AI DraftFeb 26, 2026
Devoted Druid + Machine God's Effigy
Overview
If Machine God's Effigy enters the battlefield as a copy of Devoted Druid, it will be an artifact (not a creature) that has Devoted Druid's printed abilities plus the Effigy's 
: Add 
ability; because the Effigy is not a creature, you cannot activate the Devoted Druid ability that costs “Put a -1/-1 counter on this creature: Untap this creature” (you cannot pay that cost while the permanent is not a creature), so you do not get the untap loop or infinite mana from the Effigy. Ruling [2018-12-07]
: Add ability; because the Effigy is not a creature, you cannot activate the Devoted Druid ability that costs “Put a -1/-1 counter on this creature: Untap this creature” (you cannot pay that cost while the permanent is not a creature), so you do not get the untap loop or infinite mana from the Effigy. Ruling [2018-12-07]Step 1
You cast Machine God's Effigy and choose to have it enter as a copy of a Devoted Druid on the battlefield; when the artifact spell resolves it is put onto the battlefield as that copy (it is still an artifact).
Step 2
Because the Effigy entered as a copy of Devoted Druid, it gains Devoted Druid’s printed abilities (including “: Add 
.” and “Put a -1/-1 counter on this creature: Untap this creature.”) but the Effigy’s oracle text also specifies that it is not a creature and that it has “: Add .” (so it has at least the Effigy’s : Add ability).
: Add .” and “Put a -1/-1 counter on this creature: Untap this creature.”) but the Effigy’s oracle text also specifies that it is not a creature and that it has “: Add .” (so it has at least the Effigy’s : Add ability).Step 3
You may tap the Effigy to add U via its artifact : Add ability immediately (the summoning-sickness restriction in applies only to creatures, so being noncreature does not prevent activating an artifact’s ability).
: Add ability immediately (the summoning-sickness restriction in applies only to creatures, so being noncreature does not prevent activating an artifact’s ability). Step 4
The copied Devoted Druid’s second ability requires the cost “Put a -1/-1 counter on this creature.” Because the Effigy is not a creature at that time, there is no legal way to put a -1/-1 counter on “this creature” (the permanent is not a creature), so that ability’s activation cost cannot be paid and the ability cannot be activated. Ruling [2018-12-07]
Step 5
Because you cannot activate the put-counter → untap ability on the Effigy, you cannot create any untap loop or infinite mana using the Effigy alone.
Resolution
Machine God's Effigy copying Devoted Druid will have the : Add ability copied, and it will have the Effigy’s : Add ability, but it is not a creature and thus you cannot activate the copied "Put a -1/-1 counter on this creature: Untap this creature" ability because you can’t put a -1/-1 counter on it while it isn’t a creature; therefore the Effigy cannot perform the Devoted Druid untap/counter loop. Ruling [2018-12-07]
: Add ability copied, and it will have the Effigy’s : Add ability, but it is not a creature and thus you cannot activate the copied "Put a -1/-1 counter on this creature: Untap this creature" ability because you can’t put a -1/-1 counter on it while it isn’t a creature; therefore the Effigy cannot perform the Devoted Druid untap/counter loop. Ruling [2018-12-07]Feedback