Counter a mutate ability?

Asked by doodkyle 3 years ago

If my opponent casts Otrimi, the Ever-Playful and I use Kadena's Silencer to counter a mutate ability, what happens?

Caerwyn says... Accepted answer #1

Kadena's Silencer only counters Activated or Triggered abilities. Per its Gatherer Rulings:

  • Kadena’s Silencer counters only activated and triggered abilities already on the stack. It doesn’t prevent abilities from being activated or from triggering later in the turn, and it has no effect on static abilities.

Mutate is neither an activated or triggered ability--it is a static ability allowing for an alternate casting cost. When you cast something for its mutate ability, it is put onto the stack as a spell, and must be countered by effects that counter spells.

Since mutate is neither an activated nor triggered ability, Kadena's Silencer will not be able to counter the mutate spell.

September 19, 2020 3:30 p.m. Edited.

TheVectornaut says... #2

I found this on WOTC's Mutate mechanic highlight page:

"While it's on the stack, a mutating creature spell is still a spell, so it can be countered. If it’s countered, it heads to the graveyard as you'd expect."

The key word there is spell. While mutate is described as a static ability on the card, a mutating creature spell is still merely a spell. Consequently, it won't be affected by effects that counter only abilities.

September 19, 2020 3:34 p.m.

Neotrup says... #3

Kadena's Silencer does counter abilities that trigger from Mutate though, like the one on Gemrazer, so it can mitigate the advantage that mutating onto a stack poses, but the same could be said of Murdering the creature targeted by the mutating spell..

September 19, 2020 3:44 p.m.

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