<p>Mastodon's ability will consider Loxodon to have 6 toughness, not 2.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>110.3. A nontoken permanent's characteristics are the same as those printed on its card, as modified by any continuous effects.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>When a card interacts with base toughness, it will specifically say so. For example, <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Angelic%20Aberration">Angelic Aberration</a>'s ability:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When Angelic Aberration enters, sacrifice any number of creatures each with base power or toughness 1 or less. Create that many 4/4 colorless Eldrazi Angel creature tokens with flying and vigilance.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-02T03:46:35.080Z
2024-10-02T03:46:35.080Z
Rainbolt
<p>My question is about how power and toughness modifiers work when regarding abilities that reference stats. In particular the scenario I encountered was a <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Loxodon%20Punisher">Loxodon Punisher</a> with a <a href="https://scryfall.com/card/afr/1/+2-mace" rel="nofollow noreferrer">+2 Mace</a> and a <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sandsteppe%20Mastodon">Sandsteppe Mastodon</a>. The modified toughness of the Punisher was a 6, does the Mastodon’s ability apply to it which has a toughness of 5 or the punisher who has a base toughness of 2?</p>

<magic-the-gathering>
Rulings Regarding Toughness and Modifiers
Dino17
# Rulings Regarding Toughness and Modifiers

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-10-02)

My question is about how power and toughness modifiers work when regarding abilities that reference stats. In particular the scenario I encountered was a [Loxodon Punisher](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Loxodon%20Punisher) with a [+2 Mace](https://scryfall.com/card/afr/1/+2-mace) and a [Sandsteppe Mastodon](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sandsteppe%20Mastodon). The modified toughness of the Punisher was a 6, does the Mastodon’s ability apply to it which has a toughness of 5 or the punisher who has a base toughness of 2?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-10-02. Score: 2

Mastodon's ability will consider Loxodon to have 6 toughness, not 2.

> 110.3. A nontoken permanent's characteristics are the same as those printed on its card, as modified by any continuous effects.

When a card interacts with base toughness, it will specifically say so. For example, [Angelic Aberration](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Angelic%20Aberration)'s ability:

> When Angelic Aberration enters, sacrifice any number of creatures each with base power or toughness 1 or less. Create that many 4/4 colorless Eldrazi Angel creature tokens with flying and vigilance.


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