Laboratory Maniac – Innistrad Remastered
Date Reviewed: Feb. 7, 2025
Ratings:
Constructed: 4
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 3
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander [EDH]: 4
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
Laboratory Maniac’s ability has become almost passe now, and I think that’s a shame. At the time he came out, the rule that makes you lose if you try to draw from an empty library was considered a significant line for Magic to bend and break, and the ways to build around him are as fun as they are powerful. The most notable card to try this previously was Obstinate Familiar, from way back in Odyssey, and that one has nowhere near the combo potential (or even an obvious point, coming in the same set as actual aggro cards like Grim Lavamancer). With the rise of Commander and the need to be able to finish a game past three opponents and thus the mountain of mountains for conventional Magic win conditions, abilities like this have become ever more valuable; and while Thassa’s Oracle is the obvious top tier in this particular effect, the Maniac still has a great deal of value. Note that because of the way the ability is phrased, you can trigger him during an opponent’s turn if you have an instant-speed way to draw enough cards. Just don’t count the remaining cards in your library too obviously, and you’ll have one heck of a story for future sessions.
Constructed: 4
Casual: 4
Limited: 3 (it is fairly feasible in Innistrad and technically possible in Innistrad Remastered – do it even once and you’ll be my hero!)
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander [EDH]: 4
Total paranoia is just total awareness, it turns out. Laboratory Maniac is a fairly infamous card because, it turns out, emptying out one’s library is surprisingly easy if you believe in yourself. Between Demonic Consultation, Hermit Druid, Balustrade Spy, and plenty of other fun tricks, you can easily make it so that, absent a kill spell, the game just ends when Laboratory Maniac has a chance to stick around.
That said, Thassa’s Oracle has usurped Laboratory Maniac in these sorts of decks, and a large part of that is that the Oracle is harder to say “no” to. It’s not impossible, of course, but the surety of winning then and there in most situations as opposed to the “riskier” play of letting a 2/2 with no protection stick around makes the safe play the preferred play much of the time. Jace, Wielder of Mysteries also has the same alternate win condition tacked on, and while it’s not a strict upgrade, it does have plenty of merit of its own.
That said…being largely usurped does not mean Laboratory Manic is wholly without merit, and it can make for a plan B in case things go awry. Remember that this is a replacement effect instead of a trigger, so if they can’t kill him, you just win on the sopt when you go to draw. If he’s dead, though, you would lose, so I suppose there’s tension there.
Constructed: 4 (sort of outclassed, but not without merit)
Casual: 3 (generally pointless unless you’re trying to combo out to win)
Limited: 3 (Hermit Druid is in Innistrad Remastered, but I doubt they’ll work seamlessly unless you build in a really shaky way)
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander [EDH]: 4 (serviceable plan B to Thassa’s Oracle)
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