Volrath's Laboratory
Artifact
As this artifact enters, choose a color and a creature type.
, 
: Create a 2/2 creature token of the chosen color and type.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- C
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Stronghold
- Price
- $0.42
- EDHREC rank
- #26186
Volrath's Laboratory gives you a repeatable token factory that stamps out any creature type you name, but the five-mana investment plus three mana per activation means you're paying a real tax every turn to keep it running. It earns its slot only in decks that specifically want a named creature type — tribal synergy abusers or commanders that care about what hits the battlefield, not generalist token strategies.
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 |
Volrath's Laboratory is a Commander card through and through — the format's longer games, tribal synergy density, and commander-centric engines are exactly the context where paying five to set up and three per activation stops feeling like a liability. In Legacy and Vintage, where it's technically legal, it sees no meaningful play: three mana for a 1/1 at sorcery speed is catastrophically slow against formats that end games on turn one or two. Commander is where Volrath's Laboratory earns real consideration, specifically in tribal decks where naming the right creature type turns every activation into a combo piece or synergy trigger rather than just a vanilla body.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.42 bulk tier
At $0.42, Volrath's Laboratory sits firmly in bulk territory — pick it up without hesitation if the shell calls for it. Bulk rares with niche tribal applications tend to stay flat unless a new commander spikes demand, so don't expect much movement, but you're not risking anything at this price.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.