Management of your mana resources is incredibly important throughout the game. In Commander, for example, powerful, high mana cost spells are cast back to back. To help with this, players use different types of artifacts that can create mana on the fly. Today, let’s list of some of the best and unique mana creation artifacts!
The Artifacts
Astral Cornucopia: Though expensive, Astral Cornucopia can bring in a high amount of mana during the late and mid game, that enables you to cast high cost spells back to back. The card can end up as dead weight during the start of the game, but it allows for large amounts of colored mana to be produced if you play your cards correctly.
Chromatic Lantern: Not only does this colorful lantern produce mana of any color, but it also allows for every single one of your lands to also produce any color. Chromatic Lantern should be played in any multi-color deck as it allows for players to cast spells of a certain color that they would normally not be able to cast due to a lack of specific colored lands on the field.
Chrome Mox: Instead of mana, Chrome Mox forces you to exile a creature from your hand in order to cast it. This can be extremely useful in the early game, as you will most likely lack the resources to cast a high mana cost creature, so instead you can exile that creature to play Chrome Mox in order to increase your mana production.
Coalition Relic: Being able to add one mana of any color is already a strong ability, but Coalition Relic’s second ability allows for it to give you an extra mana of any color if you had enough mana to cast your spells in the previous turn.
Commander’s Sphere: Though Commander’s Sphere cannot create mana for every color, it can create the only colors that matter in a game of Commander, your own Commander’s colors. Also, Commander’s Sphere can create any color of mana when in a five color deck and its second ability gives it a nice niche over some of the other artifacts.
Darksteel Ingot: If you’re having trouble with your opponent destroying your mana production, look no further than Darksteel Ingot. This spell’s indestructibility will allow it to stay on the battlefield as long as you need, while also producing any color of mana.
Dreamstone Hedron/Hedron Archive: This spell has less to do with mana, and more to do with its second ability. Three mana per turn makes Dreamstone Hedron a great production asset; however, this spell’s ability to allow its owner to draw three cards makes for a massive comeback when things are looking rough and your hand is empty. Hedron Archive is a slightly worse version of Dreamstone Hedron, but it is two mana less expensive, which makes it worth while to run if you are low on mana production or want a similar impact in the early game.
Everflowing Chalice: Though this spell disguises itself as a free mana producer, Everflowing Chalice requires kicking if the spell will be of any use at all. Without kicking, Everflowing Chalice just sits there and becomes a normal chalice that doesn’t produce anything. Though this spell can be good in the long run, you have to pour liquid into the cup before the fountain of mana starts to flow.
Fellwar Stone: Fellwar Stone is very situational, even with the promise of one guaranteed mana per turn. If your opponent just happens to be running colors that are different from your own, Fellwar Stone may as well be replaced with Worn Powerstone of any other artifact that creates colorless mana. It can be good, just be sure to be careful with it.
Prismatic Geoscope: In most decks, Prismatic Geoscope will seldom bring any type of mana profit; however, in four or five color decks Prismatic Geoscope can allow players to gain a large sum of mana each turn if they keep a diverse amount of basic lands on the battlefield. Just be sure not to run this spell in a mono-color deck, as it’s heavily outclassed by other artifacts in that situation.
Star Compass: Speaking of artifacts that outclass Prismatic Geoscope in mono-color decks, Star Compass can produce one mana of any mana that you could already produce with the lands that you currently have on your side of the battlefield. This makes Star Compass much more useful in mono-color decks, while Prismatic Geoscope should be ran in a four or five color deck.
Gilded Lotus: Remember how Darksteel Ingot produced one mana of any color per turn? Well this is the more powerful, but less protected and more expensive, version. Three mana of any color per turn can help with casting high cost, multi-color spells that you would have difficulties casting otherwise. Recommended to run in almost any multi-color Commander deck, as Gilded Lotus can be a strong production force.
Lotus Petal: Essentially free mana. Though it may only create one mana, Lotus Petal can get you out of a tight pinch that you wouldn’t be able to escape from otherwise. Also, this spell can produce instant mana during the early game to cast a powerful spell first turn if you cast your spells right.
Mana Crypt: Though risky, Mana Crypt is basically a Sol Ring that also wants to murder you in your sleep. The risk is worth the reward, however, as Mana Crypt has zero mana cost and the chance of taking damage is only fifty percent. Just be careful, as there have been times where players sink into Mana Crypt’s cold, lifeless hands.
Manalith: If you want multiple Darksteel Ingots, this is the closest you will achieve. Manalith lacks the indestructible ability, so overall this artifact is just a worse Darksteel Ingot.
Mox Diamond: Have too many lands in your hand and you lack the ability to play them all at once? Look no further than Mox Diamond. Throw one of those lands away and put Mox Diamond to work. Mox Diamond is somewhat good, as the spell costs no mana except for a land; which makes it very similar to Mana Crypt. All in all, it’s up to you to decide whether trashing a land is worth an extra mana a turn or not.
Phyrexian Lens: Remember when we said Manalith was a worse version of Darksteel Ingot? Well, Phyrexian lens is the worse version of Manalith as this artifact hurts you every time you attempt to harvest mana. At least Manalith gave it to you without going for your throat.
Pristine Talisman: Unlike the other, more colorful Talismans that we will discuss later, Pristine Talisman heals you instead of stabbing you in the back when you farm for mana. Though the mana is colorless, the life gain can be useful for life-gain decks or for decks that deal a multitude of damage to the user.
Seer’s Lantern: If you really want to scry your deck, Seer’s Lantern is the artifact for you. This artifact can be used to easily sort out your library one card at a time, allowing for some neat, but slow, searching. Seer’s Lantern also produces a singular mana when scrying which can be useful for casting spells.
Sisay’s Ring: Sisay’s Ring is simply Sol Ring, but colorful. Two mana of any color per turn is a great source of mana that should be used more often. However, this artifact does have a somewhat high cost..
Sol Ring: Speaking of Sol Ring, this artifact allows for a person to generate mana easily, as its cost of one mana is replenished by its ability to create two mana. The mana is colorless, but Sol Ring makes up for it with a low cost that is negated by its own effect that is only ever seen in Mox artifacts. Overall, Sol Ring is a great card that is ran in almost every Commander deck.
Thran Dynamo/Worn Powerstone: Both of these artifacts are okay, but don’t compare to Sol Ring in terms of usage and viability. They can be good in the long haul, but see a lack of use later in the game if the player isn’t running a large amount of high cost spells that can use colorless mana.
Banners: Banner cards, such as Temur Banner, create one mana from a selection of three colors of mana based on the type of Banner. One can also sacrifice the banner in order to draw a card. Banners are great, as they allow for a large selection of mana and can be used to gain some easy card advantage if you are through with them. Banners can be outclassed by certain other artifacts, but of your deck is the same colors as the Banner you are using then playing a Banner over some other artifacts can allow for some increased synergy.
Dragon Monuments: The Dragon Monuments, such as Atarka Monument, are a group of cards that produce one mana of two colors that the Monument has, that are usually representations of the colors of the Dragon that the Monument is based off of. Dragon Monuments can also turn into an artifact creature for a turn if you need something to slam into your opponent for damage or if you need a blocker at the last minute.
Cluestones: Cluestones, such as Azorius Cluestone, are similar to the Banners, but instead of a choice between three colors players chose between only two. Though they have less mana in terms of variety, they cost less to sacrifice in order to draw a card. Cluestones are more useful in two-color decks while Banners allow for more usability in three-color decks; but even so, Cluestones are usually outclassed by Banners if the Banner has the respective color combination that you need. If not, you’ll have to use Cluestones.
Signets: Signets, such as Azorius Signet, are basically Cluestones that can’t self-destruct to draw you a card. Instead, you pay one mana and receive two mana in return, one of each color based on the Signet. This allows for less customization in what colored mana you produce, but Signets still have their uses. They can be outclass by Darksteel Ingot, however, as Darksteel Ingot has indestructible and can produce any color of mana without requiring mana in the first place. Signets do cost one less mana than Banners and Cluestones, so they have that going for them.
Grim Monolith and Basalt Monolith: Though these two can make some combos with Power Artifact and the latter is great in certain colorless decks, these both need mana in order to become untapped after use. This fact is what makes Grim and Basalt Monolith so good. If you can set up your cards correctly you can use both of them in an infinite mana combo, as they can be untapped during the main phase instead of just the untap phase. In other situations they do have little to no viability when compared to artifacts that can be untapped for free during the untapped step.
Caged Sun/Gauntlet of Power/Gauntlet of Might: Though these artifacts do not create mana by themselves, they increase the production of lands by a mana each. This can be game changing, especially in Commander where mana costs are relatively high. Just be sure to avoid using up all of your resources for these cards, as their costs can be quite high. If you can get them into play, you could end up winning the game thanks to their abilities to power up creatures and cause lands to go into overdrive when it comes to mana production.
Keyrunes: Keyrunes, such as Gruul Keyrune, are basically the same as the Dragon Monuments. They both cost three mana, produce mana the same way, and can turn into a creature. The difference is that Keyrunes are weaker when compared to Dragon Monuments, but they cost less. All in all, Keyrunes care just as useful, if not more useful than the Dragon Monuments.
Diamonds: Diamond spells, such as Moss Diamond, enter the battlefield tapped and produce one mana of a color based on the spell. They are essentially worse versions of Mox spells, but can be a good assent when needed.
Mox Spells: Mox Spells, such as Mox Ruby, are probably one of the most busted card groups in the game. They allow for instant, almost free mana that is colored based on the spell, and anyone who has participated in a Vintage match knows that this group was banned from most formats for a reason.
Obelisks: Obelisks, such as Obelisk of Grixis, are similar to Banners. Both groups of cards can produce one mana a turn from a choice of three different colors of mana. Obelisks are far from foul, but they do lack the draw ability that Banners have. Obelisks are also more plentiful than Banners, as they have more variations which causes more players to lean towards an Obelisk than a Banner.
Talismans: Talismans, such as Talisman of Indulgence, are somewhat of a mix between Phyrexian Lens and Cluestones. They allow you to produce one mana from a choice of two different colors, but every time that you do you lose one life. One mana for one life can be a nice trade, but plenty of other artifacts exist that outclass the Talismans group.
Borderposts: Borderposts, such as Wildfield Borderposts, are similar to that of Cluestones. Instead of needing to paying three mana for the Borderpost, players can simply send a land back to their hand in order to bring out this artifact. If the player has yet to play a land, they can simply just put that land back onto the battlefield. You can even tap the land that you will be sending back to your hand to pay a Borderpost’s cost, making the cost basically free if you don’t already have a land that you desire to play that turn. Borderposts do have limited color combinations though, so they lack the ability to cover everything; but overall, they are still much more easier to cast than Cluestones.
Totems: Totems, such as Phyrexian Totem, are a group of cards similar to Keyrunes. They only produce one mana from one choice of color, but they can turn into creatures with various abilities for varying costs based on the Totem. For example, for two colorless and one black mana, Phyrexian Totem becomes a 5/5 black horror artifact creature with trample until the end of the turn, also when Phyrexian Totem is dealt damage when it is a creature, you can destroy that many permanents. Some of the Totems have better abilities than others, so be sure to see whether a Totem is actually worth playing more than a Keyrune or Dragon Monument.
Conclusion
Overall, mana management can be essential to winning a game of magic. Some artifacts can help farm multiple different colors of mana throughout the game, while others can buff your lands to produce even more mana. Artifacts can be extremely helpful in all sorts of situations, especially these mana producing artifacts.
Have you tried using any mana producing artifacts? What format do you think mana producing artifacts shine the most in? What mana producing artifact do you think is the best? Be sure to leave any concerns, suggestions, or comments down below!