Instrument of the BardsHow it works & interactions with other cards

Building the Harmony

The core mechanic of Instrument of the Bards is its upkeep trigger. At the beginning of your upkeep, you may choose to place a harmony counter on it. This is optional, allowing you to stop at a specific mana value if you have a specific creature you need to find repeatedly. The number of counters directly dictates the mana value of the creature card you can search for when you activate its ability.

Activating the Search

For four mana and a tap, you search your library for a creature card. The mana value must exactly match the number of counters currently on the artifact. After finding the card, you reveal it and put it into your hand. Crucially, if the creature you found is legendary, you also create a Treasure token, which can be used later to help cast the creature you just found.

Strategic Considerations

A common mistake is forgetting that the search is not 'mana value X or less'—it must be exactly equal to the number of counters. Because this is a legendary artifact, having a second copy of Instrument of the Bards in play is difficult, but you can use multiple instruments to cover different mana costs if you manage to bypass the legend rule. Remember that shuffling happens after the search regardless of whether you found a creature or created a Treasure.

Interaction examples

Ramping with Treasures

Instrument of the BardsTreasureSol Ring

With one harmony counter on Instrument of the Bards, you activate its ability using mana from Sol Ring and other sources. You search for a legendary 1-drop creature. Because the card is legendary, you create a Treasure token. You now have a creature in hand and a Treasure on the battlefield that can be sacrificed for mana of any color.

Fixing Mana Identity

Instrument of the BardsArcane Signet

You have three harmony counters on Instrument of the Bards. You use Arcane Signet to help pay the four-mana activation cost. You search your library for a non-legendary creature with mana value 3. You put it into your hand and shuffle. Since the creature was not legendary, you do not receive a Treasure token.