<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutagen Man, Living Ooze" href="#" target="_blank">Mutagen Man, Living Ooze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/b03di" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ignatius Budi</a></em></p>
<p>Every single set has a commander or two that only serves the purpose of supporting some new mechanic, and because the mechanic is brand new, the commander is doomed to lead a terrible deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutagen Man, Living Ooze" href="#" target="_blank">Mutagen Man, Living Ooze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is no exception to this. He makes some <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutagen" href="#" target="_blank">Mutagen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> tokens, and then reduces the cost of activating them to nothing.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mutagen Man, Living Ooze"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mutagen"></div></div>
<p>That could be alright, but I doubt the <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/tmt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em></a> set is gonna have more than 15 cards that make Mutagen tokens, if the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lander" href="#" target="_blank">Lander</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s from <em>Edge of Eternities</em> are any indication.</p>
<p>Given what we've got to work with, we're gonna have to find something pretty special to make Mr. Mutagen Man worth playing.</p>
<h2>Activate!</h2>
<p>There is a little bit of potential here, however. Mutagen Man is a pretty unique card, the only one that cares about artifact tokens with activated abilities, as far as I can tell. Reducing the cost of those activated abilities encourages us to work with Food tokens, Clues, Maps, and obviously Mutagen tokens. That's got the potential to make a somewhat interesting, if weak deck. Pretty much my specialty.</p>
<p>So that's the direction I was gonna go, until I saw <a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/19323366/mutagen_man" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bartoman's Mutagen Man deck</a> on Archidekt. Now bartoman is a deck builder after my own heart, building a library that takes advantage of Mutagen Man's cost reduction ability, but not with Clues. Instead, bartoman's deck capitalizes on cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prototype Portal" href="#" target="_blank">Prototype Portal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prototype Portal" href="#" target="_blank">Prototype Portal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can imprint a card from your hand, and then tap to create a token of that card. See where this is going? Because we can turn a nontoken artifact into a token, we can use Mutagen Man's cost reduction on something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adarkar Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Adarkar Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and make a creature with infinite toughness. Heck, we can even make multiple!</p>
<p>Now we're getting somewhere.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prototype Portal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adarkar Sentinel"></div></div>
<p>But bartoman, I both love and hate you, because you gave me so much false hope. For a brief second, I thought this deck actually had potential. Maybe we could do some genuinely cool things with Mutagen Man, activate some special abilities, maybe even go infinite! As it turns out, that was not the case, and in hindsight, I should've just gone with the Clue token deck.</p>
<p>This is hands down the worst deck I've ever built, needing forever to do jank things that have next to no impact. I've built a lot of bad decks, but this one takes the crown.</p>
<h2>Anything Can Be a Token</h2>
<p>But let me explain how I got here. Upon discovering <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prototype Portal" href="#" target="_blank">Prototype Portal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I immediately started searching for other ways to make token copies of artifacts.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul Foundry" href="#" target="_blank">Soul Foundry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is great, as it's just a duplicate of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prototype Portal" href="#" target="_blank">Prototype Portal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but for creatures. If we play artifact creatures, then both function perfectly fine. There's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blade of Selves" href="#" target="_blank">Blade of Selves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which has the biggest potential, making three copies of a creature on every attack. Of course, the downsides are that the original has to be a creature who can comfortably attack. Unfortunately, very few of our creatures have the muscle mass to be doing that.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirrorworks"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mimic Vat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="God-Pharaoh&#039;s Gift"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirrorworks" href="#" target="_blank">Mirrorworks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has neither of those downsides, letting you clone an artifact as it enters the battlefield. Just one clone is really all we'll need, so Mirrorworks may be the best in the deck. But there's also <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Minion Reflector" href="#" target="_blank">Minion Reflector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which can create a temporary token copy of a creature as it enters.</p>
<p>Then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mimic Vat" href="#" target="_blank">Mimic Vat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is similar, creating one-turn copies of a creature that's imprinted on it. Finally there's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="God-Pharaoh&#039;s Gift" href="#" target="_blank">God-Pharaoh&#039;s Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which has a handy tutor in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gate to the Afterlife" href="#" target="_blank">Gate to the Afterlife</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This one creates lasting copies of creatures that are in our graveyard, and it does that every combat, making it one our strongest duplicators.</p>
<p>Ok, so we've got a really solid number of ways to create token copies of nontoken artifact creatures. Then, those tokens can all have their activated abilities reduced by one. That seems janky, but surely there's something worth doing with that? Surely there's a more impressive interaction than giving <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adarkar Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Adarkar Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> infinite toughness?</p>
<p>Yeah man, that's what I thought too, but there really is not. Even after scrolling through all 265 artifact creatures that have an activated ability, I couldn't find a single thing that's actually game changing. Among them, the best interactions I could find were with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismite" href="#" target="_blank">Prismite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who can turn all our colorless mana green, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pili-Pala" href="#" target="_blank">Pili-Pala</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who could combo with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradise Mantle" href="#" target="_blank">Paradise Mantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, if <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradise Mantle" href="#" target="_blank">Paradise Mantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was worth including in the deck for any other reason than to combo with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pili-Pala" href="#" target="_blank">Pili-Pala</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soldevi Sentry" href="#" target="_blank">Soldevi Sentry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who would give your opponents the option to draw as many cards as they liked.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prismite"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pili-Pala"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soldevi Sentry"></div></div>
<p>So yeah, a whole lot of nothing. I'm sure there's something to be found here, but it'll have to be found by someone with a lot more game knowledge and time than I have.</p>
<h2>Technically a High Ceiling</h2>
<p>All that being said, there are certainly some interesting things this deck can do, even if they aren't game winning or likely. If you manage to turn <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pentavus" href="#" target="_blank">Pentavus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into a token, then with Mutagen Man on the board, you can infinitely create and sacrifice <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pentavite" href="#" target="_blank">Pentavite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s. Then, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrin Took" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrin Took</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the battlefield, you would create infinite Food tokens and draw your entire deck.</p>
<p>That scenario is ridiculously hard to set up and extremely easy for your opponents to stop, and it doesn't even win the game, but hey, it is pretty cool.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pentavus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Halsin, Emerald Archdruid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liquimetal Torque"></div></div>
<p>You could also create a token copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Halsin, Emerald Archdruid" href="#" target="_blank">Halsin, Emerald Archdruid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, turn it into an artifact with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liquimetal Torque" href="#" target="_blank">Liquimetal Torque</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and then turn every token you have on board into a 4/4 Bear. That one might actually make a difference, especially if you've been accumulating Clues with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tireless Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Tireless Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> throughout the game.</p>
<p>You do have to use one of the creature duplicators, however, reducing the odds of pulling it off by half.</p>
<h2>Mutagen Man, Living Ooze Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="TMNT - Mutagen Man, Living Ooze" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Mutagen Man, Living Ooze
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Abstruse Archaic
*1 Academy Manufactor
*1 Adarkar Sentinel
*1 Chrome Dome
*1 Edge Rover
*1 Farmstead Gleaner
*1 Golden Guardian // Gold-Forge Garrison
*1 Halsin, Emerald Archdruid
*1 Hexavus
*1 Horizon Explorer
*1 Jaheira, Friend of the Forest
*1 Karn, Silver Golem
*1 Marvin, Murderous Mimic
*1 Myr Propagator
*1 Pentavus
*1 Peregrin Took
*1 Pili-Pala
*1 Prismite
*1 Professor Hojo
*1 Sarinth Steelseeker
*1 Selesnya Eulogist
*1 Sentinel of the Nameless City
*1 Soldevi Sentry
*1 Tireless Provisioner
*1 Tireless Tracker
*1 Toymaker
*1 Triskelavus
*1 Voltaic Construct
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Blade of Selves
*1 Bloodforged Battle-Axe
*1 Brass Knuckles
*1 Esika&#039;s Chariot
*1 Gate to the Afterlife
*1 God-Pharaoh&#039;s Gift
*1 Heartstone
*1 Idol of Oblivion
*1 Liquimetal Coating
*1 Liquimetal Torque
*1 Magewright&#039;s Stone
*1 Mimic Vat
*1 Minion Reflector
*1 Mirrormind Crown
*1 Mirrorworks
*1 Mystic Skull // Mystic Monstrosity
*1 Nuka-Cola Vending Machine
*1 Prototype Portal
*1 Sculpting Steel
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Soul Foundry
*1 Tamiyo&#039;s Journal
*1 Thran Forge
*1 Transmutation Font
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 City of Death
*1 Fae Offering
*1 Ulvenwald Mysteries
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 For the Common Good
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Road of Return
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Druid&#039;s Deliverance
*1 Second Harvest
[/Instants]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Karn, the Great Creator
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Buried Ruin
*32 Forest
*1 Tree of Tales
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>To be honest, every time I've played with this deck, it's almost always been the best play to focus on making tokens with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tireless Provisioner" href="#" target="_blank">Tireless Provisioner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Academy Manufactor" href="#" target="_blank">Academy Manufactor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, because those cards are simply way more powerful than cloning a whole bunch of junk. But hey, I didn't start playing this game to do the objectively best thing.</p>
<p>Yeah, I should've just built a deck with Clue and Food tokens, but there are so many other commanders that do that better. This deck may by mediocre, but it gives <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutagen Man, Living Ooze" href="#" target="_blank">Mutagen Man, Living Ooze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> the chance to do things that no one else can. And if you do pull off some of the crazy combos that technically exist in here, it'll be a whole lot cooler.</p>
<p>This deck may never actually win a game, but it's won my heart. And hey, if you have any ideas for how to use this engine effectively, please let me know!</p>


mutagen man

Making Tons of Tokens With Mutagen Man, Living Ooze