Can you use a Gold gear token's ability to generate power and then destroy that same token with Malzahar, Fanatic's ability to generate additional power?

Ruling: No. You cannot generate power from both abilities using a single Gold gear token. You must choose to activate either the token's ability or Malzahar's ability, but not both.

Sequence:

  • Both the Gold gear token's ability and Malzahar's ability require killing the token as part of their activation cost
  • When you activate either ability, all costs (including killing the token) must be paid immediately
  • Once the token is killed to pay for one ability's cost, it moves to the trash and is no longer available to pay for the other ability

Nuances:

  • You can use Malzahar to kill an already-exhausted Gold token, but only if it was exhausted by something other than its own ability
  • The Gold token's ability text explicitly states "Kill this" as part of the cost, not as an effect
FAQ #9782April 25, 2026Pre-Unleashed FAQ update — verify accuracyRule 357.4Rule 428.2Rule 429.2