Erratic Mutation MTG Card

Planar Chaos (PLC)
2007-02-02 - Number 41

Modern Masters (MMA)
2013-06-07 - Number 42

Erratic Mutation - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)

Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
2021-03-19 - Number 67

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant

Key Takeaways

Erratic Mutation offers card advantage and instant speed, essential for dynamic MTG strategies.
Deck constraints and random discard can detract from its overall benefit to your hand size.
Works well in blue-focused decks, serving as versatile removal or a combo enhancer.

Text of card

Choose target creature. Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a nonland card. That creature gets +X/-X until end of turn, where X is that card's converted mana cost. Put all cards revealed this way on the bottom of your library in any order.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: “Erratic Mutation” can potentially remove a threat on the board while also drawing you a card if the revealed card has a high mana cost, tipping the scales in your favor for card economy.

Resource Acceleration: Although “Erratic Mutation” doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it can pave the way for faster gameplay by removing blockers or threats that impede your board development.

Instant Speed: As an instant, “Erratic Mutation” offers flexibility, allowing you to wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to unleash it, giving you more control over the game’s tempo.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Erratic Mutation demands discarding a card at random to play, potentially causing unfavorable trades and depleting your hand size, which can be critical during tight gameplay situations.

Specific Mana Cost: Erratic Mutation’s casting cost includes blue mana, necessitating a dedicated source in your deck. This can constrain deck-building options, especially for players looking to integrate it into multi-colored decks without strong blue mana support.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a three-point investment, including two generic and one blue mana, Erratic Mutation might consume a significant part of your resources in the early to mid-game. This mana could potentially be allocated to other spells or creatures that provide a more guaranteed advantage.

Reasons to Include Erratic Mutation in Your Collection

Versatility: Erratic Mutation brings a unique flexibility to blue-focused decks, serving as a tool for removing threats or pushing through critical damage. Its instant speed allows for strategic play, adapting to various game states as needed.

Combo Potential: With its reliance on the top card of your library, Erratic Mutation pairs well with deck manipulation strategies. Setting up the top card of your deck can amplify the spell’s effect, thereby maximizing its impact.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based strategies are prevalent, having targeted removal like Erratic Mutation can be an essential element of your deck, particularly in a format like Pauper, where efficient removal spells are crucial for managing opponents’ threats.

How to beat

Erratic Mutation presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, often turning the tide in favor of those who wield it. This card has the potential to powerfully disrupt your strategies by providing a variable boost or nerf depending on the revealed card’s mana value. But fear not, for every spell in Magic: The Gathering, there’s a counterstrategy.

The key to overcoming Erratic Mutation lies in minimizing its impact. Try to maintain a board state with creatures that have a toughness higher than the average mana value in your opponent’s deck to weather the potential storm. If Erratic Mutation is commonly seen in your local meta, it might be wise to include spells that grant hexproof or shroud to protect your key creatures. Additionally, spells that scry can help ensure you draw into these protective measures when they’re most needed. Be prepared to adapt and have a plan B because, with Erratic Mutation in their arsenal, your opponent’s game could change at a moment’s notice.

While it’s tough to predict the exact outcome of Erratic Mutation, staying one step ahead and having a versatile strategy will help you maintain control. Sometimes, the best defense is a solid offense, so focus on building your strengths while keeping an eye on potential instant-speed tricks your opponent might pull. With smart play, you can turn what seems erratic into a calculated victory.

Cards like Erratic Mutation

Erratic Mutation stands out within the repertoire of instant spells in Magic: The Gathering that primarily serve to disrupt your opponent’s creatures. On close examination, one could liken it to the likes of Psionic Blast, a card that also deals direct damage but with a fixed damage output and a pain point of causing damage to the caster. Erratic Mutation’s potential for damage is variable, relying on the revealed card’s converted mana cost, adding an element of chance to your strategy.

Another comparable instant is Crippling Chill which doesn’t deal damage, but it incapacitates by tapping an opponent’s creature and draws a card. Although it allows for card advantage, Erratic Mutation might provide a greater shift in board control with its ability to potentially eliminate a threat. Peel from Reality also emerges in this comparison, giving a tempo advantage by returning a creature to its owner’s hand, yet it lacks the immediacy of Erratic Mutation’s potential creature removal.

Considering the unpredictable nature of MTG, Erratic Mutation holds a place for players who enjoy adding a surprise factor to the game, capable of making a substantial impact depending on the revealed card’s mana cost.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Erratic Mutation MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos and Modern Masters, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Erratic Mutation and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Erratic Mutation Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2007-02-02 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2007-02-02	Planar Chaos	PLC	41	2003	Normal	Black	Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
2	2013-06-07	Modern Masters	MMA	42	2003	Normal	Black	Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
3	2021-03-19	Time Spiral Remastered	TSR	67	2015	Normal	Black	Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Erratic Mutation has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Erratic Mutation card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2021-03-19	If a card in a player’s library has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
2021-03-19	You reveal cards and the creature gets +X/-X all while Erratic Mutation is resolving. Nothing can happen in between, and no player can take actions.