Introduction
Have you ever sat down at a Commander table and thought, “Instead of summoning giant monsters, I want to win by baking my opponents into submission?” It might sound absurd, but the world of *Magic: The Gathering* Commander offers room for culinary-themed chaos thanks to the powerful and versatile “Food” tokens. Forget overwhelming board states and infinite combos; sometimes, the sweetest victory is a slow and methodical one, fueled by life gain and delicious sacrifices.
Food tokens, represented by brown Treasure tokens depicting a pie or other food item, are artifacts that can be sacrificed for two life. Simple, right? But in the wild and wonderful format of Commander, these humble snacks can become the cornerstone of a surprisingly potent and flavorful deck. This article will explore the exciting world of Food Commander MTG, examining key commanders, strategies, card synergies, and potential budget considerations for players looking to build their own edible empire. Prepare to savor the flavor of victory!
The Allure of Food in Commander
Why build a Food Commander MTG deck? Beyond just raw power, these decks offer a unique blend of flavor and strategic advantage. Imagine the look on your opponents’ faces as you slowly but surely drain their life totals, one Food token at a time. The whimsical nature of the theme appeals to players who enjoy a lighthearted approach to the game. It’s a chance to embrace the absurdity of Magic and build something truly unique. Instead of the usual dragons and demons, you’re assembling a culinary masterpiece.
However, the appeal goes beyond just flavor. Food tokens provide inherent strategic advantages. They offer a consistent source of life gain, which can be crucial for outlasting aggressive decks or powering up life-gain based strategies. Perhaps even more importantly, they act as sacrifice outlets. The ability to sacrifice artifacts at will opens up a world of possibilities, triggering powerful abilities and fueling graveyard strategies.
Commander, as a flexible format, is also why a deck built around Food works well here. The format’s longer game times give Food decks time to accumulate value and grind out incremental advantages. The multiplayer nature of the format also allows you to outlast opponents, as Food tokens can effectively turn you into a very resilient player that other opponents will have a hard time attacking.
Key Commanders for Food Decks
The heart of any Commander deck is, of course, its commander. Several legendary creatures can lead your Food-fueled forces, each offering a unique twist on the theme.
Gyome, Master Chef
Gyome, Master Chef, is often considered the premier Food Commander. His abilities perfectly align with the Food theme. He passively creates Food tokens at the end of each of your turns, providing a steady stream of resources. More importantly, he gives your creatures ward two unless an opponent sacrifices a food. This is an excellent way to protect your creatures from being targetted. The synergy is obvious: Gyome makes Food, which can then be used to protect your threats from your opponents.
Key card synergies with Gyome revolve around maximizing artifact generation, sacrificing artifacts, and gaining life. Cards like Academy Manufactor will exponentially increase the number of artifacts you are producing. Other cards that synergize well include Peregrin Took and other cards that make additional food upon making food.
Typical gameplay with Gyome involves building a board presence, protecting your key creatures, and slowly draining opponents. You can use cards like Aetherflux Reservoir to convert life gain into direct damage, or cards like Marionette Master to deal massive damage whenever you sacrifice artifacts.
Alela, Artful Provocateur
While perhaps less directly tied to Food, Alela, Artful Provocateur, is another compelling choice for a Food Commander deck, particularly if you want to focus on a more aggressive strategy. Alela rewards you with tokens for casting non-creature spells, and she grows your team, which incentivizes you to cast food-related spells and artifacts. Her color identity also gives you access to white for more life gain synergies, and access to blue for more card draw and counterspells.
Key card synergies with Alela are artifacts and enchantments that stick around and provide a bonus, as well as cards that make a lot of artifacts.
Typical gameplay with Alela involves building a strong board, then overpowering your opponents with creatures. She has a much more aggressive strategy and win-condition than Gyome, and is suited for commanders who want to attack more.
Commodore Guff
A more unusual, but potentially powerful choice, is Commodore Guff. While not directly creating food tokens, Guff creates sagas and gives you card draw, allowing you to dig for your food synergies and generate value over time. The card draw lets you get to Food-related cards and make sure you stay on curve. His color identity also gives you access to White and Red.
Key card synergies with Commodore Guff are cards that benefit from sagas, creating sagas, and cards like Gyome that utilize food tokens.
Typical gameplay with Commodore Guff involves ramping out and getting Guff on the board quickly to draw cards. Guff rewards long games that slowly grind out a victory.
Other Potential Commanders
While Gyome, Alela, and Guff are strong contenders, other commanders can also helm a Food deck. Consider Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim, if you want to focus heavily on life gain strategies.
Core Cards and Synergies for Food Decks
Regardless of your commander, certain cards are essential for any Food Commander MTG deck.
Food Token Creation
Generating Food tokens is, obviously, the cornerstone of the strategy. Key cards include:
- Feasting Troll King: Creates a food token, and can be sacrificed to protect it, and come back!
- Gingerbrute: An early beater that can create food when it attacks.
- Golden Goose: A cheap mana dork that makes a food token.
- Oko, Thief of Crowns: While powerful and often controversial, Oko can turn opposing creatures into Elk and then turn them into food.
- Gilded Goose: Similar to Golden Goose, creates food tokens and mana.
- Sweettooth Witch: Creates a food token, and then provides a boost to your life!
Food Sacrifice Payoffs
Turning Food tokens into advantages is crucial. Powerful payoff cards include:
- Peregrin Took: He doubles your food!
- Academy Manufactor: Generates a treasure, a clue, and a food token when you create any one of them.
- Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar: A strong beatstick that buffs when you sacrifice food.
- The Underworld Cookbook: Allows you to discard cards for food tokens.
- Witch’s Oven: Sacrificing creatures, and food!
Life Gain Synergies
Leveraging life gain is a core element of many Food decks. Key cards include:
- Aetherflux Reservoir: Turns life gain into direct damage.
- Serra Ascendant: Becomes a powerful threat with enough life gain.
- Ajani’s Pridemate: Grows larger with each life gain trigger.
Artifact Synergies
Because Food tokens are artifacts, cards that reward artifact strategies fit perfectly. Consider:
- Marionette Master: Deals direct damage when artifacts are sacrificed.
- Mechanized Production: Creates copies of an artifact for a potential win condition.
- Sai, Master Thopterist: Generates Thopters when you cast artifacts.
Building a Budget-Friendly Food Commander Deck
The price of cardboard shouldn’t keep you from enjoying the culinary delights of a Food Commander MTG deck. Here are some strategies for building on a budget.
- Focus on common and uncommon cards: Many powerful Food-related cards are surprisingly affordable.
- Utilize existing collections: See what artifacts and life gain synergies you already own.
- Look for affordable alternatives: Replace expensive staples with budget-friendly options.
Some example budget card inclusions include Elusive Otter, which buffs when you make food, or Giant Opportunity, which creates giant creature tokens with food.
Focusing on a budget mana base can be a cost-effective way to save money. Also, prioritize synergistic cards over expensive tutors.
Gameplay Tips and Strategies
Mastering Food Commander MTG requires a nuanced approach to gameplay.
- Early Game: Focus on mana ramp and establishing a base of Food tokens. Prioritize cards like Golden Goose and Gilded Goose to get ahead on mana and start generating Food.
- Mid Game: Implement your Food sacrifice payoffs, gain life, and control the board. Use cards like Peregrin Took and Academy Manufactor to snowball your food production.
- Late Game: Close out the game with a powerful life gain synergy or a combo using Food tokens. Aetherflux Reservoir is a powerful finisher, while Marionette Master can deal massive damage with artifact sacrifices.
When playing against common Commander archetypes, remember the following. Against aggressive decks, prioritize life gain to stay alive. Against control decks, try to play around counterspells and establish a resilient board. Against combo decks, disrupt their combos with removal or counterspells.
Conclusion
Food-themed Commander decks offer a unique and satisfying way to experience *Magic: The Gathering*. The combination of whimsical flavor and strategic depth makes them a compelling choice for players of all skill levels. By carefully selecting your commander, prioritizing key card synergies, and considering budget-friendly options, you can build a Food Commander MTG deck that’s both fun to play and surprisingly competitive. The delicious flavor and resilient gameplay make it a strategy that can really stand out.
So, grab your apron, sharpen your knives, and prepare to cook up a storm on the Commander battlefield. Will we see even more delicious Food-themed cards in future sets? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the world of Food Commander MTG is ripe with potential.
