Thought Monitor
Artifact Creature — Construct
Affinity for artifacts (This spell costs 
less to cast for each artifact you control.)
Flying
When this creature enters, draw two cards.
- CMC
- 7
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Modern Horizons 2 Promos
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #766
Thought Monitor draws two cards when it enters and carries a flying body — the payoff is immediate, not deferred. The printed cost is eight mana, but in any artifact-heavy shell that number collapses fast, and Dr. Eggman lists show it routinely landing for one or two blue.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Dr. Eggman
Dr. Eggman generates a swarm of artifact tokens that reduce Thought Monitor's affinity cost to nearly zero, making it a two-card-draw engine you can deploy as early as turn three.
Urza, Chief Artificer
Urza, Chief Artificer floods the board with Constructs and other artifacts, so Thought Monitor reliably costs one or two blue — cheap card draw stapled to a relevant flying body fits exactly what that deck wants.
Mendicant Core, Guidelight
Mendicant Core, Guidelight cares about artifacts entering and accruing value, and Thought Monitor delivers both a body and immediate card advantage the turn it resolves.
Golbez, Crystal Collector
Golbez, Crystal Collector runs a dense artifact suite that feeds affinity, and Thought Monitor slots in as a refuel engine that also threatens in the air.
Inspirit, Flagship Vessel
Inspirit, Flagship Vessel builds around artifact synergies and mass deployment, giving Thought Monitor the artifact count it needs to come down cheaply and immediately replace itself.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Thought Monitor earns its keep — artifact commanders routinely slash the cost to one or two blue, turning an eight-mana card into an efficient draw spell with a body attached. In Legacy and Vintage, the affinity mechanic has enough support that Thought Monitor can see play in artifact-based decks, though those formats' speed means the competition for slots is fierce. Modern artifact lists can use it, but the ceiling is lower there since the format's artifact density rarely reaches the same extremes as Commander tables. Oathbreaker follows the same logic as Commander: the right artifact-heavy planeswalker pairing makes Thought Monitor cheap and effective.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Current price data for Thought Monitor isn't available in this listing, so check Scryfall or your preferred vendor for the latest number. Given its consistent 60–65% inclusion rate across multiple high-synergy commanders, it's a card worth picking up rather than waiting on.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.