Kellogg, Dangerous MindHow it works & interactions with other cards

Generating and Spending Wealth

Kellogg comes equipped with Haste and First Strike, allowing him to attack immediately and safely in many combat scenarios. Each time he attacks, you create a Treasure token. Once you have accumulated five Treasures, you can sacrifice them to activate his powerful recruitment ability, taking control of a creature an opponent owns.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, ensure it is your main phase and the stack is empty, as this is a sorcery-speed ability. Second, choose your target creature and pay the cost by sacrificing five Treasures. When the ability resolves, you gain control of that creature. This control effect lasts exactly as long as you maintain control of Kellogg, Dangerous Mind. If he leaves the battlefield or another player takes control of him, the stolen creature returns to its owner.

Common Pitfalls

The most important rule to remember is that if Kellogg leaves the battlefield in response to his own activation, the ability will resolve but you will never gain control of the target. Additionally, because the activation is restricted to sorcery speed, you cannot wait until an opponent's turn to steal a creature in response to their spells or attacks.

Strategic Timing

Kellogg is best utilized in decks that can protect him or generate extra tokens. Since the control effect is tied to his presence on the board, saving your Treasures until you can protect Kellogg with counterspells or hexproof ensures your stolen prize doesn't suddenly switch back to your opponent's side of the field.

Interaction examples

Doubling the Payday

Kellogg, Dangerous MindRoaming Throne

If you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield naming 'Human' or 'Mercenary', Kellogg's attack ability triggers twice. This allows you to generate two Treasure tokens per attack, reaching the required five Treasures much faster than usual.

The Ultimate Recruitment

Kellogg, Dangerous MindSolemn Simulacrum

During your main phase, you sacrifice five Treasure tokens to target an opponent's Solemn Simulacrum. Upon resolution, you gain control of the Golem. You now benefit from its presence as a blocker and, if it dies while under your control, you—not the original owner—will get to draw a card because you were its controller when it left the battlefield.

Treasure Utility

Kellogg, Dangerous MindTreasure

While Kellogg wants you to save your Treasure tokens for his control ability, remember that those tokens are standard Treasure tokens. If you are short on mana to cast a vital protection spell for Kellogg, you can sacrifice the tokens for mana instead of using them for his recruitment ability.