ManakinHow it works & interactions with other cards

A Creature and a Mana Source

Manakin is a 1/1 artifact creature with an activated ability that requires it to tap. Unlike basic lands, Manakin is subject to 'summoning sickness,' meaning you cannot tap it for mana the same turn it enters the battlefield unless it gains haste. Once it is ready, it provides one colorless mana, represented by the {C} symbol, which can be used to pay for generic mana costs or specific colorless requirements.

Resolving the Ability

The ability of Manakin is a mana ability. This means it does not use the stack and cannot be responded to by opponents. When you announce you are activating Manakin, you tap it, and the colorless mana is added immediately to your mana pool. You can do this any time you have priority or while you are in the middle of casting a spell or activating another ability that requires a mana payment.

Common Mistakes

Players often forget that because Manakin is a creature, it is much more vulnerable than a land. It can be destroyed by creature removal, artifact destruction, or die in combat. Additionally, if you use Manakin to block an attacking creature, you must decide whether to tap it for mana before the blockers are declared or after, but tapping it for mana does not remove it from combat if it has already been declared as a blocker.

Strategic Timing

The best time to play Manakin is early in the game to jump from two mana to four mana on the following turn. Since it costs generic mana, it fits into any color deck. In the late game, it can serve as a sacrificial body for various effects or a chump blocker to save your life total while still providing mana during your main phase.

Interaction examples

Reducing the Build Cost

Foundry Inspector

If you have Foundry Inspector on the battlefield, the cost to cast Manakin is reduced by {1}. This allows you to deploy Manakin for only {1} mana, accelerating your board state even faster. Once Manakin is on the field, it can later produce mana to help cast even more expensive artifacts.

Comparing Mana Dorks

Ornithopter of Paradise

While Manakin provides colorless mana, Ornithopter of Paradise provides mana of any color and has Flying. If you are playing a colorless or mono-colored deck, Manakin's Construct typing may be relevant for tribal synergies. Both suffer from summoning sickness, so you must plan your turn ahead, ensuring they survive a full round before they can contribute mana to your pool.