Cogwork Librarian MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact Creature — Construct
Released	2014-06-06
Set symbol
Set name	Conspiracy
Set code	CNS
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	58
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dan Scott

Key Takeaways

Enables drafting an extra card, enhancing deck quality by selective advantage during the draft.
Strategic draft flexibility can lead to better resource acceleration and improved game plans.
Despite its higher mana cost, it offers unique draft manipulation, valuable in niche draft metas.

Text of card

Draft Cogwork Librarian face up. As you draft a card, you may draft an additional card from that booster pack. If you do, put Cogwork Librarian into that booster pack.

Why wait for answers?

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Cogwork Librarian provides players with increased flexibility during drafts, enabling the selection of an additional card in exchange for its place, thus potentially enhancing your deck’s overall quality.

Resource Acceleration: While the Cogwork Librarian does not directly produce mana or accelerate resources, its draft mechanic can indirectly lead to better resource acceleration by allowing you to pick high-impact cards that can accelerate your game plan.

Instant Speed: Although the Cogwork Librarian operates at sorcery speed, its unique draft attention can set up strategic plays for future turns, giving a player a considerable timing advantage in the drafting process.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Cogwork Librarian requires a player to discard from their draft, which can be a strategic drawback if all cards in hand are of high value for the deck being built.

Specific Mana Cost: Cogwork Librarian has a mana cost that includes one artifact mana, which necessitates a specific type of resource and might not sync well with all types of draft decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana cost for a draft manipulation ability, Cogwork Librarian may fall behind in terms of efficiency, especially when competing card options that could be drafted may provide immediate board presence or lower cost utility.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Cogwork Librarian offers a unique ability to influence draft picks, allowing for strategic selection that can benefit various styles of play. Its inclusion in a cube draft can significantly enhance the drafting experience, making it a useful addition to collections curated for draft formats.

Combo Potential: As a four mana artifact creature, Cogwork Librarian has potential synergies in decks focusing on artifacts. It can be a cog in a larger machine, working alongside cards like Tinker or cards that capitalize on artifact recursion for added value.

Meta-Relevance: While it may not be a staple in the competitive scene, Cogwork Librarian’s ability to swap drafted cards can be a game-changer in draft-focused playgroups or among friends seeking a twist in their casual draft rounds. Its adaptability to draft metas keeps it relevant for any collector who values the intricacies of MTG draft play.

How to beat

Cogwork Librarian offers a unique draft phase manipulation for players in the often complex world of deck building in Magic: The Gathering. This artifact creature is particularly unique in how it alters the card selection process, allowing players to draft an additional card in exchange for returning Cogwork Librarian to the draft. The challenge, then, is in mitigating the advantage it gives to your opponent, who may have employed the Librarian’s services.

Beating Cogwork Librarian involves being strategic with your own draft picks, selecting cards that can handle an array of threats. It’s essential to build a versatile deck capable of responding to the potentially powerful selections your opponent makes with the help of Cogwork Librarian. Another method to undermine the value of Cogwork Librarian is by maintaining a high level of card quality within your own pool, reducing the relative impact of your opponent’s additional picks. Additionally, paying close attention to the draft and the cards your opponent is likely to select can help you anticipate and counter their strategy effectively.

While dealing with Cogwork Librarian is about understanding the meta and predicting opponents’ moves, remembering that the trade-off for using Cogwork Librarian is the loss of a card from that turn’s draft can be advantageous. It’s a card that can offer great rewards but must be played with calculated timing and strategy.

Cards like Cogwork Librarian

Cogwork Librarian adds a unique spin to draft environments in Magic: The Gathering, sharing similarities with other draft-affecting cards like Booster Tutor. While Booster Tutor allows you to “draft” a card from a booster pack in the middle of a game, Cogwork Librarian offers a different approach by letting you draft extra cards during the draft itself. Both affect the drafting process but in diverse ways.

Another card worth mentioning is Lore Seeker, which also influences the drafting stage by adding an entire booster pack to the draft. Comparatively, Cogwork Librarian doesn’t introduce new cards but instead gives you control over the existing draft pool. It allows you to swap it for another card in the pack, impacting the draft without the randomness of adding unknown cards.

Thus, while there are a few cards in Magic: The Gathering that can meddle with the draft process, Cogwork Librarian stands out. It provides a strategic advantage by granting the flexibility to refine your draft picks. Each of these draft-influencing cards offers a distinct way to enhance the drafting experience, with Cogwork Librarian promoting decision-making and adaptable tactics.

Cards similar to Cogwork Librarian by color, type and mana cost

Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cogwork Librarian MTG card by a specific set like Conspiracy, 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 Cogwork Librarian and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cogwork Librarian has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2014-05-29	Cogwork Librarian essentially lets you draft two cards from a booster pack in exchange for putting Cogwork Librarian back into that booster pack.
2014-05-29	The two cards you draft are drafted one at a time, in case one of the cards cares about when it was drafted or what the next card you draft is.
2014-05-29	You may use the ability of more than one Cogwork Librarian while drafting from one booster pack. For example you can draft three cards from one booster pack and put two Cogwork Librarians into that booster pack.