Body of Knowledge
Creature — Avatar
Body of Knowledge's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand.
You have no maximum hand size.
Whenever this creature is dealt damage, draw that many cards.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Magic Online Promos
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #2112
Body of Knowledge turns your hand size into a damage clock — it enters as an X/X equal to the cards in your hand and pings opponents for each card you draw, which in the right deck means it's both a massive threat and a win condition the moment it resolves. The five-mana cost is real, but commanders like Niv-Mizzet, Parun and Sokrates, Athenian Teacher generate enough draw triggers to make Body of Knowledge lethal within a turn cycle.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Sokrates, Athenian Teacher
Sokrates, Athenian Teacher forces draw on both sides of the table, and Body of Knowledge converts every one of those forced draws into a damage trigger — opponents drawing into your engine is the whole point of the deck.
Kwain, Itinerant Meddler
Kwain, Itinerant Meddler's activated ability draws cards for every player at once, giving Body of Knowledge a reliable, repeatable trigger source that scales with each activation.
Kami of the Crescent Moon
Kami of the Crescent Moon grants opponents extra draws each upkeep, and Body of Knowledge taxes every one of those gifts as direct damage, turning a group-hug commander into something quietly dangerous.
Vnwxt, Verbose Host
Vnwxt, Verbose Host rewards talking — literally — and generates card draw at a pace that keeps Body of Knowledge's power/toughness and damage output climbing throughout the game.
Mr. Foxglove
Mr. Foxglove cares about cards drawn by multiple players, and Body of Knowledge sits naturally in that shell as a finisher that converts the deck's draw-sharing into lethal damage.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Body of Knowledge is a Commander card through and through — the 100-card singleton format gives it the high-draw density it needs to be a real threat, and multiplayer means opponents drawing cards accelerates your clock too. In Vintage and Legacy it's legal but essentially unplayed; five mana for a creature that requires a stocked hand is too slow against fast combo and efficient interaction. Oathbreaker is the one non-Commander format where Body of Knowledge occasionally shows up, paired with draw-heavy blue-red signatures that can fill the hand quickly. Outside those sanctioned formats, this card doesn't exist competitively.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
The Locust GodBody of KnowledgeWarstorm Surge
Infinite card draw; Infinite draw triggers; Near-infinite creature tokens with haste; Near-infinite ETB
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Dawnsire, Sunstar DreadnoughtBody of KnowledgeLaboratory Maniac
Win the game; Infinite card draw; Infinite draw triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Dawnsire, Sunstar DreadnoughtBody of KnowledgeJace, Wielder of Mysteries
Win the game; Infinite card draw; Infinite draw triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Pricing data for Body of Knowledge isn't currently available in our system — check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for a live number. Given its narrow Commander-specific role and mythic rarity, it tends to carry a moderate premium over bulk mythics, so verifying current stock before buying is worth the thirty seconds.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.