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{{Distinguish|Signature Spellbook}}
  
{{Distinguish|Signature Spellbook}}
 
{{Infobox mechanic
  
{{Infobox mechanic
−
|first=Alchemy: Innistrad
 +
|first=Jumpstart: Historic Horizons
−
|last=Alchemy: Kamigawa
 +
|last=Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate
  +
|text=A card’s spellbook is a curated list of associated, flavor-resonant cards.
−
|stats={{stats|W=2|U=2|B=2|R=2|G=4|C=2}}
 +
|stats={{stats|W=3|U=3|B=4|R=3|G=7|RW=1|UB=1|C=2}}
 
}}
  
}}
−
To [[draft]] from a '''spellbook''' is a [[designed-for-digital]] mechanic for [[MTG Arena]] that allows you to access a card from [[outside the game]].<ref>{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-state-game-alchemy-2021-12-02|MTG Arena: State - Alchemy|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|December 2, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Designing for Alchemy"/>
 +
A '''spellbook''' is a list of cards from [[outside the game]] that can be accessed by the [[conjure]] or [[draft (keyword action)|draft]] [[keyword action]]s. Each spellbook is different, depending on which effect it's associated with. Spellbook was [[designed-for-digital|designed as a digital-only]] mechanic for ''[[MTG Arena]]''.<ref>{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-state-game-alchemy-2021-12-02|MTG Arena: State - Alchemy|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|December 2, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Designing for Alchemy">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/designing-alchemy-2021-12-08|Designing for Alchemy|[[David Humpherys]]|December 8, 2021}}</ref>
   
 
==Description==
  
==Description==
−
A spellbook is a curated list of 15 resonant cards tied to specific cards in the game. Cards with the spellbook mechanic only appear on [[Alchemy card]]s.<ref name="Designing for Alchemy">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/designing-alchemy-2021-12-08|Designing for Alchemy|[[David Humpherys]]|December 8, 2021}}</ref>
 +
A spellbook is a curated list of up to 15 flavor-resonant cards tied to a specific card in the game. Cards with the spellbook mechanic only appear on [[Alchemy card]]s.<ref name="Designing for Alchemy"/> The spellbook cards are not counted as part of a card's [[color identity]].
   
  ⚫
The cards of the spellbook are not visible on the main cards themselves. Spellbooks are browsable in-game by right-clicking (or long-pressing) on the cards, much like looking at dungeons or cards that make multiple tokens. Outside of ''[[MTG Arena]]'', [[Alchemy: Innistrad#List of cards in Spellbooks|lists]] are available online.
⚫
Drafting from a spellbook may occur as part of an activated or triggered ability. When you pay the [[activation cost]] of such a card or fulfill its trigger, you may [[draft]] a card from their spellbook. You will see three cards from [[outside the game]] chosen from among a curated list and select one, usually to put into your [[hand]]. You can choose the same card twice, if it comes up again later.<ref>{{TwitterRef|Blakepr|1466977465981566980|author=[[Blake Rasmussen]]|title=We talked about it on stream.|date=December 4, 2021}}</ref>
  
   
  +
Cards in a spellbook are added to the game in one of two ways - A single card can be chosen from the entire list and [[conjure|conjured]] or a card can be [[draft (keyword action)|drafted]].
⚫
The cards of the spellbook are not visible on the main cards themselves. You are able to browse through these spellbooks in game by right-clicking (or long-pressing) on the cards, much like looking at dungeons or cards that make multiple tokens. Outside of MTG Arena, you have to find a [[Alchemy: Innistrad#List of cards in Spellbooks|list]].
  
  +
  ⚫
Drafting from a spellbook may occur as part of a spell, an activated or triggered ability. The player is presented with three cards chosen at random from among the spellbook cards and selects one to put into their [[hand]]. Conjuring or drafting a card does not remove that card from the spellbook and it can be selected again if it comes up.<ref>{{TwitterRef|Blakepr|1466977465981566980|author=[[Blake Rasmussen]]|title=We talked about it on stream.|date=December 4, 2021}}</ref>
   
 
===History===
  
===History===
−
A spellbook was first named in <c>Tome of the Infinite</c> from ''[[Jumpstart: Historic Horizons]]'', but there it was used in combination with [[conjure]] instead of [[draft]]. The mechanic also has similarities with [[Davriel Cane/Davriel's Contracts|''Davriel, Soul Broker's'' offers and conditions]] from the same set. Drafting from a spellbook was formally introduced in ''[[Alchemy: Innistrad]].<ref name="Designing for Alchemy"/>
 +
A spellbook was first named in <c>Tome of the Infinite</c> from ''[[Jumpstart: Historic Horizons]]'', where it was used in combination with [[conjure]] instead of [[draft (keyword action)|draft]]. The mechanic also has similarities with [[Davriel Cane/Davriel's Contracts|''Davriel, Soul Broker's'' offers and conditions]] from the same set. Drafting from a spellbook was formally introduced in ''[[Alchemy: Innistrad]].<ref name="Designing for Alchemy"/>
  +
⚫
{| class="fandom-table"
  
  +
''[[Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate]]'' has some unique spellbooks amongst its selection: {{card|Oyaminartok, Polar Werebear}} is the first to overlap more than ten cards with a previous spellbook ({{Card|Tireless Angler}}), {{Card|The Hourglass Coven}} has all entirely new digital cards (all of which have the same art) and {{Card|Follow the Tracks}} has only five cards and are all from the same set.
⚫
|+
  
  +
  +
===List of spellbooks===
  ⚫
{| class="fandom-table sortable"
 
!Spellbook card
  
!Spellbook card
 
!Color
  
!Color
 
!Theme
  
!Theme
  +
!Alchemy set
  +
!class="unsortable"|Link to card list
  ⚫
|-
  +
|{{Card|Celestial Vault}}
  +
|{{W}}
  +
|[[Angel]]s
  +
|[[Alchemy:_New_Capenna|New Capenna]]
  +
|[[Alchemy: New Capenna#Celestial Vault|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{Card|Faithful Disciple}}
  
|{{Card|Faithful Disciple}}
 
|{{W}}
  
|{{W}}
  +
|[[Enchantment]]s
−
|Enchantments
  
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Faithful Disciple|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{Card|Slayer's Bounty}}
  
|{{Card|Slayer's Bounty}}
 
|{{W}}
  
|{{W}}
 
|Justice and detainment
  
|Justice and detainment
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Slayer's Bounty|Cards]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Card|Experimental Pilot}}
  +
|{{U}}
  +
|[[Vehicle]]s
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Kamigawa|Kamigawa]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Kamigawa#Experimental Pilot|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{Card|Tireless Angler}}
  
|{{Card|Tireless Angler}}
 
|{{U}}
  
|{{U}}
 
|Marine life
  
|Marine life
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Tireless Angler|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{Card|Tome of the Infinite}}
  
|{{Card|Tome of the Infinite}}
 
|{{U}}
  
|{{U}}
−
|Utility spells
 +
|[[Utility card|Utility spells]]
  +
|''[[Jumpstart: Historic Horizons]]''
  +
|[[Jumpstart:_Historic_Horizons#List_of_cards_that_can_be_conjured|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{Card|Break Expectations}}
  
|{{Card|Break Expectations}}
 
|{{B}}
  
|{{B}}
  +
|[[Artifact]]s
−
|Artifacts
  
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Break Expectations|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{Card|Cursebound Witch}}
  
|{{Card|Cursebound Witch}}
 
|{{B}}
  
|{{B}}
−
|Witches and witch tropes
 +
|[[Witch]]es and witch tropes
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Cursebound Witch|Cards]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Card|The Hourglass Coven}}
  +
|{{B}}
  +
|[[Hag]]s
  +
|[[Alchemy_Horizons:_Baldur's_Gate|Baldur's Gate]]
  +
|[[Alchemy_Horizons:_Baldur's_Gate#The Hourglass Coven|Cards]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Card|Xander's Wake}}
  +
|{{B}}
  +
|[[Party]] scoundrels
  +
|[[Alchemy:_New_Capenna|New Capenna]]
  +
|[[Alchemy: New Capenna#Xander's Wake|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{Card|Arms Scavenger}}
  
|{{Card|Arms Scavenger}}
 
|{{R}}
  
|{{R}}
−
|Adventuring Equipment
 +
|Adventuring [[Equipment]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Arms Scavenger|Cards]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Card|Big Spender}}
  +
|{{R}}
  +
|Valuable antiques
  +
|[[Alchemy:_New_Capenna|New Capenna]]
  +
|[[Alchemy: New Capenna#Big Spender|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{Card|Tibalt, Wicked Tormentor}}
  
|{{Card|Tibalt, Wicked Tormentor}}
 
|{{R}}
  
|{{R}}
  +
|[[Devil]]s
−
|Devils
  
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Tibalt, Wicked Tormentor|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{card|Boseiju Pathlighter}}
  
|{{card|Boseiju Pathlighter}}
 
|{{G}}
  
|{{G}}
  +
|[[Land]]s
−
|Lands
  
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Kamigawa|Kamigawa]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Kamigawa#Boseiju Pathlighter|Cards]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Card|Follow the Tracks}}
  +
|{{G}}
  +
|The [[Reimagined card|Reimagined]] [[Gate]]s
  +
|[[Alchemy_Horizons:_Baldur's_Gate|Baldur's Gate]]
  +
|[[Alchemy_Horizons:_Baldur's_Gate#Follow the Tracks|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{card|Garruk, Wrath of the Wilds}}
  
|{{card|Garruk, Wrath of the Wilds}}
 
|{{G}}
  
|{{G}}
 
|Wild creatures
  
|Wild creatures
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Garruk, Wrath of the Wilds|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{Card|Hinterland Chef}}
  
|{{Card|Hinterland Chef}}
 
|{{G}}
  
|{{G}}
 
|Unusual edible creatures
  
|Unusual edible creatures
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Hinterland Chef|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{Card|Ishkanah, Broodmother}}
  
|{{Card|Ishkanah, Broodmother}}
 
|{{G}}
  
|{{G}}
  +
|[[Spider]]s
−
|Spiders
  
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Ishkanah, Broodmother|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
|{{Card|Ominous Traveler}}
 +
|{{Card|Loose in the Park}}
−
|{{C}}
 +
|{{G}}
  +
|Wild [[beast]]s
⚫
|Innistrad's monsters
  
  +
|[[Alchemy:_New_Capenna|New Capenna]]
  +
|[[Alchemy: New Capenna#Loose in the Park|Cards]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{card|Oyaminartok, Polar Werebear}}
  +
|{{G}}
  +
|Fished Sea Creatures
  +
|[[Alchemy_Horizons:_Baldur's_Gate|Baldur's Gate]]
  +
|[[Alchemy_Horizons:_Baldur's_Gate#Oyaminartok, Polar Werebear|Cards]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Card|Bind to Secrecy}}
  +
|{{U}}{{B}}
  +
|[[Graveyard]] [[recursion]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_New_Capenna|New Capenna]]
  +
|[[Alchemy: New Capenna#Bind to Secrecy|Cards]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{card|Imperial Blademaster}}
  +
|{{R}}{{W}}
  +
|[[Samurai]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Kamigawa|Kamigawa]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Kamigawa#Imperial Blademaster|Cards]]
 
|-
  
|-
 
|{{Card|Key to the Archive}}
  
|{{Card|Key to the Archive}}
 
|{{C}}
  
|{{C}}
 
|[[Mystical Archive]] spells
  
|[[Mystical Archive]] spells
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Key to the Archive|Cards]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Card|Ominous Traveler}}
  +
|{{C}}
  ⚫
|Innistrad's [[monster]]s
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad|Innistrad]]
  +
|[[Alchemy:_Innistrad#Ominous Traveler|Cards]]
 
|}
  
|}
   

Revision as of 06:39, 9 July 2022

Not to be confused with Signature Spellbook.

Spellbook
Mechanic
Introduced Jumpstart: Historic Horizons
Last used Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate
Reminder Text A card’s spellbook is a curated list of associated, flavor-resonant cards.
Statistics
24 cards
{C} 8.3% {W} 12.5% {U} 12.5% {B} 16.7% {R} 12.5% {G} 29.2% {U/B} 4.2% {R/W} 4.2%
Scryfall Search
fulloracle:"Spellbook"

A spellbook is a list of cards from outside the game that can be accessed by the conjure or draft keyword actions. Each spellbook is different, depending on which effect it's associated with. Spellbook was designed as a digital-only mechanic for MTG Arena.[1][2]

Description

A spellbook is a curated list of up to 15 flavor-resonant cards tied to a specific card in the game. Cards with the spellbook mechanic only appear on Alchemy cards.[2] The spellbook cards are not counted as part of a card's color identity.

The cards of the spellbook are not visible on the main cards themselves. Spellbooks are browsable in-game by right-clicking (or long-pressing) on the cards, much like looking at dungeons or cards that make multiple tokens. Outside of MTG Arena, lists are available online.

Cards in a spellbook are added to the game in one of two ways - A single card can be chosen from the entire list and conjured or a card can be drafted.

Drafting from a spellbook may occur as part of a spell, an activated or triggered ability. The player is presented with three cards chosen at random from among the spellbook cards and selects one to put into their hand. Conjuring or drafting a card does not remove that card from the spellbook and it can be selected again if it comes up.[3]

History

A spellbook was first named in Tome of the Infinite from Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, where it was used in combination with conjure instead of draft. The mechanic also has similarities with Davriel, Soul Broker's offers and conditions from the same set. Drafting from a spellbook was formally introduced in Alchemy: Innistrad.[2]

Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate has some unique spellbooks amongst its selection: Oyaminartok, Polar Werebear is the first to overlap more than ten cards with a previous spellbook (Tireless Angler), The Hourglass Coven has all entirely new digital cards (all of which have the same art) and Follow the Tracks has only five cards and are all from the same set.

List of spellbooks

Spellbook card Color Theme Alchemy set Link to card list
Celestial Vault {W} Angels New Capenna Cards
Faithful Disciple {W} Enchantments Innistrad Cards
Slayer's Bounty {W} Justice and detainment Innistrad Cards
Experimental Pilot {U} Vehicles Kamigawa Cards
Tireless Angler {U} Marine life Innistrad Cards
Tome of the Infinite {U} Utility spells Jumpstart: Historic Horizons Cards
Break Expectations {B} Artifacts Innistrad Cards
Cursebound Witch {B} Witches and witch tropes Innistrad Cards
The Hourglass Coven {B} Hags Baldur's Gate Cards
Xander's Wake {B} Party scoundrels New Capenna Cards
Arms Scavenger {R} Adventuring Equipment Innistrad Cards
Big Spender {R} Valuable antiques New Capenna Cards
Tibalt, Wicked Tormentor {R} Devils Innistrad Cards
Boseiju Pathlighter {G} Lands Kamigawa Cards
Follow the Tracks {G} The Reimagined Gates Baldur's Gate Cards
Garruk, Wrath of the Wilds {G} Wild creatures Innistrad Cards
Hinterland Chef {G} Unusual edible creatures Innistrad Cards
Ishkanah, Broodmother {G} Spiders Innistrad Cards
Loose in the Park {G} Wild beasts New Capenna Cards
Oyaminartok, Polar Werebear {G} Fished Sea Creatures Baldur's Gate Cards
Bind to Secrecy {U}{B} Graveyard recursion New Capenna Cards
Imperial Blademaster {R}{W} Samurai Kamigawa Cards
Key to the Archive {C} Mystical Archive spells Innistrad Cards
Ominous Traveler {C} Innistrad's monsters Innistrad Cards

Example

Example

Ishkanah, Broodmother {3}{G}
Legendary Creature — Spider
3/5
Reach
Other Spiders you countrol get +1/+2
{1}{B/G}, Exile two cards from your graveyard: Draft a card from Ishkanah, Broodmother's spellbook.

Ishkanah's spellbook

References

  1. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (December 2, 2021). "MTG Arena: State - Alchemy". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ a b c David Humpherys (December 8, 2021). "Designing for Alchemy". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ Blake Rasmussen (December 4, 2021). "We talked about it on stream.". Twitter.
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