Magic: The Gathering Wiki

Mutant

For other uses, see Mutation.

Mutant is a creature type for cards that depict beings altered by unnatural factors, whether magical or biological in origin.

Creature Type
(Subtype for creature/kindred cards)
Introduced Ice Age (updated)
Onslaught (printed)
Last used Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Scryfall Statistics
194 cards
Colorless mana 0.5% White mana 7.2% Blue mana 17% Black mana 10.8% Red mana 12.4% Green mana 23.2% Multicolored 28.9%
11 token creation cards
Colorless mana 9.1% White mana 45.5% Black mana 18.2% Red mana 9.1% Multicolored 18.2%
13 typal synergy cards
Colorless mana 7.7% Blue mana 15.4% Black mana 23.1% Green mana 7.7% Multicolored 46.2%
616 artworks
Colorless mana 15.9% White mana 9.7% Blue mana 12.3% Black mana 9.9% Red mana 11.5% Green mana 19.3% Multicolored 21.3%

Description

The first card to bear the creature type was Mistform Mutant in Onslaught, though the Goblin Mutant from Ice Age was later issued errata to become a Mutant as well.

Mutants are a green or blue majority but have appeared in all colors. A large majority of Mutants were printed in concordance with two particular influences: the Mirari influence during Onslaught block, and the Simic Combine during Dissension and subsequent Ravnica blocks. They were also featured in the Alara block.

Storyline

Mutants can theoretically be found on any plane.

Alara

Grixis Mutants

On the Shard of Alara known as Grixis, "stale" magical energy mutated some of its denizens. Most notable are the species of Ogres known as the Incurables.

Dominaria

Early Phyrexians

The very first phyrexians were essentially simply mutated Thran humans, twisted by Yawgmoth's will through his glistening oil bath treatments. They did not have the cybernetics that would define them, being merely animalistic and grotesque.[1] Regardless, phyrexians have since earned an independent creature type, now defined beyond mutation into surgical operation and undeath.

Otarian Mutants

A barbarian turned druid, Kamahl, resided in the Otarian forest of Krosa, and it was he who planted the Mirari there thinking that without a wielder the artifact would be harmless. However, its power was soaked into the entire continent, and the radiation mutated the inhabitants, especially those within the forest, transforming many of the beasts into enormous, fiercer, and stronger monsters. This caused the animals of the forest to go mad, wildly attacking anyone who entered the forest and even leaving the forest to attack surrounding farmsteads and villages.

As the Mirari's magic washed across Otaria, many aven became taller and more muscular, with long, razor-like talons jutting from their wings. The most advanced of these mutants lost their arms, regressing into huge sentient raptors.

On the other hand, mutant owl aven, known as crookclaws, also grew larger and sprouted talons from their wings, but retained independent use of their arms (Crookclaw Transmuter). The crookclaws' magical abilities were also enhanced by the emanations of the Mirari.

Duskmourn

The Hand That Feeds, the Hauntwoods Shrieker, and the Ursine Monstrosity are mutants found within The House.

Ikoria

On Ikoria, crystals cause creatures to mutate wildly, creating monstrous monsters. However, none of these aberrations have the mutant type.[2]

Ravnican Mutants

Simic

Biomancers (genetic biologists affiliated with the Simic Combine) were responsible for the mutants of Ravnica in their attempts to improve the life forms of that plane. Most members of the Simic Combine even alter themselves purposely, becoming mutants to enhance their abilities. One such technique used is the cytoplast implants, which, within the game, are represented with the Graft ability.

With the decline of Momir Vig's influence and the resurgence of the Combine, a new form of mutation has taken root. A mix of two species, called a krasis. The experiments progressed so far that sometimes the original breed isn't recognizable anymore (Simic Manipulator). The krasis have gone feral, and are posing a threat to benthic lifeforms.[3]

Under Prime Speaker Vannifar, the Simic started to mutate their more intelligent members into super soldiers, adding an animal element to their bodies.[4] In this context, a mutant is considered "a creature of a single species type that has been genetically modified in some way, but without hybridizing it with another creature type".[5] In contrast, a creature of two or more species types hybridized together is already the result of genetic experimentation and doesn't get the Mutant type added on.

Innistradi Mutants

The Civilized Scholar is a Homicidal Brute by night.

Emrakul

The Eldrazi Titan Emrakul warps and corrupts biological life, mutating it into her spawn. Though such creatures do not have the Mutant type on the cards (instead being horrors or Eldrazi), they are referred to as "mutants" in various supplemental material.

Universes Beyond

Fallout

Mutants are featured in Fallout as creatures mutated by radiation. Super mutants are a type of mutated human while the Nightkin are an elite form of super mutant. Ghouls are a type of zombie mutants in which some remain intelligent while others become feral. Deathclaws are an apex lizard mutant.

In-game depictions

Marvel

The Marvel sets skip the human creature type for mutants. As Mark Rosewater explained: "The creature type line is tight on legendary creatures. There simply isn’t space to put Human and Mutant on every Mutant, and we felt Mutant was more a core part of their identity (and there are other creature types we will want to use, such as Hero), so Mutants will not have the creature type Human."[6] It also is a nod to how mutants are viewed as an othered group from baseline humans in the Marvel Universe.[7]

Conversely, the design of Marvel's Spider-Man showed that being Human Spiders was a more distinctive aspect of the Spider-Man mythos, so despite by all rights being Mutants in scientific definition, they are not typed as such. This is also a separation within the comics, where "Mutant" is often reserved for those who are born with the X-Gene, whereas others who gain inhuman power from scientific procedures or the like ("Mutates") are not.

In-game depictions

TMNT

The type also played a prominent role in the Universes Beyond set Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, where the mutations are caused by the Mutagen substance.[8]

In-game depictions

Notable Mutants

Canon

Dominaria
Ravnica
Unknown

Non-canon

Universes Beyond
Fallout
Final Fantasy
Jurassic World Collection
Marvel
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Tokens

Token name Color Type line P/T Text box Source Printings
Mutant   Creature — Mutant 3/3 Deathtouch
  Creature — Mutant 2/2
Zombie Mutant   Creature — Zombie Mutant 2/2 Menace

Trivia

References

  1. ↑ The Thran
  2. ↑ Mark Rosewater (April 6, 2020). "How come mutate doesn't give creatures the mutant subtype!?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  3. ↑ Nicky Drayden (February 6, 2019). "The Principles of Unnatural Selection". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. ↑ James Wyatt (January 2019). "The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Ravnica'" . Wizards of the Coast
  5. ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 28, 2019). "Odds & Ends: Ravnica Allegiance". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 9, 2024). "Im upset Storm isn’t a Human Mutant. Aren’t they humans too?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  7. ↑ Aaron Mesburne (October 24, 2025). "Under the Mask with Magic: The Gathering® - Marvel's Spider-Man Creative Design". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. ↑ Eric Engelhard (February 27, 2026). "Mutants and Mutagen in Magic: The Gathering® - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 6, 2020). "How come mutated creatures aren't mutants?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
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