Mutations

Spoiler! This article contains potential story spoilers for Grounded.

Mutations are perks that players can obtain from completing certain challenges throughout the world. Some Mutations can be upgraded for doing specific gameplay tasks a certain number of times to unlock or progress to the next phase. The player starts with 2 slots for Mutations, but this can be increased up to 5 with Milk Molars which cost 3 Milk Molars, 4, Then 5 Milk Molars. There are 41 mutations to be acquired. The player can create Mutation Loadouts to quickly swap between up to 4 different sets of Mutations.

Purchasable Mutations

These mutations are not unlocked through normal gameplay. They instead must be purchased from BURG.L. Because these mutations are not earned naturally, they have only one phase and cannot be upgraded further.

Note: Once a mutation is purchased, it is unlocked for all players in the world.

Mutation	Description	Effect	Obtained From
Meat Shield	Your size to meat ratio is off the charts and you take hits like a champ.	Increases Max Health by 50.	BURG.L for:
Buff Lungs	You inhale and your cells burn bright with an enhanced energy capacity.	Increases Max Stamina by 50.	BURG.L for: Requires: Red Anthill BURG.L Chip
Daredevil	Powered by a perpetual flow of adrenaline as you skitter and leap through the yard, risk assessment has no place in your moment to moment thoughts. Repeated trial and error lets you take leaps of faith with confidence.	Reduces Fall Damage by 50%.	BURG.L for: Requires: Hedge BURG.L Chip
Battle Buddies	Fighting alongside your friends has improved your coordination substantially. Deal and take less friendly fire damage from your fellow teens.	Decreases the players damage on other players by 75%. Increases resistance to damage from players by 75%.	BURG.L for: Requires: Pond BURG.L Chip
Dissection Expert	A masterful grasp of your adversaries' intricate anatomy empowers you to effortlessly harvest their rare and elusive resources.	Increases the drop-chance of loot from Creatures by 10%.	BURG.L for: Requires: Forgotten BURG.L Chip

Unlockable Mutations

Mutation	Description	Effect	Obtained From
Lil Fist	Your tiny limbs flail and crash upon foe after foe. With every little swing these bitty bones of yours harden and muscles tighten, increasing the damage of further blows. Mastery Bonus: You're able to hit twice in a single punch.	Gives a 1%/1.5%/2% damage buff to unarmed attacks while attacking with fists that stack until taking ANY form of damage or combat ends. The damage stacks cap out at 100 stacks before not increasing any further. Phase 3: Every punch landed guarantees a 2nd hit that deals 6 damage and 5 stun. This only activates when using your fists.	Phase 1: Kill 40 Creatures with fists Phase 2: Kill 100 Creatures with fists Phase 3: Kill 200 Creatures with fists Note: Killing Harmless Creatures does not count
Chopper	Fury and bloodlust pump through your arteries, fueling an efficient flow to hacking and chopping muscles. Axes are an extension of your angry little body, rending the armor of your enemies. Mastery Bonus: Axe attacks apply a buff to you that removes the stamina regen delay when not exhausted.	Axe attacks lower the target's Busting, Chopping and Stabbing resistances for 2 seconds. (10%/15%/20%) Phase 3: Axe attacks give a 5-second buff that completely negates the stamina regeneration delay while not exhausted. This only activates when using a Pebblet Axe, Insect Axe, Termite Axe, Acid Edge, Frosted Flake, Blazing Edge, Pepper Flake, Fresh Edge, or Infused Axe.	Phase 1: Kill 40 Creatures with an Axe Phase 2: Kill 100 Creatures with an Axe Phase 3: Kill 200 Creatures with an Axe Note: Killing Harmless Creatures does not count
Smasher	Heavy strokes of power flood your little limbs to bring hammers down with unmatched force and intensity. Your hammer attacks slow the attack speed of your enemies. Mastery Bonus: Hammer attacks stun much easier.	Slows the target's attack speed by 10%/20%/30% for 10 seconds. Phase 3: Hammer attacks deal 50% more stun. This only activates when using a Pebblet Hammer, Ant Queen Scepter, Insect Hammer, Black Ox Hammer, Salt Chipper, or Infused Hammer.	Phase 1: Kill 40 Creatures with a Hammer Phase 2: Kill 100 Creatures with a Hammer Phase 3: Kill 200 Creatures with a Hammer Note: Killing Harmless Creatures does not count
Javelineer	Range is your greatest ally as you reach or throw from afar. Spears deal additional damage when thrown, and you're able to counter poke enemy attacks to reflect a portion of damage back. Mastery Bonus: Charge attacks with spears deal additional damage.	Spear attacks give a buff that reflects 100%/150%/200% of the damage delt to the player back at the attacker. Increases spear throwing damage. (10%/20%/30%) Phase 3: Spear charge attacks deal 30% more damage. This only activates when using a Pebblet Spear, Stinger Spear, Bone Trident, Rusty Spear, Fungnir, or Infused Spear.	Phase 1: Kill 40 Creatures with a Spear Phase 2: Kill 100 Creatures with a Spear Phase 3: Kill 200 Creatures with a Spear Note: Killing Harmless Creatures does not count
Assassin	Small blades blur in your hands as you swing with absolute precision. Daggers are your weapon of choice and cause your enemies to bleed. Mastery Bonus: Attacks with daggers rip open new opportunities, increasing damage enemies take from bleed effects.	Dagger attacks inflict bleed to the target, a DOT effect that deals 6/15/20 damage every second for 5 seconds. Phase 3: Lowers enemies resist to bleed damage by 25%. This only activates when using a Pebblet Dagger, Bone Dagger, Spider Fang Dagger, Widow Dagger, Scythe of the Blossoms, Infused Dagger, or Infused Scythe.	Phase 1: Kill 40 Creatures with a Dagger Phase 2: Kill 100 Creatures with a Dagger Phase 3: Kill 200 Creatures with a Dagger Note: Killing Harmless Creatures does not count
Sharpshooter	A film crawls across the surface of your eyes, allowing you to focus with deadly clarity. Bows and Crossbows have increased critical hit chance. Mastery Bonus: Candy arrows unlock their special properties. Spicy burns, fresh slows, and sour stuns.	Landing bow/crossbow attacks increases critical hit chance by 10%/15%/20% Phase 3: Candy arrows gain special effects: Mint Arrows slow the targets movement speed by 30% for 5 seconds. Sour Arrows deal 10 additional stun. Spicy Arrows inflict DOT burn for 10 damage every second for 5 seconds. This only activates when using a Sprig Bow, Insect Bow, Crow Crossbow, Bard's Bow, Black Ox Crossbow, Infused Bow, or Infused Crossbow.	Phase 1: Kill 40 Creatures with a Bow or Crossbow Phase 2: Kill 100 Creatures with a Bow or Crossbow Phase 3: Kill 200 Creatures with a Bow or Crossbow Note: Killing Harmless Creatures does not count
Barbarian	Strong and reckless, you pride yourself in using the biggest weapons possible. Your muscular arms have no problems swinging clubs with great force and blind rage. You deal largely increased damage while raged but cannot time your blocks correctly. Mastery Bonus: Constantly regenerate health while enraged.	Club attacks will make the player enter a Rage mode for 10 seconds. Increases club damage. (15%/20%/25%) Heavily reduces perfect block timing. Phase 3: Rage regenerates 1 health per second. This only activates when using a Spiky Sprig. Red Ant Club, Fire Ant Club, Salt Morning Star, Mint Mace, Pinch Whacker, Prod Smacker, Club of the Mother Demon, BURG.L's Old Flipper, Wallopeño, Pucker Thumper, Sizzle Striker, or Infused Club.	Phase 1: Kill 40 Creatures with a Club Phase 2: Kill 100 Creatures with a Club Phase 3: Kill 200 Creatures with a Club Note: Killing Harmless Creatures does not count
Blademaster	Honing the art of the blade, your keen mind knows exactly where to slices enemies to reduce their effectiveness. Sword attacks lower the damage enemies deal. Mastery Bonus: Attacking creatures with a sword temporarily removes your exhaustion timer.	Sword attacks lower the damage of the targets attacks (10%/20%/30%) Phase 3: Sword attacks give a buff that reduces the exhaustion time by 90%. This only activates when using Larva Blade, Mosquito Needle, Black Ant Sword, Antlion Greatsword, Tiger Mosquito Rapier, Tick Macuahuitl, Toenail Scimitar, Spicy Coaltana, Breathslayer, Sour Katanga, Tingle Tongue, Fresh Coldtana, Infused Greatsword, Infused Sword.	Phase 1: Kill 40 Creatures with a Sword Phase 2: Kill 100 Creatures with a Sword Phase 3: Kill 200 Creatures with a Sword Note: Killing Harmless Creatures does not count
Whittle Wizard	Mastering sufficiently advanced culinary technology, the apparent magic within candy staves is unlocked. Different damage types apply unique status effects to creatures. Spiciness burns, mintiness slows, and sourness stuns. Mastery Bonus: Attacking with a staff reduces the stamina cost of additional staff attacks.	Mint Staff attacks reduce the movement speed of targets by 10%/20%/30% for 5 seconds. Sour Staff attacks deal 2/4/6 extra stun. Spicy Staff burns targets for 5/10/15 damage every second for 5 seconds. Phase 3: Staff attacks apply a buff that reduces the stamina cost of staffs by 50%. This only activates when using a Mint Staff, Spicy Staff, or Sour Staff. The Ant Queen Staff only benefits from the mastery perk.	Phase 1: Kill 40 Creatures with a Candy Staff Phase 2: Kill 100 Creatures with a Candy Staff Phase 3: Kill 200 Creatures with a Candy Staff Note: Killing Harmless Creatures does not count
Parry Master	Your impeccable timing gives you an extreme advantage when blocking attacks.	Gives perfect blocks a 100% chance to refund a certain amount of stamina. (25/50/100)	Phase 1: Perfect Block 20 times Phase 2: Perfect Block 60 times Phase 3: Perfect Block 100 times
Grass Master	Like an insatiable lumberjack you're becoming a living lawn mower. Your intimate knowledge of chopping grass allows you to topple them with increasing ease.	Increases Chopping Efficiency. (50%/75%/100%) Harvesting grass has a 100% chance to return a certain amount of stamina. (25/50/100)	Phase 1: Chop 50 Blades of Grass Phase 2: Chop 200 Blades of Grass Phase 3: Chop 500 Blades of Grass
Rock Cracker	A path of destruction is left in your wake and it's clear that busting makes you feel good. Your little arms bring hammers down with an ever-growing efficiency.	Increases Busting Efficiency (50%/75%/100%)	Phase 1: Bust 25 rocks Phase 2: Bust 60 rocks Phase 3: Bust 105 rocks
Hauling Hero	A compelling urge to construct grand and intricate edifices has honed your back and shoulder muscles to perfection. Now, you possess the strength to bear a remarkable load of haulable treasures.	Increases Hauling Strength. (+5/+10/+15)	Phase 1: Reach Coziness Level 2 Phase 2: Reach Coziness Level 3 Phase 3: Reach Coziness Level 4
Coup de Grass	Discovering a beacon of hope in the darkness lifts your will to survive. Bursts of inspiration flash before your eyes in the heat of battle as you land blows one can only describe as lucky.	Increases Critical Hit Chance (2.5%/5%).	Phase 1: Discover the 4 Leaf Clover Landmark Phase 2: Roll a 20 with the D20 at the Minotaur Maze's End Note: The phases of this Mutation can be unlocked in any order.
Trapper PEEP.R	Skills as a keen gatherer meld with your hunting prowess. Deep knowledge of the yard's creatures etched into your memory gives you a chance to perform powerful critical hits.	Increases damage dealt when inflicting a Critical Hit. (20%/40%/60%)	Phase 1: Obtain 20 Gold Cards Phase 2: Obtain 40 Gold Cards Phase 3: Obtain 60 Gold Cards
Rascal Rogue	A desire to take things that don't belong to you seeps into your fighting style. Attacks with melee weapons have a chance to steal items from your opponents.	Has a chance when landing a melee hit on a creature that the player will instantly obtain an extra item from their loot-table. (2%/5%/10%) Does not work with bows, crossbows, or staves. The player can only steal 1 item per creature per source of stealing.	Phase 1: Find 1 Statue Figurines Phase 2: Find 4 Statue Figurines Phase 3: Find 7 Statue Figurines
Juicy	Like a true bookworm, you can't resist a wall of text. An encyclopedic knowledge of beverage ingredients enriches you.	Thirst Decreases 50% slower.	Discover 5 Juice Boxes
Natural Explorer	With each Landmark found you gain a better understanding of the lay of the land. Your tiny feet traverse the yard like it's the back of your hand. Powered by intuition, your tiny feet skitter through the muck and weeds ever quicker.	Increases Movement Speed (20%/35%/50%) All speed bonuses cease during combat.	Phase 1: Discover 20 Landmarks Phase 2: Discover 50 Landmarks Phase 3: Discover 80 Landmarks
Merteen	The push and pull of thick, rich pond water coaxes your gummy little body into becoming a part of this world. Your permeable skin begins to utilize an electrochemical gradient that propels your limbs like tiny flagella and aids in respiration.	Increases Underwater Oxygen Time by 10%. Increases Swim Speed by 15%.	Discover 5 Landmarks inside the Koi Pond.
Cardio Fan	Exhausting your tiny body over and over again, your cells adopt a more efficient respiration process.	Increases Stamina Regen (15%/20%/30%). Decreases exhaustion time. (10%/20%/30%)	Phase 1: Exhaust the player 100 times Phase 2: Exhaust the player 250 times Phase 3: Exhaust the player 500 times
Reliable Friend	Life in the lawn is filled with narrow escapes and you've been right there for all of it. Your muscle memory, mixed with hope and determination, makes a harrowing rescue all the more probable.	Increases Player Revive Speed (25%/50%/75%).	Phase 1: Revive a Friend 5 Times Phase 2: Revive a Friend 15 Times Phase 3: Revive a Friend 30 Times
Fresh Defense	A plume of mint dust envelopes you and sends a cool wave rippling through your skin. Cells activate a freshness layer to combat the sting of all that stinks and burns.	Increases Resistance to gas and burning damage (25%/50%/50%). Sizzle rate reduction (25%/50%/75%).	Phase 1: Eat 1 Mint Shard Phase 2: Eat 5 Mint Shards Phase 3: Eat 10 Mint Shards
Spicy Safety	Spicy sediment seeps inside your bloodstream. The fiery wall protects you from all that stabs and smashes.	Reduces damage taken from smashing and stabbing attacks. (25%/50%)	Phase 1: Eat 1 Spicy Shard Phase 2: Eat 3 Spicy Shards
Sour Sensation	Electrifying sour sensations have pushed your taste receptors to their limits, igniting a cascade of static shocks that fiercely strike back at your adversaries.	Damage taken will reflect back to your attacker. (50%/100%/150%)	Phase 1: Eat 1 Sour Lump Phase 2: Eat 5 Sour Lumps Phase 3: Eat 10 Sour Lumps
Ant-nihilator	The ant has become a familiar threat, and you begin to know your enemy inside and out. Death and devastation greet all ants that face you.	Increases damage dealt to Black Ant, Fire Ants, and Red Ants. (5%/15%/25%) Phase 3: Increases damage resistance to Black Ants, Fire Ants, and Red Ants by 10%.	Phase 1: Kill 15 Black Ants, Fire Ants, or Red Ants Phase 2: Kill 45 Black Ants, Fire Ants, or Red Ants Phase 3: Kill 100 Black Ants, Fire Ants, or Red Ants
Mom Genes	Your vocal cords stretch to form spiderling summoning motherly cries.	Attacks and perfect blocks have a 10% chance to spawn a friendly blue Spiderling with 25 health. Increases damage dealt with poison attacks by 50%. Note: Spiderlings summoned by Mom Genes can inadvertently damage the player.	Kill the Hedge Broodmother
Mithridatism	Your body has been ravaged by the thrilling surge of poison coursing through so many times that it has built up a permanent resistance.	Increases resistance to Poison (25%/50%/75%).	Phase 1: Kill 1 Wolf Spider Phase 2: Kill 5 Wolf Spiders Phase 3: Kill 10 Wolf Spiders
Truffle Tussle	The fungus of the haze has seeped into your tiny being fusing its power to your unarmed attacks.	Unarmed attacks have a 10% chance to create a fungal explosion, dealing 75 explosive damage to anything in its radius. This only occurs when striking a creature.	Kill the Infected Ladybug in the Haze Lab
Mantsterious Stranger	You feel as though an unlikely ally is always looking out for you.	Attacks have a 2% chance to spawn a friendly Mant to fight alongside you before eventually dying. Attacks: Punch: 120 Damage, 10 Stun Combo Punch: 100 Damage, 10 Stun Overhead Smash: 80 Damage, 50 Stun	Kill the Mant
Apex Predator	You've become the strongest creature in the backyard, and are able to bring out the hidden strength in weapons made from bosses.	Using Club of the Mother Demon Has a 20% chance to apply Venom when attacking. The Venom deals 45 damage every 5 seconds for 15 seconds and bypasses all Poison resistances/immunities. Using Scythe of Blossoms Has a 20% chance when attacking to increase the Scythe of Blossoms' attack speed by 25% for 10 seconds. Switching to another weapon while this effect is active gives a 75% damage loss to all weapons for the remaining time. Using Bard's Bow Has a 20% chance when attacking to give a buff that has a 25% chance to spawn in a friendly Wasp that will attack aggressive foes. The Wasp will immediately die after performing an attack or after 15 seconds have passed. The Wasp can only use "Charged Sting", dealing 90 stabbing damage as well as inflicting bleed and a poison debuff that deals 60 damage across 10 seconds. Using Blaster of the Moldy Matriarch and Infused Blaster Has a 20% chance to give an effect that makes the next attack spawn a puddle of infected water. It will last for 10 seconds, and while standing in it the player gains the following buffs: A 10% increase to Critical Hit Chance and Lifesteal. Note: If the player hits themselves with the Blaster of the Moldy Matriarch while this buff is active, it will apply the Venom to the player.	Kill the Mantis
Corporate Kickback	Retaliate against the weak. Converting blocked attacks to energy give attacks massive lifesteal.	Blocked attacks have a 5% chance to trigger an effect that will cause all melee attacks to replenish player life equal to the amount of damage they deal for 5 seconds.	Kill Director Schmector
Shocking Dismissal	Fits of anger become fierce retaliation. Blocked attacks convert their energy to static electricity, occasionally unleashing a powerful blast.	Blocked attacks have a 20% chance to trigger an effect that will turn the next melee attack into an electric AOE shock that deals 75 shock damage and 40 stun to any enemies nearby.	Kill the Assistant Manager
Bardic Inspiration	The twing of your bow string mimics that of a harp empowering your allies as you shoot.	Gives all of your bow and crossbow attacks a 20% chance to play a bardic melody. This melody has a chance to apply a buff to the user and all nearby players for 10 seconds: Attack Aria: increases damage of all attacks by 20%. Critical Concerto: increases critical strike chance by 10%. Obstinate Overtune: reduces damage taken by 25%. Only one of these three bard buffs may be active at a time. Soothing Sonata : 25% chance to heal 5 health for every 2 seconds for 10 seconds. (Requires Sleek Bard's Tudor) Can be active together with one of the other three buffs.	Kill the Wasp Queen
Guard Dog	Guarding locations against mobs of angry creatures has awakened your protective instincts. Deal increased damage to creatures involved in defense events.	Extra attack damage during Factional Raids, MIX.Rs, the Spicy Coaltana Event, and the JavaMatic Event. (10%/25%/50%)	Phase 1: Complete 1 Defense Event Phase 2: Complete 4 Defense Events Phase 3: Complete 9 Defense Events Note: Defense Events include MIX.Rs, the Spicy Coaltana Event, and the JavaMatic Event.
Spore Lord	Toppling the mother of infection has granted you the domain over all things fungal. Dealing damage with explosives gives you a stacking random buff that lasts until combat ends. Each buff can only stack to 50x before not providing anymore bonuses.	Dealing any source of explosive damage to foes has various chances to apply buffs to the player that lasts until they leave combat: 10% chance to give a 1% resistance to all explosive damage. Stacks exponentially if given multiple times. Max capacity for this effect is 50. 5% chance to give a 1% increase to movement speed. Stacks exponentially if given multiple times. Max capacity for this effect is 50. 5% chance to give a passive regen of 0.5 health every 3 seconds. Stacks additively if given multiple times. Max capacity for this effect is 50. 5% chance to give a 1% increase to explosive damage. Stacks exponentially if given multiple times. Max capacity for this effect is 50.	Kill the Infected Broodmother
Antbassador	Your kind demeanor and actions, a bridge between species, have granted you a place among the ants.	Phase 1: Red Soldier Ants become neutral. Phase 2: Black Soldier Ants and the Black Worker Ants in the Shed Surroundings become neutral. Phase 3: Fire Worker Ants and Fire Soldier Ants become neutral.	Phase 1: Befriend 1 Ant Queen Phase 2: Befriend 2 Ant Queens Phase 3: Befriend all 3 Ant Queens

Notes

• Kills for weapon mutations do not count if they are killed by additional Status Effects such as Poison or Bleed.
  • They also don't count for passive Creatures.
• Regardless of participation or attendance, all players in a server unlock boss mutations and Guard Dog once their corresponding unlock requirements are met.

Trivia

• The line "busting makes you feel good" in the description for the Rock Cracker mutation is likely a reference to the song "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr.
• The Coup de Grass mutation is a play on the term "Coup de Grâce", which is a common term for a death blow of a wounded creature, commonly seen as a mercy, or a staggeringly powerful attack towards your sworn enemy.
• Multiple files relating to Mithridatism refer to it as "Mithrisomething".
• The Mom Genes mutation is a reference to so-called "Mom Jeans" which is a specific style of denim jeans that mothers wear due to their wider waistline.
• The Mantsterious Stranger mutation is a reference to the "Mysterious Stranger" perk in Fallout: New Vegas, another game that Obsidian developed in which there is a chance to summon an ally to help you in combat.
• The Bardic Inspiration mutation is likely a reference to Dungeons and Dragons in which a bard could grant another player an extra die to roll and add to any other roll.