Incubate in MTG: Rules, History, and Best Cards

Steve Vrooman February 13, 2026 MTG Cards, MTG Rules

Last updated on February 13, 2026

Incubator token | Illustration by Johann Bodin

March of the Machine introduced the MTG community to the first transforming double-faced token. And incubators turned out to be pretty cool!

Incubate and Incubator tokens brought a whole new angle to the game. Was this ready for release, or should Wizards have let it cook some more?

Here’s your primer on arguably the most complex token design in Magic’s history!

Table of Contents show

How Does Incubate Work?

Elesh Norn | Illustration by Magali Villeneuve

To incubate N, you create an Incubator artifact token and add a number of +1/+1 counters to it equal to N.

Some cards are specific, like Merciless Repurposing and its “incubate 3.” Sometimes it’s variable, like the “incubate X” on Chrome Host Seedshark. And sometimes a card asks you to incubate X multiple times, like Glissa, Herald of Predation, which has the text “incubate 2 twice.”

Incubate is a keyword action on many different types of cards, from creatures to instants. On permanents, incubate can be an ETB, a triggered ability, or both like on Essence of Orthodoxy.

Once you have your Incubator token, then what? The +1/+1 counters don’t do anything at first because the artifact isn’t a creature. It’s like an incubating egg ready to pop (or pip).

You can transform the artifact at any time for two generic mana, turning it into a “Token Artifact Creature – Phyrexian,” a 0/0 that also retains those +1/+1 counters.

The History of Incubate in MTG

Incubate debuted in March of the Machine in 2023, appearing on 30 cards with an additional three in March of the Machine Commander. This is a mechanic clearly related to the defeated Phyrexians, so it's unlikely to reappear much moving forward. That said, Wizards could repurpose the mechanic as “incubate Phyrexian X” like they did with amass zombies/amass orcs. That way, we might see something like “incubate dinosaur” in a setting where that would make sense.

What Is Incubate N?

The “N” in incubate N indicates the number of +1/+1 counters that you place on the Incubator token. Most often, that’s a specific number like 1, 2 or 3. Sometimes it’s a variable X.

What Are Incubator Tokens?

Incubator tokens are transforming double-faced tokens created by the incubate action. They enter the battlefield with N +1/+1 counters on them, corresponding to the “incubate N” rules text. You can pay mana to transform them, flipping them into a Phyrexian artifact creature that retains the +1/+1 counters.

How Do You Transform Incubator Tokens?

You pay mana to transform these tokens, which can happen at instant speed. Note that if you transform an Incubator the turn you create it, the resulting creature will be affected by summoning sickness.

Does Incubate Count as ETB?

No, incubate does not involve entering the battlefield, or leaving for that matter. Some transform effects go into exile first, but this one does not. This is primarily because the token would lose the counters on it. What you want is a trigger for whenever an artifact enters under your control, then incubate becomes a powerful trigger enabler.

How Many +1/+1 Counters Does Incubate Put on the Incubator Token?

Each card with incubate specifies the number of +1/+1 counters via the “incubate N” formula. Cards with incubate X will specify how to calculate X.

Investigate vs. Incubate

These are very different kinds of tokens in most ways. What’s similar about them is that they cost mana to use. A Clue can be sacrificed to draw a card for mana. An Incubator token can be flipped into a creature for mana. As Ari Lax put it: “It’s a Clue that turns into a big thing.”

Gallery and List of Incubate Cards

Best Incubate Cards

The best incubate cards have proven themselves across multiple formats, from Cube to Standard. There are a few excellent ones that don’t make my list below because, you know, I have to stop somewhere.

#7. Bloated Processor

Bloated Processor is Value Town. A sac ability that can activate at instant speed that doesn’t require tapping means I kind of want this as my 3-drop in a sac deck over either Ayara (Ayara, First of Locthwain and Ayara, Widow of the Realm). There are over 400 Phyrexians across all time, with half of those going back to Dominaria United, so there’s a deck to be built here.

This isn’t as explosive as Nantuko Husk was in its days atop Standard, but these counters stick around and recur later. I know black across formats has a glut of powerful 3-drops, but this a contender.

#6. Glissa, Herald of Predation

I love me a modal ability and options each turn. Glissa, Herald of Predation has quite a mana saver in the middle choice. The third choice is punishing in one of the most deadly keyword combinations you can give a creature as giving the Golgari first strike is nearly a color pie break. Then there's the first mode which can equate to two 2/2s, so is this a better Grave Titan?

#5. Chrome Host Seedshark

Chrome Host Seedshark is a difficult card to evaluate. Going to Ari Lax again: “Resolving Shark Typhoon is an experience. And this is not quite resolving Shark Typhoon for 3 mana, but it’s close.” CovertGoBlue’s response to that kind of thinking is: “Some of y’all are weird. This doesn’t say ‘draw a card’ anywhere on it.”

You have to use this with big spells to make the token flip costs more worth it. Delve and convoke spells are fitting. Temporal Trespass anyone? This seems like a nice thing to have on the battlefield when you drop a Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, tick up, and then use that untapped 2 mana to pay the cost and flip the token in defense if needed. The shark's ability to churn out a bunch of artifacts has also given it a home next to Tolarian Academy in Vintage Cube.

#4. Excise the Imperfect

Excise the Imperfect exiles any nonland permanent at instant speed for 3 mana without leaving an enchantment around that can be bounced or destroyed. The only competition we really have is Anguished Unmaking, an EDH staple.

This is one color only, which is a boon, and leaving a token in some cases is a better deal than the life loss. You don’t really want to answer Sheoldred, the Apocalypse with this, but against a big token or a Voltron commander, this is perfect.

In EDH, I’d play it over Generous Gift in most cases where the double pips don’t scare me off.

#3. Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos

Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos is kinda nuts. Its own precon deck is pretty decent, but if you want to focus it on artifacts alone, I’d argue that it elevates the mostly nonexistent Orzhov artifacts deck in EDH to a real possibility.

#2. Elesh Norn / The Argent Etchings

Elesh Norn is the easiest to flip of all the double-sided praetors. By the time it drops on curve, you’ll have the creatures and mana to transform it for bonkers gains. If you hold off and drop Elesh Norn on turn 5 while holding up Surge of Salvation, you short circuit the black edicts and demand the opponent has a wrath.

As a commander or in a Commander deck, this will be lower impact but still fun to play.

#1. Sunfall

Originally at a speculative sixth place on this list, it's clear now that Sunfall is the best card to use the incubate mechanic. In fact, this is just one of the best board wipes ever printed. Turns out letting your wrath double up as a wincon and making it a mass-exile effect is a recipe for a game-winning control card that then shifts the game in your favor. Easy groan test card here, rivalling Farewell in terms of salt-inducing white board wipes.

Wrap Up

Sunder the Gateway | Illustration by Titus Lunter

This is a great, flexible mechanic to me. I rank Incubator tokens under Treasures and Clues, but above Food, Blood, and Powerstones.

I love the use of these for artifactfall synergies. A hint as to their power in that space is that there’s not a single card in March of the Machine with “artifactfall,” despite half a dozen in other sets surrounding it. That makes brewing around these in a little tough, but many of these are just powerful enough outright to see play. And I think most of these cards will find their way into EDH decks.

Which incubate cards do you think are the best? What builds do you put them into? Let me know in the comments or over on the Draftsim Discord.

Thank you for reading, and keep warm and safe!

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Steve Vrooman

A casual MTG warrior since Ice Age, Steve would have liked to have seen at least one card with cumulative upkeep in Kaldheim. He likes to think he'd be in Lorehold, but it's probably Silverquill.