Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker MTG Card
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Phyrexian Treefolk |
| Abilities | Transform |
| Released | 2023-04-21 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | March of the Machine |
| Set code | MOM |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 189 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Transform |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Sergey Glushakov |
Text of card
When this creature transforms into Malady Invoker, target creature an opponent controls gets -0/-X until end of turn, where X is Malady Invoker's power.
"How dare you leave before my lesson is done!"
Cards like Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker
Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker exemplifies versatility in Magic: The Gathering, offering players a nuanced choice between enhancing creature growth or hindering opponents’ strategies. In the realm of dual-faced cards, it finds competition with the likes of Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway, where players are also furnished with the flexibility of choosing land types according to the game’s progression, yet without the creature interaction that Herbology Instructor provides.
Comparable creature cards, such as Augmenter Pugilist // Echoing Equation from Strixhaven, deliver a transforming gameplay experience albeit focusing on escalating power and toughness rather than tactics alteration. Meanwhile, the multitalented nature of Herbology Instructor with its herbalist offering creature buffs contrasts with Malady Invoker’s spell slinging capability to impose lifeloss, a combination not commonly found in other cards.
Ultimately, Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker carves a unique spot in MTG’s pantheon of transform cards. While similar options are present, the strategic diversity it presents is distinct, giving players an advantageous edge in decks that value adaptability and situational control.
Cards similar to Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Herbology Instructor comes with the capability to bolster your hand by learning, letting you selectively grab key lessons from outside the game. Conversely, Malady Invoker can potentially disrupt your opponent’s plans, serving as a significant swing in advantage.
Resource Acceleration: As a Herbology Instructor, this card assists in ramping up your mana reserves by ensuring you have an additional creature to help convoke or synergize with land ramp spells. Flipping into Malady Invoker, you gain access to a power that can drain life from your opponent, effectively turning each creature you control into a potential source of damage and lifegain.
Instant Speed: The Malady Invoker side of the card operates at instant speed, giving you the opportunity to catch opponents off-guard, utilizing your creatures as a sudden and unexpected resource to turn the tide of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Herbology Instructor demands that you discard a card in order to utilize its prowess, potentially depleting your hand when you need options the most.
Specific Mana Cost: This card calls for a precise blend of mana, specifically including green. This requirement may restrict its integration into multicolored decks or those not attuned to green mana synergies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that’s on the upper end for its class of effects, Malady Invoker’s necessity for two colorless and two black mana can be cumbersome compared to other similar utility creatures in the current meta.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The duality of Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker offers a unique flexibility to adapt across various gameplay scenarios. As a player, you can leverage the Instructor for early creature-based interactions or use the Invoker’s ability to disrupt opponent strategies later in the game.
Combo Potential: Malady Invoker’s effect can be a game-changer in the right setting, allowing you to amass a significant advantage. Paired with cards that proliferate or manage counters, this half of the card can become a key component in a powerful deck engine.
Meta-Relevance: With its capability to manipulate counters and affect multiple creatures, both versions of this card stay relevant. Whether your local meta is filled with aggressive creature decks or there’s a prevalence of longer, more drawn-out matches, having Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker can provide you the tactical edge needed to overcome your opponents.
How to beat
Herbology Instructor and Malady Invoker serve as versatile cards in MTG, each offering unique effects that can shift the tide of a match. When facing the adaptability of Herbology Instructor, players need a strategy that undermines the card’s ability to bolster creature strength through +1/+1 counters. Efficient removal spells such as Fatal Push or Rapid Hybridization can preemptively neutralize these threats before the counters become overwhelming.
On the flip side, Malady Invoker presents a different challenge with its capacity to inflict damage based on the number of Wizards you control. To combat this, controlling the board becomes paramount. Cards such as Supreme Verdict or Cry of the Carnarium can provide a reset by sweeping the board clean, thus mitigating the Invoker’s potential damage. Interrupting the Invoker’s synergy with other Wizards through targeted removal or counter-spells like Essence Scatter also proves effective in stifling its impact during critical turns.
Careful planning and understanding of these cards’ dual nature are crucial – one promotes growth, the other punishes the unwary. Whether through quick elimination or strategic control, overcoming the multifaceted challenge they pose ensures a stronger position in your MTG duels.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker MTG card by a specific set like March of the Machine, 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 Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-04-14 | Use Malady Invoker’s power as its ability resolves to determine the value of X. If Malady Invoker is no longer on the battlefield at that time, use its power when it was last on the battlefield. |