Vodalian Arcanist
Creature — Merfolk Wizard
: Add 
. Spend this mana only to cast an instant or sorcery spell.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Dominaria
- Price
- $0.11
- EDHREC rank
- #17154
Vodalian Arcanist taps to add one colorless mana usable only for instant or sorcery spells — a Merfolk body that turns idle turns into half a spell's worth of acceleration. Two mana for a 1/3 that produces restricted mana is a narrow payoff, and it only earns its slot in decks that are casting instants and sorceries every single turn.
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 | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Vodalian Arcanist belongs in spellslinger builds — Kalamax, the Stormsire or Talrand, Sky Summoner lists that chain instants and sorceries and want every extra mana source they can find. In Pauper, it's a fringe consideration for tempo or Merfolk-adjacent blue decks, though the restricted mana makes it compete poorly with cantrip creatures. Modern, Pioneer, Legacy, and Vintage all have access to far more efficient mana production, so Vodalian Arcanist sees essentially zero play there.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.11 bulk tier
At $0.11, Vodalian Arcanist is deep bulk — buy a playset for pocket change and don't think twice. Bulk commons with narrow applications don't appreciate, so grab it if the deck wants it and ignore it otherwise.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.