Brood Monitor MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Eldrazi Drone
Abilities Devoid
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Brood Monitor is a resourceful creature, instantly adding four bodies to your army upon entering the battlefield.
  2. Scion tokens generated offer flexibility, acting as mana sources or instant-speed responses to opponents.
  3. Whilst strong, Brood Monitor’s high mana cost and color specificity limit its deck compatibility.

Text of card

Devoid (This card has no color.) When Brood Monitor enters the battlefield, put three 1/1 colorless Eldrazi Scion creature tokens onto the battlefield. They have "Sacrifice this creature: Add to your mana pool."

The tenderness of a mother. The pity of a mantis.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Brood Monitor excels at populating the battlefield when it enters play. Summoning three 1/1 Eldrazi Scion tokens alongside itself, this card hands you four creatures for the cost of one. This not only bulks up your side of the field but also provides potential card advantage as these tokens can be sacrificed for additional effects or used in conjunction with other cards that benefit from creature count.

Resource Acceleration: Each Eldrazi Scion token created by Brood Monitor can be sacrificed for adding mana to your mana pool, effectively serving as a resource accelerator. By increasing your available mana, Brood Monitor can pave the way for casting larger threats or enabling multifold actions in a single turn, thereby maximizing your play options.

Instant Speed: Although Brood Monitor itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, the Scion tokens it creates can be sacrificed at any time. This flexibility allows you to generate mana at instant speed, meaning you can respond to your opponent’s actions or surprise them with unexpected plays—keeping your strategy dynamic and responsive.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Brood Monitor provides a solid payoff by creating three Eldrazi Scion tokens, it does not come with a discard requirement, unlike other cards that may offer additional control or acceleration to your hand through discarding.

Specific Mana Cost: Brood Monitor asks for a specific commitment to green mana, which can be restrictive for multi-colored decks. Its cost of six mana, with three required to be green, makes it less flexible in decks that are not heavily green-based.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment for Brood Monitor is significant, sitting at six mana. This can be hefty compared to other creatures or token generators in the same cost range that might offer immediate board impact or lower-cost token generation strategies.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Brood Monitor is adept at fitting into several different deck archetypes within MTG, particularly those that thrive on creature tokens or need extra bodies to sacrifice for various effects.

Combo Potential: With its ability to generate three Eldrazi Scion tokens upon entering the battlefield, it works seamlessly with sacrifice outlets or cards that capitalize on creature tokens to unlock powerful combinations.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where generating multiple blockers or exploiting the benefits of token creatures is crucial, Brood Monitor can play a significant role in overwhelming opponents or fueling bigger plays.


How to Beat Brood Monitor

Brood Monitor, a formidable card from the expansive universe of Magic: The Gathering, can pose a significant challenge on the battlefield. Its presence allows a player to summon three 1/1 Eldrazi Scion creatures upon entering the battlefield, which can then be sacrificed for mana, making it a dynamic threat. Tackling this six-mana value engine requires strategic disruption.

Effective removal spells are key in dismantling the advantage Brood Monitor provides. Instant speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can efficiently handle the Monitor before the Scions can be put to use. Counterspells, such as Negate or Cancel, serve as preemptive measures to stop Brood Monitor from hitting the battlefield altogether. Moreover, sweepers like Wrath of God can clear the Monitor and its Scions in one fell swoop, leveling the playing field.

Exploiting its casting cost is another angle; cards that hinder or penalize six-mana spells, such as Mana Leak or Unsubstantiate, can be particularly disruptive. In the war of attrition, it’s crucial to outpace the potential mana ramp that Brood Monitor could feed into. Denying the opponent the chance to capitalize on its abilities is your strongest play.


BurnMana Recommendations

Parsing the varied tactical terrain of MTG, Brood Monitor emerges as a card worth considering for its creature generation and mana acceleration capabilities. Whether you’re constructing a deck around token synergy or seeking the mana boost for high-cost spells, Brood Monitor could be a vital addition. The ability to create multiple tokens makes it a force in any match. Understanding its strengths and potential weaknesses brings you one step closer to constructing a more resilient strategy. Immerse yourself in the depths of deck-building—explore, adapt, and optimize with cards like Brood Monitor to ensure your next duel reflects your strategic prowess.


Cards like Brood Monitor

Brood Monitor stands out in the realm of creature production within Magic: The Gathering. Its kinship to cards like Scion Summoner is quite evident as both spawn creature tokens upon entering the battlefield. However, Brood Monitor edges ahead with its capacity to create not one, but three Eldrazi Scion tokens, each capable of ramping up your mana when sacrificed. The Scion Summoner, in comparison, musters just a single Eldrazi Scion token, which makes Brood Monitor the clear choice for those looking to populate the battlefield swiftly.

Another card worthy of parallel is Pawn of Ulamog. Though the Pawn also specializes in token creation, these tokens arise only upon the demise of another nontoken creature you control. This reactive nature contrasts with Brood Monitor’s proactive token generation. Moreover, while both cards similarly aid in mana acceleration, Brood Monitor’s immediate impact with multiple bodies makes it invaluable for strategies aiming to exploit creature numbers or for ramping up mana from the get-go.

In the landscape of token generators in Magic: The Gathering, Brood Monitor offers a robust option for those wanting to quickly escalate their board presence and mana capabilities. This makes it a substantial ally in decks tailored around token strategies or sacrifice for big plays.

Scion Summoner - MTG Card versions
Pawn of Ulamog - MTG Card versions
Scion Summoner - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)
Pawn of Ulamog - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)

Cards similar to Brood Monitor by color, type and mana cost

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Craw Wurm - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Gaea's Liege - Revised Edition (3ED)
Wiitigo - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Autumn Willow - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Ancient Silverback - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Sulam Djinn - Invasion (INV)
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Nemata, Grove Guardian - The List (PLST)
Gang of Elk - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Kavu Howler - Apocalypse (APC)
Crashing Centaur - Odyssey (ODY)
Giant Warthog - Judgment (JUD)
Rhox - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Kodama of the East Tree - Commander Legends (CMR)
Terra Stomper - Zendikar (ZEN)
Feral Throwback - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Brontotherium - Legions (LGN)
Elvish Aberration - Masters 25 (A25)
Force of Nature - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Fangren Pathcutter - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Brood Monitor MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar and Jumpstart 2022, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Brood Monitor and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Brood Monitor Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2015-10-02 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Izzy.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 1642015normalblackIzzy
22022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 6372015normalblackIzzy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Brood Monitor has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Brood Monitor card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2015-08-25 A card with devoid is just colorless. It’s not colorless and the colors of mana in its mana cost.
2015-08-25 Cards with devoid use frames that are variations of the transparent frame traditionally used for Eldrazi. The top part of the card features some color over a background based on the texture of the hedrons that once imprisoned the Eldrazi. This coloration is intended to aid deckbuilding and game play.
2015-08-25 Devoid works in all zones, not just on the battlefield.
2015-08-25 Eldrazi Scions are similar to Eldrazi Spawn, seen in the Zendikar block. Note that Eldrazi Scions are 1/1, not 0/1.
2015-08-25 Eldrazi and Scion are each separate creature types. Anything that affects Eldrazi will affect these tokens, for example.
2015-08-25 If a card loses devoid, it will still be colorless. This is because effects that change an object’s color (like the one created by devoid) are considered before the object loses devoid.
2015-08-25 Other cards and abilities can give a card with devoid color. If that happens, it’s just the new color, not that color and colorless.
2015-08-25 Sacrificing an Eldrazi Scion creature token to add to your mana pool is a mana ability. It doesn’t use the stack and can’t be responded to.
2015-08-25 Some instants and sorceries that create Eldrazi Scions require targets. If all targets for such a spell have become illegal by the time that spell tries to resolve, the spell won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won’t get any Eldrazi Scions.

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