How Does Pollywog Symbiote Work?
Pollywog reduces the cost of a creature if it has mutate by one, including the mutate cost, and lets you rummage for a card whenever you cast a creature with mutate. The Pollywog and Essence Symbiote work in conjunction to provide benefits when a creature mutates, such as giving life and putting a +1/+1 counter on a creature, making them powerful tools for players utilizing the mutate mechanic.
Understanding the Basics of Mutate
To fully grasp how Pollywog Symbiote works, it’s essential to understand the mutate mechanic. Mutate is an alternate casting cost that allows a creature to be cast on top of another creature, effectively merging them. This process triggers various abilities and can significantly impact gameplay.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does Mutate Count as Casting a Creature?
Mutate counts as casting a creature because it is an alternate casting cost, not an activated ability. This means conventional counter spells like Force of Will, Counterspell, and Remand work against mutate spells.
2. Does Volo Copy Mutate?
Volo does copy mutate, and when it does, the copy of the mutate creature will target the same creature, potentially leading to a creature mutating twice.
3. What Happens if a Mutated Creature Dies?
When a mutated creature dies, all its components go to the graveyard, and any ability that triggers on a creature’s death will trigger only once.
4. What Happens if You Blink a Mutate Creature?
If you blink a mutated permanent, all components return separately. The mutated creature is exiled and then becomes separate objects, returning to the battlefield as individual creatures.
5. Do Symbiotes Have Genders or Make Hosts Immortal?
Information on whether symbiotes have genders or make their hosts immortal is not provided in the standard game lore related to Pollywog Symbiote and Essence Symbiote.
6. What Happens if You Copy a Mutate Creature Spell?
When you copy a mutate spell on the stack, the copy resolves first, granting a single instance of “Whenever this creature mutates,” which triggers. Then, the original resolves with its own instance of the mutate trigger.
7. Does Mutate Get Rid of Legendary?
Mutate does interact with legendary creatures in that if you mutate onto a legendary creature, you can cast another copy of that creature from your hand without it being affected by the legend rule.
8. Does Volo Create Tokens?
Volo does not create tokens when copying a mutate creature; instead, it creates a copy of the spell, which resolves as a separate entity.
9. Is Mutate Considered a Spell?
A mutating creature spell is considered a creature spell, even if it won’t enter the battlefield as a creature, and it is affected by spell-related interactions.
10. How Does Mutate Work with Volo Guide to Monsters?
Mutate creatures with Volo can be particularly powerful since copying a mutate creature can repeat its mutate abilities, providing significant value.
11. Does Casting a Morph Count as a Creature Spell?
Casting a morph card face-down does count as casting a creature spell and can be interacted with as such, regardless of the card’s actual type.
12. Does Mutate Give a Creature Summoning Sickness?
Mutate does not give a creature summoning sickness unless the base creature already had it, allowing for immediate use of the mutated creature’s abilities if the original creature did not have summoning sickness.
13. Can You Tap a Creature Ability if It Has Summoning Sickness?
A creature with summoning sickness cannot attack or use tap abilities, as it is considered too disoriented to perform actions beyond defense or simple abilities.
14. Is a Mutated Commander Still a Commander?
A mutated commander remains a commander, regardless of which card is on top. You can mutate onto your commander, and the merged creature retains its commander status.
15. Do Incubate Tokens Have Summoning Sickness?
Incubate tokens do not have summoning sickness if they entered the battlefield on a previous turn, allowing them to transform and potentially attack on the same turn if their requirements are met.