Manakin
Artifact Creature — Construct
: Add 
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- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- C
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Tempest
- Price
- $0.32
- EDHREC rank
- #4244
Manakin is a 1/1 artifact creature that taps for one colorless mana — functional ramp stapled to a sacrificeable body. The cost is that it does neither job exceptionally well, but in artifact-matters decks, especially anything running Arcum Dagsson, the creature type is the entire point.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Arcum Dagsson
Arcum Dagsson's activated ability requires tapping a noncreature artifact you control — Manakin is a creature artifact, which means it's a legal target to sacrifice for Dagsson's tutor and shows up in nearly half of all Dagsson lists for exactly that reason.
Graaz, Unstoppable Juggernaut
Graaz, Unstoppable Juggernaut turns every artifact creature into a 7/5 trampler, so Manakin stops being a humble mana rock and becomes a threat that also ramps you into the next spell.
Rendmaw, Creaking Nest
Rendmaw, Creaking Nest generates Insect tokens whenever an artifact creature enters or dies, and Manakin checks both boxes — it enters as an artifact creature and is cheap enough to sacrifice freely for repeated triggers.
Traxos, Scourge of Kroog
Traxos, Scourge of Kroog untaps whenever you cast a historic spell, and Manakin as a castable artifact creature keeps that untap engine ticking while also accelerating your mana.
Chiss-Goria, Forge Tyrant
Chiss-Goria, Forge Tyrant's affinity-for-artifacts cost reduction rewards running cheap artifacts in volume, and Manakin pulls double duty as both a cost-reducer and a mana source in those high-artifact-density builds.
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 | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Manakin is legal in Commander, Legacy, Vintage, Pauper, and Oathbreaker, and Commander is the only format where it sees any real play. In Pauper it's outclassed by essentially every other two-mana ramp option at common — Prismatic Lens and Springleaf Drum both do more for less. Legacy and Vintage have no interest in a 1/1 that taps for one colorless. Commander is the home because the creature type is a resource: sacrifice outlets, aristocrats commanders, and artifact-matters synergies all want a body attached to their mana rock, and Manakin fills that slot at a price point that makes cutting it painless if the synergy disappears.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.32 bulk tier
At $0.32, Manakin is firmly bulk — you're paying for a role-player, not a staple, and the price reflects that. It won't creep up; there's no scarcity angle, and better artifact-creature mana sources exist if the price ever became relevant.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Arcum Dagsson
- Graaz, Unstoppable Juggernaut
- Rendmaw, Creaking Nest
- Traxos, Scourge of Kroog
- Chiss-Goria, Forge Tyrant
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.