MTG Artifact Monster Manual captures flavor of Baldur’s Gate via Adventure

An Artifact called Monster Manual is capturing the essence of Dungeons & Dragons within the upcoming Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate set. It also has the Magic: The Gathering Adventure mechanic.

The Adventure mechanic was first introduced into Magic via the Throne of Eldraine set, always having a creature on the right and a spell on the left. Wizards of the Coast has changed up the mechanic’s core design in Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate via an Artifact with the Adventure mechanic. Casting the spell first places the card on an Adventure in which players can then cast the Monster Manual afterward. This is the first MTG card that isn’t a creature type to have the Adventure mechanic. 

Monster Manual

Monster Manual encourages players to take an Adventure via Zoological Study by milling cards to find a creature. And then, when the Artifact is on the battlefield, players can cheat that creature onto the battlefield as well without paying its mana cost. 

• Mana cost: 3G
• Type: Artifact
• Rarity: Rare
• Ability: Pay 1G and Tap—You may put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield.
• Adventure: Zoological Study 2G
• Adventure ability: Mill five cards, then return a creature card milled this way to your hand. 

Artifacts are typically harder to remove, increasing the value of Monster Manual. It functions similar to Elvish Piper but has the Zoological Study Adventure to enable it better. Players can still whiff on the Sorcery spell. Milling a strong creature can swing advantage, though, especially during the early stages of a game. 

Players can test out Monster Manual in Draft via Battle for Baldur’s Gate prerelease events that are running from June 3 to 5 and via the set’s global launch on June 10.