger, choosing to vote for bribery twice and create two Treasure tokens, and then creating an additional Clue or Treasure per opponent based on their votes.
- 5Activate two Treasures by tapping and sacrificing them, adding .
- 6Activate Tawnos's first ability by paying and tapping it, creating a copy of the Tivit token and causing you to mill two cards.
- 7Put either Tivit token into your graveyard due to the legend rule.
- 8Repeat from step 2.
Tawnos, Solemn Survivor + Corridor Monitor + Illusionist's Bracers + Basalt Monolith
- 1Activate Basalt Monolith's first ability by tapping it, adding .
- 2Activate Tawnos' second ability by paying , tapping it, sacrificing two artifact tokens and exiling Corridor Monitor from your graveyard.
- 3Illusionist's Bracers triggers, copying Tawnos' ability.
- 4Resolve the copy of Tawnos' ability, creating a token copy of Corridor Monitor.
- 5The Corridor Monitor token enters the battlefield, untapping Tawnos.
- 6Resolve the second Tawnos ability, creating a token copy of Corridor Monitor.
- 7The Corridor Monitor token enters the battlefield, untapping Basalt Monolith.
- 8Activate Basalt Monolith's first ability by tapping it, adding .
Tawnos, Solemn Survivor + Intruder Alarm + Priest of Gix
- 1Activate Tawnos' second ability by paying , sacrificing two artifact tokens, and exiling Priest of Gix from your graveyard, creating a token copy of Priest of Gix that is an artifact in addition to its other types.
- 2The Priest of Gix token enters the battlefield, triggering itself and Intruder Alarm.
- 3Resolve the Priest of Gix trigger, adding .
- 4Resolve the Intruder Alarm trigger, untapping all creatures.
- 5Activate Tawnos' first ability by paying and tapping it, creating a token copy of the Priest of Gix token, and causing you to mill two cards.
- 6Repeat from step 2.
- 7Once you have infinite black mana, you may instead choose any other artifact token(s) to make infinite copies of them.
Tawnos, Solemn Survivor + Ashnod's Altar + Pestermite
- 1Activate Tawnos's second ability by paying , tapping it and sacrificing two artifact tokens, exiling Pestermite from your graveyard and creating a token copy of it that is an artifact in addition to its other types.
- 2When the Pestermite token enters, it triggers, untapping Tawnos.
- 3Activate Tawnos's first ability by paying and tapping it, creating a copy of the Pestermite token and causing you to mill two cards.
- 4When the Pestermite token enters, it triggers, untapping Tawnos.
- 5Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing a Pestermite token, adding .
- 6Repeat from step 3.
Tawnos, Solemn Survivor + Pestermite + Krark-Clan Ironworks
- 1Activate Tawnos's second ability by paying , tapping it and sacrificing two artifact tokens, exiling Pestermite from your graveyard and creating a token copy of it that is an artifact in addition to its other types.
- 2When the Pestermite token enters, it triggers, untapping Tawnos.
- 3Activate Tawnos's first ability by paying and tapping it, creating a copy of the Pestermite token and causing you to mill two cards.
- 4When the Pestermite token enters, it triggers, untapping Tawnos.
- 5Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing a Pestermite token, adding .
- 6Repeat from step 3.
Tawnos, Solemn Survivor + Ashnod's Altar + Deceiver Exarch
- 1Activate Tawnos's second ability by paying , tapping it and sacrificing two artifact tokens, exiling Deceiver Exarch from your graveyard and creating a token copy of it that is an artifact in addition to its other types.
- 2When the Deceiver Exarch token enters, it triggers, untapping Tawnos.
- 3Activate Tawnos's first ability by paying and tapping it, creating a copy of the Deceiver Exarch token and causing you to mill two cards.
- 4When the Deceiver Exarch token enters, it triggers, untapping Tawnos.
- 5Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing a Deceiver Exarch token, adding .
- 6Repeat from step 3.
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