Death Mutation
Sorcery
Destroy target nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated. Create X 1/1 green Saproling creature tokens, where X is that creature's mana value.
- CMC
- 8
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- BG
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Commander 2011
- Price
- $0.32
- EDHREC rank
- #19652
Death Mutation destroys a nonland permanent and replaces it with a 1/1 Insect token for each mana spent to cast it — at eight mana baseline you're netting a 8/8 worth of tokens while also answering a threat. The cost is real: nine mana for the entwine version is commander-level expensive, and you need both black and green to maximize flexibility.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is the only format where Death Mutation is worth serious consideration — ten-mana entwine is a liability in Legacy and Vintage, where the spell would need to be free or nearly so to see play. In Commander, the combination of unconditional removal and token generation on a single card has genuine appeal in go-wide or token-doubling shells, though the eight-mana floor keeps it fringe even there. Death Mutation is a card that rewards big-mana or cost-reduction setups; outside those contexts it competes poorly against cheaper split-function spells.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.32 bulk tier
At $0.32, Death Mutation is deep bulk — low demand and easy availability keep it there. The price is stable in the sense that there's no catalyst to move it, so grab copies cheaply if the shell fits without expecting any upside.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.