Mutate interactions with Somberwald Sage and or Sprite dragon

Asked by Moghedien123 3 years ago

So my first question relates to Somberwald Sage and if you can use its ability to pay for mutation cost (eg. Insatiable Hemophage mutate cost 3, Now i have read the EDh on gatherers website about Somberwald Sage and I am pretty sure I cant ,as mutate seems closer to an activated ability. But I just want clarification if I am right that I cant do this.

My second Question is that if Somberwald Sage doesnt work how does Sprite Dragon interact with mutate, (i.e. does Sprite Dragon count mutate as a Creature spell. Again I am inclined to say he does as only creature have the mutate ruling .

I know this seems a bit obvious but I am developing a mutate deck and wanted clarification on some of the interactions could work ,maybe ? (i.e. use Somberwald Sage ability to mutate Insatiable Hemophage onto Sprite Dragon etc.

Thanks for your Help

Kind Regards

Moghedien123

Caerwyn says... Accepted answer #1

You can use Somberwald Sage to cast a creature for its Mutate ability.

Mutate is not an activated ability, it is an alternate casting cost. Though it functions a bit differently than a regular creature spell, the rules for Mutate specifically clarify that the targeted, mutate spell is still a "creature spell."

As such, you have satisfied both of Somberwald Sage's requirements--you are casting a spell and that spell is a creature spell.

Likewise, Sprite Dragon will not trigger off a mutate creature spell.

702.139a Mutate appears on some creature cards. It represents a static ability that functions while the spell with mutate is on the stack. “Mutate [cost]” means “You may pay [cost] rather than pay this spell’s mana cost. If you do, it becomes a mutating creature spell and targets a non-Human creature with the same owner as this spell.” Casting a spell using its mutate ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs (see 601.2b and 601.2f–h).

August 12, 2020 3:21 p.m. Edited.