Introduction
Picture this: You’re staring down a lethal boardstate in your Commander game. Your life total is dwindling, and defeat seems inevitable. Then, with a flick of the wrist, you sacrifice a humble Food Token, gaining a precious few life points. Suddenly, you’re back in the game, ready to unleash your delectable strategy. That, my friends, is the power of Food Tokens in Commander!
Food Tokens, those delicious-looking artifact tokens with the simple ability to be sacrificed for life points, have carved out a surprisingly potent niche in the Commander format. While they might seem like mere lifegain engines, Food Tokens offer much more than just a buffer against aggro. They are versatile tools that can fuel combos, trigger synergies, and provide a steady stream of value throughout the game. The appeal of Food Tokens lies in their flexibility, their flavorful nature, and their ability to turn a seemingly innocuous resource into a potent weapon. Whether you’re a seasoned Commander veteran or a newcomer eager to explore unconventional strategies, the world of Food Token Commander decks is ripe with possibilities.
This article will explore the best commanders, key cards, and strategies for building a powerful and consistent Food Token Commander deck. We’ll delve into the delicious details of creating a deck that not only gains life but also devours the competition.
Choosing Your Commander
The heart of any Commander deck is, of course, the commander itself. When building a Food Token Commander deck, choosing the right leader is crucial for maximizing your deck’s potential. Several commanders excel at generating, utilizing, or benefiting from Food Tokens, each offering a unique playstyle.
Gyome, Master Chef
One of the most popular choices for a Food Token Commander deck is undoubtedly Gyome, Master Chef. This charming chef not only generates Food Tokens whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control but also provides a significant power and toughness boost to your creatures when you sacrifice a Food Token. Gyome excels at turning Food Tokens into both life and offensive power, making him a formidable force in any Commander game.
However, Gyome isn’t without his weaknesses. As the centerpiece of your strategy, he can become a prime target for removal spells. Additionally, his reliance on creatures can make him vulnerable to board wipes. When building a Gyome deck, focus on including resilient creatures and ways to protect your commander from removal. Packing your deck with redundant sources of food will also keep your engine running smoothly, even if your commander is temporarily out of commission.
Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar
For a more unconventional approach, consider Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar. While her name is quite a mouthful, her abilities are surprisingly straightforward. She allows you to sacrifice Food Tokens and other artifacts at a reduced cost, and she can even deal direct damage with the help of the Underworld Cookbook.
The key to playing Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar is setting up a reliable engine for generating and sacrificing Food Tokens. The Underworld Cookbook is absolutely essential to her strategy, as it enables her to deal damage whenever you sacrifice food. You’ll also want to include cards that reward you for sacrificing artifacts, such as Marionette Master or Disciple of the Vault.
Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit
Stepping out of the kitchen and into an adventure we find Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit. His adventure ‘prove them wrong’ generates two food tokens and also draws you a card when he returns from his adventure by sacrificing a food token.
Frodo works best when you can recur him and play his adventure multiple times during the game to flood the board with food tokens and draw multiple cards.
Alela, Artful Provocateur
If you’re looking for a commander that takes a broader approach to artifact tokens, Alela, Artful Provocateur might be the perfect fit. While not exclusively focused on Food Tokens, Alela generates flying tokens whenever you cast an artifact or enchantment spell. Because Food Tokens are themselves artifacts, they trigger Alela’s ability, providing you with a steady stream of flying attackers and blockers.
Alela’s strength lies in her versatility. You can build a deck that focuses on a wide range of artifact tokens, including Clues, Treasures, and even Vehicles. This makes your deck less reliant on Food Tokens specifically and more resistant to strategies that target artifacts.
Core Cards and Synergies
Regardless of which commander you choose, certain core cards and synergies are essential for any successful Food Token Commander deck.
Food Token Generators
These cards are the bread and butter of your strategy, providing you with a consistent stream of Food Tokens to fuel your combos and lifegain. Golden Goose, Gingerbrute, Savvy Hunter, and even Oko, Thief of Crowns are excellent options for generating Food Tokens.
Sacrifice Outlets
These cards allow you to turn your Food Tokens into valuable effects. Witch’s Oven and Goblin Bombardment are classic sacrifice outlets that provide value every time you sacrifice a Food Token. Attrition is a powerful removal spell that lets you sacrifice creatures to destroy your opponents’ threats. Viscera Seer is a low-cost option that lets you scry whenever you sacrifice a creature, helping you find the cards you need.
Payoffs for Sacrificing Food
These cards reward you for sacrificing Food Tokens, turning a simple act of lifegain into a powerful engine for card advantage, damage, or other valuable effects. Trail of Crumbs is an excellent way to draw cards whenever you sacrifice a Food Token. Reanimate is a powerful reanimation spell that can bring back your opponents’ best creatures from the graveyard. Disciple of the Vault deals damage to your opponents whenever an artifact you control is put into the graveyard. Korvold, Fae-Cursed King grows larger whenever you sacrifice a permanent, including Food Tokens, making him a formidable attacker.
Cards that Buff Food Tokens/Artifacts
These cards help make your food tokens and the rest of your artifacts bigger and better. Urza, Lord High Artificer makes all of your artifacts into mana rocks. Akiri, Line-Slinger gets bigger for each artifact you have, food tokens included.
Combos
While not strictly necessary, combos can provide a powerful win condition for your Food Token Commander deck. Academy Manufactor creates a Treasure, a Clue, and a Food token when you create one. With a sacrifice outlet, this could lead to infinite triggers of some kind.
Deckbuilding Considerations
Building a successful Food Token Commander deck requires careful consideration of several key factors.
Mana Base
A well-tuned mana base is essential for any Commander deck. Prioritize dual lands and lands that produce multiple colors of mana. Artifact lands can be particularly useful in a Food Token deck, as they synergize with your artifact theme.
Ramp
Ramp is crucial for accelerating your mana and casting your key spells. Artifact ramp, such as Sol Ring and Mana Vault, is particularly effective in a Food Token deck. Consider ramp spells that generate tokens, even if they aren’t Food Tokens.
Removal
Removal is essential for dealing with your opponents’ threats. Include a mix of spot removal spells and board wipes to handle different types of threats.
Card Draw
Consistent card advantage is essential for keeping your engine running and finding the cards you need. Include cards that draw you cards whenever you sacrifice artifacts or gain life.
Protection
Protect your key creatures and artifacts from removal with spells like Swiftfoot Boots and Lightning Greaves.
Strategies and Gameplay
Playing a Food Token Commander deck requires a strategic approach.
Early Game
Focus on setting up your mana base and generating Food Tokens. Get your key engines online as quickly as possible.
Mid Game
Start establishing your synergies and controlling the board. Use your Food Tokens to gain life, draw cards, and remove threats.
Late Game
Execute your game plan and close out the game. Use your combos or powerful creatures to overwhelm your opponents.
Tips for Playing a Food Token Deck
Be mindful of your life total. Don’t be afraid to sacrifice Food Tokens for value. Prioritize protecting your key cards. Consider what you are going to do with your food before sacrificing it.
Budget Options and Upgrades
Building a Food Token Commander deck doesn’t have to break the bank. Several budget-friendly cards can provide excellent value.
For example, instead of Oko, Thief of Crowns, consider using Golden Goose, which is far less expensive and still generates Food Tokens. Instead of expensive dual lands, use budget-friendly options like guildgates and tapped lands.
As your budget allows, consider upgrading your deck with more powerful cards. Fetch lands, dual lands, and expensive tutors can significantly improve your deck’s consistency and power.
Conclusion
Food Token Commander decks are a surprisingly powerful and versatile strategy in the Commander format. With the right commander, core cards, and synergies, you can build a deck that not only gains life but also devours the competition. Whether you choose Gyome, Master Chef, Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar, Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit, or Alela, Artful Provocateur, the world of Food Token Commander decks is ripe with delicious possibilities.
So, gather your ingredients, sharpen your knives, and get ready to cook up a storm on the Commander battlefield. Build your own Food Token Commander deck today and experience the flavorful and rewarding gameplay that this unique strategy has to offer. Will we see even more powerful Food Token synergies in future sets, further solidifying their place in the Commander metagame? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Food Tokens are here to stay, and they’re ready to rumble!
