Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker
Creature — Treefolk Druid // Creature — Phyrexian Treefolk
When this creature enters, you gain 3 life.
: Transform this creature. Activate only as a sorcery. ( can be paid with either 
or 2 life.)
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- BG
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- March of the Machine
- Price
- $0.08
- EDHREC rank
- #25445
Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker offers a cheap, renewable source of basic land tutoring on the front half, then flips into a removal piece that can eliminate a creature by stacking -1/-1 counters — two relevant modes for one card slot. The cost is that neither half is efficient enough to compete with dedicated staples: the Instructor asks you to jump through hoops for lands you could just run, and Malady Invoker's activation is slow.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker fits narrow builds centered on +1/+1 or -1/-1 counter synergies — Atraxa, Praetors' Voice decks or Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons shells where the Invoker side generates meaningful triggers. Outside those archetypes, the card doesn't pull enough weight to justify the slot. In Modern and Pioneer it's functionally unplayed; the rate on both halves is too slow for competitive environments where two mana buys you much more. Legacy and Vintage are non-starters for the same reason scaled up.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.08 bulk tier
At $0.08, Herbology Instructor // Malady Invoker is deep bulk — you're paying almost nothing, and that price reflects the narrow demand. Don't expect movement; this sits in the bulk bin until a counter-synergy commander pushes it, which hasn't happened yet.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.