Spellbook (2024)

Not to be confused with Signature Spellbook.

A spellbook is a list of cards from outside the game that can be accessed by the conjure or draft keyword actions. Each spellbook is different, depending on which effect it's associated with. Spellbook was designed as a digital-only mechanic for MTG Arena.^[1][2]

Description[ | ]

A spellbook is a curated list of up to 15 flavor-resonant cards tied to a specific card in the game. Cards with the spellbook mechanic only appear on Alchemy cards.^[2] The spellbook cards are not counted as part of a card's color identity.

The cards of the spellbook are not visible on the main cards themselves. Spellbooks are browsable in-game by right-clicking (or long-pressing) on the cards, much like looking at dungeons or cards that make multiple tokens. Outside of MTG Arena, lists are available online.

Cards in a spellbook are added to the game in one of two ways - A single card can be chosen from the entire list and conjured or a card can be drafted.

Drafting from a spellbook may occur as part of a spell, an activated or triggered ability. The player is presented with three cards chosen at random from among the spellbook cards and selects one to put into their hand. Conjuring or drafting a card does not remove that card from the spellbook and it can be selected again if it comes up.^[3]

History[ | ]

A spellbook was first named in Tome of the Infinite from Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, where it was used in combination with conjure instead of draft. The mechanic also has similarities with Davriel, Soul Broker's offers and conditions from the same set. Drafting from a spellbook was formally introduced in Alchemy: Innistrad.^[2]

Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate has some unique spellbooks amongst its selection: Oyaminartok, Polar Werebear is the first to overlap more than ten cards with a previous spellbook (Tireless Angler), The Hourglass Coven has all entirely new digital cards (all of which have the same art) and Follow the Tracks has only five cards and are all from the same set.

In Alchemy: Eldraine, Drover of the Swine, Porcine Portent and Swine Rebellion all use the same named three-card spellbook - the Three Pigs. Alchemy: Ixalan has Brazen Boarding, which also has a three-card spellbook, alongside a distinct way to determine its conjured card.

List of card spellbooks[ | ]

Spellbook card	Color	Theme	Alchemy set	Link to card list
Celestial Vault		Angels	New Capenna	Cards
Faithful Disciple		Enchantments	Innistrad	Cards
Saint Elenda		Faith-based lifegain (4 life)	Thunder Junction	Cards
Slayer's Bounty		Justice and detainment	Innistrad	Cards
Experimental Pilot		Vehicles	Kamigawa	Cards
Giant's Secrets		Auras	Eldraine	Cards
Skywriter Djinn		Control	Dominaria	Cards
Tireless Angler		Marine life	Innistrad	Cards
Tome of Gadwick		Cantrips	Eldraine	Cards
Tome of the Infinite		Utility spells	Jumpstart: Historic Horizons	Cards
Break Expectations		Artifacts	Innistrad	Cards
Cursebound Witch		Witches and witch tropes	Innistrad	Cards
The Hourglass Coven		Hags	Baldur's Gate	Cards
March Toward Perfection		Phyrexians of The Dross Pits	Phyrexia	Cards
Xander's Wake		Party scoundrels	New Capenna	Cards
Arms Scavenger		Adventuring Equipment	Innistrad	Cards
Big Spender		Valuable antiques	New Capenna	Cards
Charged Conjuration		Red Storm spells	Bloomburrow	Cards
Goblin Influx Array		Goblins	Dominaria	Cards
Kayla's Kindling		Burn	The Brothers' War	Cards
Tibalt, Wicked Tormentor		Devils	Innistrad	Cards
Boseiju Pathlighter		Lands	Kamigawa	Cards
Follow the Tracks		The Reimagined Gates	Baldur's Gate	Cards
Garruk, Wrath of the Wilds		Wild creatures	Innistrad	Cards
Hinterland Chef		Unusual edible creatures	Innistrad	Cards
Ishkanah, Broodmother		Spiders	Innistrad	Cards
Loose in the Park		Wild beasts	New Capenna	Cards
Oyaminartok, Polar Werebear		Fished Sea Creatures	Baldur's Gate	Cards
Scalespeaker Shepherd		Dinosaurs	Ixalan	Cards
Relics of the Rubblebelt		Ravnican guild signets	Karlov Manor	Cards
Bind to Secrecy		Graveyard recursion	New Capenna	Cards
Dazzling Flameweaver		Spectacles	Bloomburrow	Cards
Emmara, Voice of the Conclave		Spells with Convoke	Karlov Manor	Cards
Raddic, Tal Zealot		Knights	The Brothers' War	Cards
Brazen Boarding		Pirates	Ixalan	Cards
Slimefoot, Thallid Transplant		Fungus related	Dominaria	Cards
Bladehold Cleaver		Mirran resistance forces	Phyrexia	Cards
Imperial Blademaster		Samurai	Kamigawa	Cards
Protean War Engine		Medium sized Dragons, Angels or attack-based humanoids	Dominaria	Cards
Recruit Instructor		Combat tricks	Bloomburrow	Cards
Tajic, Legion's Valor		Boros Legion members	Karlov Manor	Cards
Contagion Dispenser		Cards with Proliferate	Phyrexia	Cards
Darigaaz, Shivan Champion		Dragons	Dominaria	Cards
Key to the Archive		Mystical Archive spells	Innistrad	Cards
Ominous Traveler		Innistrad's monsters	Innistrad	Cards

[ | ]

Spellbook name	Color	Theme	Used by	Alchemy set	Link to card list
Three Pigs		Boars	Drover of the Swine Porcine Portent Swine Rebellion	Eldraine	Cards

Rules[ | ]

Spellbooks are not included as part of the Comprehensive Rules.^[4] They operates according to the programmed rules of Magic: The Gathering Arena.

Example[ | ]

References[ | ]