Alright, friend! Let’s talk about food chain combo mtg, a game of magic where creatures become fuel, and mana flows like a river of chaos. Imagine this: you’re sitting there, cards in hand, a glint in your eye, and the promise of infinite mana dances before you. This ain’t just a game; it’s a story, a saga of exile, recursion, and the sweet taste of victory.
We’ll delve deep into the heart of this beast, exploring its history, its mechanics, and the wild characters that make it tick.
So, what’s the deal with this “Food Chain”? Well, it’s a spell that lets you sacrifice creatures to get mana. Seems simple, right? Wrong! It’s a gateway to madness, a path to the infinite. We’ll unravel the mysteries of mana loops, the importance of the right creatures, and the cunning strategies that make this combo a force to be reckoned with across various formats.
Get ready to learn, my friend, because the magic is about to begin!
Introduction to Food Chain Combo in MTG
The Food Chain combo in Magic: The Gathering represents a potent and often game-ending strategy. It revolves around the card Food Chain, an enchantment that allows a player to exile a creature from their graveyard or hand to generate mana. This mana is then used to cast another creature, which can then be sacrificed to Food Chain, generating even more mana, and so on, creating a recursive engine that can generate infinite mana.
The core of the strategy is to abuse this mana generation to cast a game-winning creature or activate powerful abilities.
Core Concept of the Food Chain Combo
Food Chain’s core function is mana generation. The enchantment allows players to sacrifice a creature to cast a creature of the same type, essentially turning creatures into mana. The key to the combo’s power is its ability to generate more mana than it costs to cast the creature, leading to a positive feedback loop.To understand this, consider the following:
Food Chain (Enchantment, 3G)Sacrifice a creature: Add (X) mana of any one color to your mana pool, where X is the sacrificed creature’s converted mana cost plus 1. You can spend this mana only to cast creature spells.
The fundamental loop involves a creature with a mana cost that is lower than the mana generated by sacrificing it to Food Chain. This creates a positive feedback loop where mana can be generated infinitely. The extra mana generated by Food Chain is restricted to only casting creature spells, which helps to focus the combo on creature-based strategies.
History of the Food Chain Combo’s Evolution
The Food Chain combo has a history intertwined with the evolution of various Magic: The Gathering formats. Its impact has been felt across multiple formats, from Legacy to Commander. Its power is constantly evaluated and reevaluated based on the availability of supporting cards and the metagame.Here’s a brief timeline of its evolution:
- Early Days: Food Chain was initially printed in the
-Mercadian Masques* expansion. It was a fringe strategy, finding some success in casual formats. - Legacy Emergence: The combo found a competitive home in Legacy, utilizing creatures with low mana costs to generate large amounts of mana.
- Commander Dominance: Food Chain became a central strategy in Commander, where its ability to generate vast amounts of mana and repeatedly cast creatures allowed it to dominate the format. Commanders like Prossh, Skyraider of the Fires are built to exploit the Food Chain combo.
- Format Adaptations: Food Chain strategies have adapted to the changing card pool and metagame, incorporating new creatures and strategies to maintain their competitive edge.
Common Goal of Food Chain Combos in Various Formats
The ultimate goal of Food Chain combos across different formats is consistently the same: to generate an overwhelming advantage, often leading to an immediate win. This can be achieved in several ways.The primary goal is to generate infinite mana. This mana is then used to cast a game-winning creature repeatedly or to activate powerful abilities.Here are some common win conditions:
- Infinite Creature Casts: Repeatedly casting a creature with a powerful “enters the battlefield” effect, such as Goblin Recruiter to search the library for a specific creature.
- Direct Damage: Using the mana generated to repeatedly cast a creature that deals damage to the opponent, such as a creature that generates damage upon entering the battlefield.
- Locking the Opponent: Using the mana to cast creatures that lock the opponent out of the game, such as a creature that prevents the opponent from casting spells.
The Mechanics of Food Chain
The Food Chain combo, a cornerstone of many powerful MTG decks, hinges on a deceptively simple card. Understanding its mechanics is paramount to unlocking its potential and weaving the intricate web of mana generation that defines the strategy. This section delves into the core functions of Food Chain, explaining its interaction with the game rules and the steps involved in its execution.
How Food Chain Functions
Food Chain is an enchantment with a straightforward ability: “Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may exile it. If you do, add C to your mana pool for each creature card exiled this way.” This ability creates a continuous feedback loop when combined with creatures that can generate mana or reanimate themselves.
Exiling Creatures to Generate Mana
The process of exiling creatures to generate mana is the engine that drives the Food Chain combo. The ability triggers when you cast a creature spell. You then have the option to exile the creature.
Food Chain’s ability: “Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may exile it. If you do, add C to your mana pool for each creature card exiled this way.”
The amount of mana generated is directly tied to the number of creature cards exiled through Food Chain. For example, if you exile the first creature, you add one generic mana. If you exile a second, you add two generic mana, and so on. This exponential mana generation allows for the casting of larger creatures, which can then be exiled to generate even more mana.
The Typical Food Chain Mana Loop
A typical Food Chain mana loop involves casting a creature, exiling it to Food Chain, and then using the generated mana to recast the creature from exile or from your graveyard (depending on the creature’s abilities). This process is repeated to generate a large amount of mana.Here’s a breakdown of the steps:
- Cast a Creature Spell: Cast a creature spell, such as a creature with a mana-generating ability or a creature that returns itself to your hand or the battlefield.
- Exile the Creature: Food Chain’s ability triggers. You choose to exile the creature.
- Generate Mana: Food Chain’s ability resolves, adding mana to your mana pool. The amount of mana is determined by the number of creature cards exiled this turn.
- Recast the Creature: Use the generated mana to cast the creature from exile (if it has a casting cost in exile) or from your hand/graveyard, restarting the loop.
- Repeat: Repeat steps 1-4 as many times as needed to generate the desired amount of mana.
For example, if you control Food Chain and cast a creature, say, a ‘Riftkeeper’, you can exile it to Food Chain, generating mana. You then use that mana to cast ‘Riftkeeper’ again from your graveyard. This process can be repeated infinitely if the mana generated is equal to or greater than the mana cost to cast the creature, or in the case of a zero-cost creature, the loop becomes even simpler.
This loop allows you to generate effectively infinite mana, enabling you to cast your win condition creatures or spells.
Key Cards and Synergies
The heart of the Food Chain combo lies in a carefully selected cast of creatures, each playing a vital role in generating infinite mana and ultimately, victory. These creatures are not chosen at random; their abilities are specifically tailored to interact favorably with Food Chain, allowing for the recursive casting and sacrificing necessary to fuel the engine. Their mana production, or the mana they allow you to produce, is the cornerstone of the combo’s efficiency.
Primary Creatures in the Food Chain Combo
The following creatures are frequently employed in Food Chain strategies. Their selection often depends on the specific colors of the deck and the desired win conditions, but each offers a crucial piece of the puzzle.To understand the various creature choices and their roles, consider the following table:
| Creature | Function in Combo | Mana Produced (with Food Chain) | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squee, the Goblin Nabob | Provides a repeatable source of mana by being cast from the graveyard. | R | Can be cast from the graveyard for free, making it a staple in many Food Chain builds. |
| Eternal Scourge | Exiles itself to be cast repeatedly from exile. | Colorless | Requires a way to exile it, but provides a reliable source of mana once the engine is established. |
| Misthollow Griffin | Can be cast from exile. | U/G | Similar to Eternal Scourge, offering another option for repeatable casting. |
| Shardless Agent | Provides card advantage and can accelerate the combo. | U/B/G | Can cascade into Food Chain, setting up the combo quickly. |
These creatures, when combined with Food Chain, allow for the generation of an arbitrarily large amount of mana, opening the door to a variety of win conditions. The choice of creatures depends on the deck’s overall strategy and the colors available, but each plays a vital role in the combo’s execution.
Combo Variations and Strategies
The Food Chain combo, a testament to the power of resource generation and creature recursion, has manifested in diverse forms across the various formats of Magic: The Gathering. Each variation, sculpted by the available card pool and metagame pressures, boasts its own strengths and weaknesses. Understanding these nuances is crucial for both piloting the combo and effectively strategizing against it.
Food Chain Variations Across Formats
Food Chain’s adaptability has allowed it to flourish in several formats, each showcasing a unique flavor. These variations highlight the combo’s versatility and its ability to leverage different support cards and strategic approaches.
- Legacy Food Chain: The format’s access to powerful tutors and mana acceleration cards like Brainstorm and Force of Will allows for a streamlined, resilient combo. The most common creature used is Misthollow Griffin, due to its ability to be cast from exile, bypassing the typical exile clause of Food Chain.
- Commander Food Chain: Commander offers a wider card pool and the strategic advantage of a consistent commander. The most popular Food Chain commanders are those that generate mana or draw cards, such as Prossh, Skyraider of Kher, which creates tokens to feed the Food Chain, and Anje Falkenrath, who can discard cards to find combo pieces.
- Modern Food Chain: Although less prevalent than in Legacy or Commander, Modern has seen Food Chain decks emerge, usually using cards like Eternal Scourge or Squee, the Goblin Nabob, which can be cast from exile, similar to Misthollow Griffin.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Each Variation
Analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of each Food Chain variation is crucial for assessing its viability and understanding its role within a particular metagame.
- Legacy:
- Strengths: Legacy Food Chain benefits from access to powerful tutors like Imperial Seal and Gamble, allowing for quick and consistent combo assembly. It also has the advantage of countermagic to protect the combo.
- Weaknesses: Legacy’s fast-paced metagame and abundance of disruption, including Force of Will and Wasteland, can make the combo vulnerable.
- Commander:
- Strengths: The consistent access to the commander provides a reliable engine for the combo. Commander also benefits from the ability to run a variety of colors, allowing for a wider selection of combo pieces and supporting cards.
- Weaknesses: The singleton format can make it more difficult to assemble the combo consistently. The higher life totals in Commander mean that it takes longer to win with damage-based combos.
- Modern:
- Strengths: Modern has a diverse metagame, and Food Chain can surprise opponents who are unprepared for the combo.
- Weaknesses: The format’s speed and efficiency, combined with the absence of the powerful tutors available in Legacy, make it difficult to assemble the combo consistently.
Strategic Considerations for Playing Against Food Chain
Successfully playing against Food Chain requires a multifaceted approach, encompassing proactive disruption, efficient threat assessment, and strategic resource management.
- Countermagic and Disruption: Counterspells like Force of Negation, Daze, and Flusterstorm can disrupt the combo. Discard spells like Thoughtseize and Inquisition of Kozilek can proactively remove key combo pieces.
- Graveyard Hate: Cards like Rest in Peace can shut down the combo entirely if the creatures are being recurred from the graveyard.
- Stax Effects: Cards like Blood Moon can disrupt the mana base, while effects that tax mana or restrict casting can hinder the combo’s execution.
- Threat Assessment: Identifying the specific creatures used in the Food Chain combo is crucial. Knowing the combo’s win condition allows you to prioritize threats.
- Tempo: Applying early pressure can force the Food Chain player to react defensively, potentially delaying the combo.
Format Relevance
The Food Chain combo, while potent, finds its true home in formats that allow for a broader card pool and more consistent mana generation. Its impact varies significantly depending on the format’s characteristics, such as the availability of tutors, fast mana, and powerful creatures. Legacy and er, with their distinct card pools and rules, offer contrasting landscapes for the Food Chain strategy.
Legacy and Food Chain’s Dominance
Legacy, with its extensive card pool and emphasis on speed, provides an environment where Food Chain decks can thrive. The format’s access to powerful tutors, such as Entomb and Intuition, and fast mana sources, like Mana Crypt and Chrome Mox, allows for rapid assembly of the combo pieces. This speed, combined with the resilience of the combo itself, makes Food Chain a significant force in the Legacy metagame.The prevalence of Food Chain in Legacy is a direct result of several factors.
- Card Availability: Legacy allows access to the complete set of cards, except those specifically banned. This includes powerful creatures like Misthollow Griffin and Squee, the Goblin Nabob, which are crucial to the combo’s efficiency.
- Fast Mana: Legacy’s fast mana enables players to accelerate the combo. This includes cards that generate mana quickly, like City of Traitors and Ancient Tomb, and fast mana artifacts.
- Tutors: The availability of efficient tutors such as Demonic Tutor and Gamble allows players to quickly find the necessary combo pieces, making the deck more consistent.
Popular Food Chain decks in Legacy typically center around a few core strategies.
- Food Chain + Misthollow Griffin: This is the most common variant. It relies on casting Misthollow Griffin, exiling it to Food Chain for mana, and then recasting it from exile to generate infinite mana and cast a large creature from the graveyard, such as Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, or Emrakul, the Aeons Torn.
- Food Chain + Squee, the Goblin Nabob: Squee is another popular creature used with Food Chain, especially in combination with other graveyard-based strategies. Squee can be discarded, sacrificed to Food Chain, and repeatedly cast from the graveyard to generate mana.
- Food Chain + Goblin Bombardment: Some decks combine Food Chain with Goblin Bombardment, using the generated mana to cast creatures repeatedly and sacrifice them to Goblin Bombardment, dealing damage to the opponent.
Food Chain in er Format
The er format, also known as the “Elder Dragon Highlander” format, introduces a different set of challenges and opportunities for Food Chain decks. The singleton rule, which restricts each card to a single copy in the deck (except for basic lands), significantly impacts the consistency of the combo. However, the format’s multiplayer nature and the availability of powerful commanders can still make Food Chain a viable strategy.In er, the singleton rule forces players to rely on card draw and tutors to assemble the combo.
Investigate the pros of accepting best whole food supplements in your business strategies.
The impact of the singleton rule is clear.
- Reduced Consistency: With only one copy of each non-basic land card allowed, it becomes more difficult to draw the necessary combo pieces consistently.
- Increased Reliance on Tutors: Tutors become even more crucial for finding the combo pieces, but the singleton rule limits the number of tutors that can be included in the deck.
- Impact of Commander: The commander can be a key component of the Food Chain strategy. Commanders that provide card draw, mana generation, or access to key colors can significantly improve the deck’s performance.
The Food Chain combo in er functions similarly to its Legacy counterpart, but with adjustments due to the singleton rule and the presence of a commander.
The core principle remains the same: generate infinite mana using Food Chain and a creature like Misthollow Griffin or Squee, then use that mana to cast a win condition.
The commander’s role varies depending on the chosen strategy.
- Color Identity: The commander’s color identity dictates the available card pool and the types of support cards that can be used. Commanders with access to green are highly favored for their access to mana ramp and creature tutors.
- Card Advantage: Commanders that generate card advantage, like Derevi, Empyrial Tactician, can help overcome the singleton rule.
- Win Conditions: The win condition often changes in er to accommodate the multiplayer format. Some decks may use a large creature that is cast repeatedly, while others may rely on a combo with a commander that can generate infinite mana.
Creature Selection: The Engine
The creatures chosen for a Food Chain deck are not merely participants; they are the very gears that drive the combo, transforming mana and resources into an unstoppable force. The selection of creatures is a delicate balancing act, seeking to maximize mana generation, consistency, and resilience against disruption. The optimal creature suite varies based on the format and metagame, but certain types and individual cards consistently prove their worth.
Creature Types and Synergies
A core component of creature selection is the consideration of creature types and how they interact with the overall strategy. These choices dictate the deck’s potential and its vulnerability.
- Elves: Elves are a popular choice, as they provide mana ramp and card draw, which are essential for assembling the Food Chain combo. Cards like Elvish Mystic and Llanowar Elves provide early mana acceleration, allowing the combo to be established quickly.
- Goblins: Goblins often provide additional value, as they can be sacrificed for mana and create additional goblins. This can be a powerful engine, as cards like Goblin Recruiter can search for specific goblins.
- Dragons: Dragons are often used to close out the game, with cards like Eternal Scourge and Worldgorger Dragon. These cards offer powerful effects that can be triggered repeatedly.
Mana Generation and Key Examples
The ability to generate mana is the lifeblood of a Food Chain deck. Several creatures excel at this, providing the fuel needed to cast and recast the combo pieces.
- Squee, the Immortal: Squee, the Immortal is a resilient card. He can be repeatedly cast from the graveyard, providing a steady stream of mana when sacrificed to Food Chain.
- Eternal Scourge: Eternal Scourge, alongside Food Chain, creates an infinite mana loop. Sacrificing Eternal Scourge to Food Chain and then casting it again is a key component of the combo.
- Worldgorger Dragon: Worldgorger Dragon creates an infinite mana and board wipe combo. The Dragon can be exiled by Food Chain and then returned to the battlefield, repeating the process infinitely.
Impact on Speed and Consistency
The creature selection directly influences the combo’s speed and consistency. A well-chosen creature suite ensures the combo can be assembled rapidly and reliably, even under pressure.
Consider a deck running a high density of mana dorks, such as Llanowar Elves and Elvish Mystic. This deck can often cast Food Chain as early as turn two or three, giving it a significant advantage. Conversely, a deck relying on more expensive creatures will likely be slower and more vulnerable to disruption.
Mana Generation and Advantage
The heart of the Food Chain combo lies in its ability to generate an overwhelming amount of mana, far beyond what a typical Magic: The Gathering deck can muster. This excess mana is then channeled into a win condition, usually the casting of a creature repeatedly to trigger abilities that ultimately lead to victory. Understanding how this mana advantage is achieved is crucial to piloting the deck effectively.
Methods for Generating Excessive Mana, Food chain combo mtg
Food Chain’s mana generation is fundamentally based on the interaction between the eponymous enchantment and creatures. It creates a positive feedback loop where creatures are sacrificed for mana, which is then used to cast those same creatures again, creating a cycle of mana generation and creature casting. This loop, when properly managed, allows for a near-infinite supply of mana.Food Chain provides the following: When you cast a creature spell, you may exile it.
If you do, add mana of any one color to your mana pool equal to that creature’s mana value.The key to mana generation is the creatures used in conjunction with Food Chain. Creatures with low mana values are preferred to maximize the efficiency of the combo, allowing for the largest possible mana pool in the shortest amount of time.
Utilization of Generated Mana to Win
The generated mana is not an end in itself; it is a tool used to achieve a win condition. The specific win condition varies depending on the deck’s build, but it always involves a creature with an ability that can be repeatedly triggered.The most common method for utilizing the generated mana involves creatures with abilities that can target opponents, such as:
Squee, the Immortal
Sacrificing Squee to Food Chain generates mana. This mana can then be used to recast Squee from exile. Squee is cast repeatedly, generating mana. With an arbitrarily large amount of mana, it can be used to trigger the win condition enough times to win the game.
Step-by-Step Procedure: Mana Generation Process
The following steps Artikel the typical mana generation process using Food Chain:* Step 1: Establish Food Chain. The first step is to have Food Chain in play.
Step 2
Cast a Creature. Cast a creature that can be sacrificed and recast. The choice of creature significantly affects the speed and efficiency of the combo.
Step 3
Sacrifice the Creature. Sacrifice the creature to Food Chain. This triggers Food Chain’s ability, exiling the creature and generating mana equal to its mana value.
Step 4
Recast the Creature. Use the generated mana to cast the exiled creature from exile.
Step 5
Repeat the Cycle. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as many times as necessary. Each iteration of the cycle generates additional mana.
Step 6
Execute the Win Condition. Once a sufficient amount of mana has been generated, use it to cast creatures, activating their abilities to trigger a win condition.
Counterplay and Disruptions
The Food Chain combo, while potent, is vulnerable to various forms of disruption. Understanding these vulnerabilities is crucial for both playing against and piloting the deck. Effective counterplay often involves targeting the mana base, key combo pieces, or the engine itself. Recognizing the common disruption strategies and their effectiveness is key to mitigating the threat of Food Chain.
Common Counter Strategies
Several strategies are employed to disrupt the Food Chain combo, each with varying degrees of effectiveness. These strategies can be broadly categorized based on the aspect of the combo they target: mana generation, the Food Chain card itself, the creatures that generate mana, or the combo’s ability to draw and filter cards.
- Mana Denial: Preventing the opponent from generating sufficient mana to cast Food Chain or to repeatedly cast creatures from the graveyard is a powerful strategy. This can be achieved through land destruction, mana taxing effects, or cards that lock the opponent out of certain mana colors.
- Targeted Removal: Removing Food Chain itself or key creatures like Squee, the Immortal, or Misthollow Griffin is a direct way to disrupt the combo. The effectiveness of this strategy depends on the timing and the availability of replacement creatures in the graveyard.
- Counterspells: Countering Food Chain or critical creatures prevents the combo from resolving in the first place. The efficiency of counterspells depends on the metagame and the number of available counterspells.
- Graveyard Hate: Preventing the creatures from being cast from the graveyard cripples the combo’s functionality. This can range from general graveyard hate like Rest in Peace to more targeted effects.
- Discard: Removing key combo pieces from the opponent’s hand before they can be cast can significantly delay or prevent the combo. This requires precise hand reading and knowledge of the opponent’s deck.
Effectiveness of Disruption Spells
Different types of disruption spells have varying levels of effectiveness against the Food Chain combo, depending on the specific build and the overall game state. The following table provides an overview of different disruption types and their effects.
| Disruption Type | Effect | Example Cards | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counterspells | Prevents the combo from resolving. | Counterspell, Force of Will, Swan Song | Highly effective if timed correctly; less effective against resilient combo pieces or multiple Food Chains. |
| Targeted Removal | Removes Food Chain or key creatures from the battlefield. | Swords to Plowshares, Assassin’s Trophy, Path to Exile | Effective against single combo pieces, less effective if the opponent has redundancy. |
| Graveyard Hate | Prevents creatures from being cast from the graveyard. | Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void, Grafdigger’s Cage | Very effective at shutting down the combo, but vulnerable to removal or enchantment destruction. |
| Discard | Removes key combo pieces from the opponent’s hand. | Thoughtseize, Inquisition of Kozilek, Duress | Can be effective at disrupting the combo early on, but less impactful if the opponent has multiple copies of key cards or can draw additional cards. |
Deckbuilding Considerations
Building a Food Chain combo deck requires careful consideration of several factors. The goal is to assemble the combo consistently, protect it from disruption, and ensure you can win the game once the combo is online. Success depends on balancing the engine with support cards and tailoring the deck to the specific format and metagame.
Prioritizing Consistency and Speed
The most crucial aspect of deckbuilding is to maximize the chances of drawing Food Chain and the necessary creatures. This involves including a significant number of tutors, card draw, and mana acceleration. These elements are critical for achieving the combo quickly and reliably.
Essential Support Cards and Their Roles
Support cards are vital for protecting the combo and ensuring its success. They provide protection against opposing strategies, enable mana advantage, and help you find the key pieces.
- Tutors: These cards search your library for specific cards, increasing the consistency of finding Food Chain or your creature pieces. Examples include Demonic Tutor, Imperial Recruiter, and Gamble.
- Card Draw: Drawing more cards allows you to find the combo pieces faster and refill your hand after disruption. Examples include Brainstorm, Ponder, and Preordain.
- Mana Acceleration: Speeding up your mana production enables you to cast Food Chain earlier and cast your creature pieces faster. Examples include Chrome Mox, Mana Crypt, and Sol Ring.
- Protection Spells: These cards protect your combo from counterspells, removal, and other forms of disruption. Examples include Veil of Summer, Flusterstorm, and Force of Will.
- Interaction/Removal: These cards deal with opposing threats that can disrupt your combo or win the game before you assemble it. Examples include Swords to Plowshares, Force of Negation, and Pyroblast.
- Creature Selection: Choosing the right creatures is paramount. They must be able to generate enough mana to recast themselves from the graveyard. Examples include Misthollow Griffin, Squee, the Goblin Nabob, and Eternal Scourge.
Optimizing Mana Base
The mana base is crucial for casting your spells consistently. You must balance the need for colored mana to cast your spells and colorless mana for your mana rocks.
A well-constructed mana base minimizes the risk of mana screw, allowing you to consistently cast Food Chain and your supporting spells.
The exact composition of your mana base depends on the specific creatures you choose and the colors of your support spells. A good rule of thumb is to include a mix of fetch lands, dual lands, and basic lands to ensure you can cast your spells reliably.
The Winning Condition
The ultimate goal of a Food Chain deck is to generate infinite mana and cast a creature from the graveyard repeatedly, often culminating in a game-winning attack or other effect. This usually happens in a single turn, often unexpectedly. The specific win condition is dictated by the creature chosen to capitalize on the infinite mana. The Food Chain combo, while powerful, is useless without a way to actually end the game, thus, the win condition is a critical element of the deck’s strategy.
Winning Creature Role
The winning creature is the lynchpin of the Food Chain combo’s success, as it’s the final piece of the puzzle that translates infinite mana into a victory. This creature’s ability, often a combat-related ability, or other direct damage ability, is what allows the Food Chain player to defeat their opponent. The choice of the winning creature is, therefore, dependent on the format, meta, and individual deck preferences.
- Combat-Oriented Creatures: These creatures typically leverage the infinite mana to repeatedly cast themselves from the graveyard and attack. The most common examples include:
- Squee, the Immortal: A classic choice, Squee allows for infinite casts, leading to infinite attacks. His low mana cost makes him easy to repeatedly cast.
- Misthollow Griffin: Similar to Squee, Misthollow Griffin is exiled when it leaves the battlefield, but can be cast from exile for free. This provides another resilient option.
- Creatures with Direct Damage Abilities: These creatures utilize the infinite mana to trigger their abilities repeatedly, directly damaging opponents or their permanents.
- Thassa’s Oracle: While not directly attacking, Thassa’s Oracle allows the Food Chain player to win by milling their entire library and casting Oracle, triggering its ability to win the game.
- Walking Ballista: The Ballista uses the infinite mana to enter the battlefield with infinite +1/+1 counters, allowing it to deal lethal damage to any target.
Final Game State
Upon successful completion of the Food Chain combo, the game state dramatically shifts. The player typically has an overwhelming advantage. The winning creature will either be on the battlefield, poised to attack repeatedly (in the case of Squee or Misthollow Griffin), or have its ability ready to be activated an infinite number of times (as with Walking Ballista or Thassa’s Oracle).
The player will have an enormous amount of mana floating in their mana pool, allowing them to cast the winning creature multiple times from the graveyard and, if needed, cast any remaining spells in their hand. The opponent’s board state is often overwhelmed, with little to no ability to prevent the inevitable victory. The game state reflects the player’s complete control and dominance over the game.
Ending Remarks: Food Chain Combo Mtg
So, there you have it, a whirlwind tour of the food chain combo mtg! From its humble beginnings to its current dominance in formats like Legacy and even in the Singleton format, this combo has proven itself to be a force of nature. We’ve seen how it works, the key players involved, and the cunning strategies used to dismantle it.
Remember, the world of Magic is full of surprises, and this combo is a testament to that. So, go forth, experiment, and maybe, just maybe, unleash the beast yourself! But always remember, the best stories are the ones we tell, and the best games are the ones we play!
