Budget Alternatives to Toothy, Imaginary Friend
Looking for a functional budget replacement for Toothy, Imaginary Friend ($11.56)? Whether you're brewing a 100-card Commander deck, upgrading a budget league list, or trying to avoid spending over $50 on cardboard, these data-ranked substitutes cover the Card Advantage Engine role for a fraction of the cost.
Top 3 Substitutes for Toothy, Imaginary Friend at a Glance
Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom
Matches Toothy, Imaginary Friend's Legendary Creature card type and costs 1 more mana (5 MV vs 4 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #pair-commander, #tutor-to-hand, #tutored-by-name.
Evie Frye
Matches Toothy, Imaginary Friend's Legendary Creature card type and costs 2 less mana (2 MV vs 4 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #pair-commander, #tutor-to-hand, #tutored-by-name.
Timin, Youthful Geist
Matches Toothy, Imaginary Friend's Legendary Creature card type and costs 1 more mana (5 MV vs 4 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #pair-commander, #tutor-to-hand, #tutored-by-name.
Toothy, Imaginary Friend
30-day $11.56–$11.56 · +0% (11 snapshots)
Prices as of 2026-10-23
How Much Can You Save? (Price & Similarity Matrix)
Direct financial comparison between Toothy, Imaginary Friend and top budget alternatives.
| Card Name | Card Type & CMC | Price | Savings ($) | Savings (%) | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toothy, Imaginary Friend (Original) | Legendary Creature | $11.56 | — | — | Original |
| #1 Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom | Legendary Creature (5 MV) | $3.52 | $8.04 | 70% | Strong match |
| #2 Haldan, Avid Arcanist | Legendary Creature (3 MV) | $0.70 | $10.86 | 94% | Partial match |
| #3 Jace's Projection | Creature (4 MV) | $0.35 | $11.21 | 97% | Strong match |
| #4 Timin, Youthful Geist | Legendary Creature (5 MV) | $0.39 | $11.17 | 97% | Partial match |
| #5 Marketback Walker | Artifact Creature (0 MV) | $0.40 | $11.16 | 97% | Strong match |
| #6 Evie Frye | Legendary Creature (2 MV) | $0.34 | $11.22 | 97% | Partial match |
In-Depth Analysis: Best Alternatives to Toothy, Imaginary Friend
Detailed mechanical similarities, differences, advantages, disadvantages, and ideal deck situations for each substitute.
Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom
(Legendary Creature — Homunculus • 5 MV)
Partner with Okaun, Eye of Chaos (When this creature enters, target player may put Okaun into their hand from their library, then shuffle.) At the beginning of combat on your turn, flip a coin until you lose a flip. Whenever a player wins a coin flip, draw a card.
Matches Toothy, Imaginary Friend's Legendary Creature card type and costs 1 more mana (5 MV vs 4 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #pair-commander, #tutor-to-hand, #tutored-by-name.
- • Costs $3.52 (70% savings over Toothy, Imaginary Friend)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Costs 1 additional mana to cast
- • Costs 1 more mana, arriving a full turn later on curve.
Haldan, Avid Arcanist
(Legendary Creature — Human Wizard • 3 MV)
Partner with Pako, Arcane Retriever (When this creature enters, target player may put Pako into their hand from their library, then shuffle.) You may play lands and cast noncreature spells from among cards you exiled that have fetch counters on them, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast those spells.
Matches Toothy, Imaginary Friend's Legendary Creature card type and costs 1 less mana (3 MV vs 4 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #pair-commander, #tutor-to-hand, #tutored-by-name.
- • Costs $0.70 (94% savings over Toothy, Imaginary Friend)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Faster casting curve (3 MV vs 4 MV)
- • Overlaps 4 of 12 tracked mechanics; the rest is lost in translation.
Jace's Projection
(Creature — Wizard Illusion • 4 MV)
Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. {3}{U}: Put a loyalty counter on target Jace planeswalker.
Acts as a Creature alternative to Toothy, Imaginary Friend's Legendary Creature and shares the exact same mana value (4 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #draw-matters, #gains-pp-counters, #repeatable-pp-counters.
- • Costs $0.35 (97% savings over Toothy, Imaginary Friend)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Different card type, so it answers different removal and misses type-based synergies.
Timin, Youthful Geist
(Legendary Creature — Spirit • 5 MV)
Partner with Rhoda, Geist Avenger (When this creature enters, target player may put Rhoda into their hand from their library, then shuffle.) Flying At the beginning of each combat, tap up to one target creature.
Matches Toothy, Imaginary Friend's Legendary Creature card type and costs 1 more mana (5 MV vs 4 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #pair-commander, #tutor-to-hand, #tutored-by-name.
- • Costs $0.39 (97% savings over Toothy, Imaginary Friend)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Costs 1 additional mana to cast
- • Costs 1 more mana, arriving a full turn later on curve.
Marketback Walker
(Artifact Creature — Construct • 0 MV)
This creature enters with X +1/+1 counters on it. {4}: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. When this creature dies, draw a card for each +1/+1 counter on it.
Acts as a Artifact Creature alternative to Toothy, Imaginary Friend's Legendary Creature and costs 4 less mana (0 MV vs 4 MV). Shares the #burst-draw mechanic (delivers high-volume card advantage into your hand).
- • Costs $0.40 (97% savings over Toothy, Imaginary Friend)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Faster casting curve (0 MV vs 4 MV)
- • Different card type, so it answers different removal and misses type-based synergies.
Evie Frye
(Legendary Creature — Human Assassin • 2 MV)
Partner with Jacob Frye (When this creature enters, target player may put Jacob into their hand from their library, then shuffle.) {1}, {T}: Draw a card, then discard a card. When you discard a creature card this way, target creature you control can't be blocked this turn.
Matches Toothy, Imaginary Friend's Legendary Creature card type and costs 2 less mana (2 MV vs 4 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #pair-commander, #tutor-to-hand, #tutored-by-name.
- • Costs $0.34 (97% savings over Toothy, Imaginary Friend)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Faster casting curve (2 MV vs 4 MV)
- • Overlaps 4 of 12 tracked mechanics; the rest is lost in translation.
Which Alternative Should You Choose?
Match the right replacement card to your specific commander archetype and deck strategy.
Maximizes mana efficiency and replicates Toothy, Imaginary Friend's primary trigger role.
Reduces total deck cost below $50 while keeping the curve active.
Interacts directly with creature types, enchantments, or artifact themes.
When Is Toothy, Imaginary Friend Irreplaceable?
If your deck relies on specific infinite combo lines that require Toothy, Imaginary Friend's exact mana cost, unconditional timing, or unique text interaction, budget alternatives may not provide 100% parity. For casual Commander, mid-power EDH, and local game store play, the substitutes above deliver 90%+ functionality without the $11.56 price tag.
Frequently Asked Questions About Toothy, Imaginary Friend Alternatives
Answers to the most common deckbuilding and replacement queries.
Match scores blend rules-text similarity, shared mechanics, mana-curve proximity, and card-type fit. They rank budget picks against each other — they are not a measurement of competitive power.
What is the best budget alternative to Toothy, Imaginary Friend?+
Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom ($3.52) is the best overall alternative to Toothy, Imaginary Friend ($11.56), saving $8.04 (70% savings), rated a strong match for this swap.
What cards are like Toothy, Imaginary Friend in MTG?+
Cards like Toothy, Imaginary Friend include Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom ($3.52), Haldan, Avid Arcanist ($0.70), Jace's Projection ($0.35), Timin, Youthful Geist ($0.39). These cards share similar mana curves, mechanics, and strategic roles in Commander.
What is the cheapest replacement for Toothy, Imaginary Friend?+
Evie Frye ($0.34) is the most affordable replacement, saving over 97% compared to Toothy, Imaginary Friend.
Why would a player want a replacement for Toothy, Imaginary Friend?+
At $11.56, Toothy, Imaginary Friend represents a substantial financial barrier for casual Commander decks, budget league builds, or players testing new color identities.
When should a player NOT use a cheaper alternative to Toothy, Imaginary Friend?+
The closest pick, Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom, still has limits: costs 1 more mana, arriving a full turn later on curve. In top-tier competitive pods where those edges decide matches, the original remains optimal.
Explore More Budget MTG Guides & Tools
Continue optimizing your deck with our dedicated strategy hubs, card replacement engines, and price filters.
Find Swaps for Any Card with the MTGCheap Engine
Use our local PostgreSQL pgvector engine to search any card in Magic: The Gathering and filter by custom price ceilings, strict card types, and Commander color identity.