Seems like a really fun card; even if you only get one or two draws from it, it still gives you some advantage at instant speed. A really good mythic, in that it is not overpowered and a must-have for tournaments. However, I cannot say the same about some other cards in the set (I'm looking at you, Abrupt Decay)
Cyberium
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
It's instant, which makes the cost less punishing (you probably won't use it till late game anyway). Gaining life AND drawing cards can tip the balance of the game for control decks.
DoragonShinzui
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Doesn't really feel...mythic. I mean, drawing cards and gaining life. Yeah. Like the mighty magics of the gods that one.
Tiggurix
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Doesn't seem like this deserves to be a mythic to me. :/
Demento_Recraves
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(16 votes)
Of course this should be Mythic you guys! This has 5 X's (one in the mana cost, two in the rules, one in the name, and one in the art), and we all know new players can't understand the mystery of X's. Is X a variable? A roman numeral? If I pay 3 for X does the card's name become Sphin3's Revelation? These are the things new players have difficulty understanding.
Mowagh
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I like it, but I feel like as a mythic it should've been XWU.
This card is wonderful for the classic playstyle of UW control. Planar Cleansing followed by a huge revelation could be good.
Earthdawn
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(6 votes)
Should have cost one less blue mana and it would be great.
DarthParallax
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(6 votes)
This is the right mana, AND the right rarity-- the thing is, it's nature is just different from R/x. Red/X Mythics tend to feel more Mythic more quickly. This won't be appreciated till it's playtested some more, then it will be understood as about as good as Rakdos's Return. Which itself will go down just a few popularity points, but since it's so cheap to cast it will be a favorite of casual players forever, and might even effect Modern, but probably not older formats. Don't know if either of the Mythic X-spells will be able to compete with Epic Experiment in Standard, though. Just throw all those really dumb flying creatures from Innistrad and simultaneously over-and-undercosted Miracle cards into a R/U manabase, and Epic Experiment Stupid Shit out for the win :P xD
Steric
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Absolute bomb in limited. I don't think I've ever seen any card change a game around so much. Gives you enough life to take you out of the red zone and loads up your hand.
Ferlord
★★☆☆☆ (2.1/5.0)(7 votes)
It was made as a counterpart to Rakdos' Return, except Return can win you the game.
That's why it's $15 and this is still $4
RAV0004
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(16 votes)
It's mythic because it's instant. F***! it's like you guys don't even play magic. Do you even know how good that is?
Ike38
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Why care about it deserves Mythic or not?
I don't care at all. I just know that it is a good card.
Remember Mind Spring? It is a great card, very flexible use.
This one is kind of the same. With 1 White extra mana, you will get more life with the instant speed. Isn't it good enough? I like it.
Lord_of_Gelectrodes
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Why does it seem most Azorius cards are rated about 3.3?
Zenzei
★☆☆☆☆ (1.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Durdler's delight.
Dabok
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
It's difficult not to complain about it's mythical status. I mean Misthollow Griffin was an on the curve creature, but it's ability's unique. This is under the curve spell that isn't unique. Yes, it's defenders can say "it's an instant you noob!". Well okay, suppose I'm a noob, would it bother you if this card were rare instead? It'd fit much more and wouldn't cause "controversy", but....oh well.
joocub
★★★★☆ (5.0/5.0)(10 votes)
Should've been called "Isperia's Insight" as a more obvious counter part to Rakdos's Return.
I am new to the game, and curious how exactly you factor the X - Is the X how many lands u spend on the card after the 2 blues + 1 white? or is X the amount of cards you decide you want to draw? - i know how other X's work and usually they say on the card, but this one kinda confuses me.. Sorry veteran players for the newb question, but we all have start somewhere ;)
MarlinFlake
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.9/5.0)(5 votes)
This is inferior to Inspiration in almost every situation in which you would want to use it. This is pretty much an EDH-only card, which is a nice way to say it isn't very good.
Formofbucket
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(9 votes)
Lol at the "inferior to inspiration" comment.
lonesilverwolf85
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(4 votes)
@martinflake Yes on turn 4--7 its probably inferior to inspiration, but its not meant to be cast then, its meant to be cast on turn 8+ish. I can tell you after casting this on turn 9 in a control mirror this past weekend that this card is ridiculous!
snied
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Magic005 An X in a casting cost always refers to an additional mana cost that you choose. If you were to cast this and only pay the WUU you would draw 0 cards and gain 0 life, casting it for 1WUU would get you one card a one life. You can make the X as much as you have mana for after the WUU. However, you must pay all of the desired cost at once. You can't cast it for a certain cost, wait for a response, and then add more mana to the X.
Hope that answered your question.
TravisBlanchard
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
Yes please to both
demidracolich
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(9 votes)
For those of you saying its garbage, it is commonly regarded as the most powerful card in standard by pro player.
Arachobia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My main issue with this card is it seems more like a rare than a mythic rare. It's effect and mana cost are mind spring + stream of life (if stream of life is planeshifted into white). So the mythic rare thing seems to have the same logic: rare + uncommon = Mythic rare. Rakdos' Return has the same problem (Blaze + Weaker Mind Twist). In fact, a lot of return to Ravnica cards look pretty much like Wizards stapled two other cards together in terms of mana cost and rarity.
They're not bad cards, but they don't feel very 'mythic'. Even Mythic Rares that are viewed as 'bad' by most people, like Beguiler of Wills or Helvault, are at least original effects on cards and encourage creative play. To me, a lot of the Ravnica Mythics, especially this one and Rakdos' Return, seem like upgraded Archangel's Lights. They are good cards, at least, but they seem like they are not the right level of rarity. At least Epic Experiment does something wacky and unique enough to justify being a Mythic Rare
Gcrudaplaneswalker
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
So, I'm guessing garbage cards are worth more than $10? The price shot up when people realized how powerful this card is.
talcumpowder0046
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Pros like me know that card advantage is a good thing, and life gain can throw aggro decks off their game.
bolttotheface
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Should have cost {U}{W} and should have been sorcery.
MEanBOb
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
The rating of this card really reflects the type of players on the gatherer. This thing is a control deck staple and control decks are very popular in standard right now. While the card does not directly win the game, it puts it out of reach for aggro and mid range decks when its cast for 5, 6, or 7 at the end of turn. The control player's hand is refilled and he gets a nice life cushion. Then he can wrath and sit there and mill or build board presence, or anything really. Its especially deadly if the control player chains the sphinx's revelations turn after turn late game generating massive card advantage and life gain.
In other words, if you don't think this card is good you need to play against it in a proper deck. Its not supposed to be cast on turn 3, 4, 5, or even 6. Its supposed to be a late game card that puts the game out of reach. Just look at its price on TCG. Its now hovering around $20. The 3.6 rating on here in no way reflects how good this card actually is.
psychichobo
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I do find these cards hard to use mainly as I never really get a lot of mana to use them properly (ALWAYS get mana screwed in W/U decks for some reason). I do have a rainbow ramp deck that would really make it explode though, bet I could easily make X an 8.
thisisnotmyname
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Should be targetted like Zenith and Stroke so I can use it as a kill card in combo decks. As it is, it is useless outside of control decks in a format slow enough to enable this kind of thing. Not even any political uses in multiplayer. I'll give it 3/5 for it's power in standard and EDH, but it's needless restriction ruins any use I would ever have for it.
And yes people, it being an instant makes ALL the difference. If this was a sorcery it really would have been unplayable trash.
DeftMunky
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(7 votes)
Mindspring for one more, as an instant, that gains you life. Anyone who's ever played against this in a constructed format would rate it at least a 4.5. This card may not be sexy for Gatherer readers, but fewer things are worse than sitting across the table from your opponent casting one.
MojoVince
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Worst mythic of the expension IMO , maybe just shouldn't have been mythic .
03/01/2013 edit : Ok this is not sexy but it's a bomb in limited if you are able to unjoy blue white control. It still could have been a rare though , a costly one like soul's cavern which should have been Mythic or legendary ..lol
Jwegs55
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I Just got this card in a booster pack the other day, and it is fantastic. Great for my Azorius control deck because late game you may need more cards and it can quite easily refresh your hand, while at the same time giving you a good life buffer.
herpdaderp
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I wonder what would happen if you used this in Unhinged... WUU 1/2 gain half a life and draw half a card....
Hygroscopicguy
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
This card puts its caster so, so far ahead in so many resources if it resolves. The instant speed puts it over the top. The lifegain will keep your head above water versus aggro like red deck wins and zombies. The cards help grind out a midrange or control mirror. Sphinx's Revelation does a lot of things well, and is easily Type 2 Mainboard Material. If your deck can't support casting big spells, then you should not be putting mana-suckers in your deck anyways. 4.5/5 in standard.
Totema
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(10 votes)
Heheheh, I remember when the set was first being spoiled, and this was revealed alongside Rakdos's Return. When MagicTCGPlayer.com asked on Facebook which everyone thought was better, every damn reply was that this was trash compared to Return. Now? This is worth $20, while Return barely goes for $5. And it's all because this is instant speed.
People, I cannot stress enough how important that is for control decks! What we have here is a Swiss Army knife for Standard Azorius. If you don't need to respond to anything with a counter or a bounce, you can use this to rebuild your hand all at once. The lifegain is gravy, and helps you stay ahead of burn decks for another turn or two. It's all in one card too, and with a variable X cost at that. And if you're still not convinced just... see it in action. This card hitting the field is often the harbinger of tabled being turned or possible wins becoming certain.
Psychrates
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
One measly W more for a modern day braingeyser ain't bad. 4.5
@Hygroscopicguy YUP.
Bobth
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(5 votes)
Whether the card is good or not, boring utility cards with no flavor shouldn't be mythic.
Hercynian
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
:O...
sniper_ix
★☆☆☆☆ (1.1/5.0)(4 votes)
$17 from it's previous $3 at release.
Blue sun's zenith NEVER got this much love even though it is the exact same thing minus the lifegain.
Even if you pay 7 for this spell. That is 4 cards (same as zenith), and 4 life. 4 Life is nothing when thragtusk + resto angel can get you 20+ life in a single game.
Maybe RtR is just starved for good draw.
Solarcanix
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Should have been XWU...then it would have been playable. Just meh as it is, even as an instant.
azure_drake222222
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
A rare time when TimmyForever's comment makes sense.
gillettefusion19
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
No decent control deck is decent without this. I could live without the life gain but its an instant speed refill my hand and bump my life total. It's ridiculously unfair. In my control v an exalted I played it for 10. Ten cards and ten life at the end of my opponents turn. Game over. 5/5
baby_farts
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Play Omniscience than Sphinx's Revelation for free = at least 10 life and 10 cards. I did this last night with 13 mana on the field...instant game winner (10 to play Omniscience, wait a turn, play Sphinx's Revelation for free and tap all 13 mana for X to get 13 life and draw 13 cards).
Xenozfan2
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've often found that the commons/uncommons make the rares fairly useless. Doom Blade? Unsummon? Skullcrack kills half this card, for much less the cost. Your opponent still draws cards, but they lost 3 life and didn't gain any this turn.
Edward_Mass
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Alrighty, it's the best wannabe-wincon in Standard... or not. So, a few disclaimers right off the bat: I'm an aggro player by nature ("no boardwipes? I win! hur durr!"), but I've also won or placed--1st or 2nd, screw "top 8"--at multiple tournaments using multiple archetypes (aggro, control, even combo). Point is, I've been on both sides of the table when this card goes off. So, I'm not biased toward or against this kind of card on principle, but I do look at it from multiple angles. The problem with some reviews I see is a failure to do that. And again, that goes for BOTH the supporters and detracters.
Also, money value is relative. Ever hear of EDH? If you think that format DOESN'T influence pricing, take a look at the Primordials from Gatecrash. Anyway...
Let's get the good stuff out of the way first. It's strong as hell late game! (But then so is any good X-cost spell.) What the control player's who love this card see is a sort of pseudo win con. You run 1 or 2 of these so that if you ever do start topdecking, you'll have an out (plus the life gain). It's awesome. And of course comparisons to everything from Think Twice to Sign in Blood to Inspiration fail. We're not talking about drawing 2 cards here. We're talking about RE-FILLING OUR HAND and getting a life boost. Nothing like Sphinxing in response to a "game-winning" swing, am I right? X being equal to pretty much any amount beyond 4 is value enough to swing things. Pure profit.
All THAT said, what happens when you get this in your starting hand and you go up against a speed aggro deck? What happens when it's completely irrelevant because the opponent has the juice to put you below 5 LP before turn 5? This has happened to me, and I run a playset of Terminus, Supreme Verdict, and Feeling of Dread.
Fact is, as slow as Standard CAN be (especially when playing Control), this card may, it must be said, still be too slow for most decks. And let's face it, the same "pro" player who swears by this puppy will also insist that you should never run 3, let alone a playset. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have a card that's RELEVANT more often than not (and preferably comes down before my opponent is right about to kill me).
tehsquirrely
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If only this said "target player" I would put redirects into my sideboard so fast it would make my head spin.
ArresterMan
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I can't believe everyone saying "Meh, this is just not as good as X card". They've clearly never used/played against it in a standard game.
Sure, there are better cards in Modern, Legacy et al, but that's literally ALWAYS going to be the case. In standard right now this is pretty much amazing card draw and life gain all rolled into one. Even giving yourself a 4 or 5 point life cushion in standard is devastating to an opponent, just watch their gleeful expression disappear when you crack this just before your turn starts :)
Smoke_Stack
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Brutal. If you've never seen this card in action, check the archives from last weekend's gatecrash pro tour finals. While all the guilds got decent cards in the RTR block, Azorius definitely got the best stuff.
Gabby_Leow
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
As a RW aggro player. I can say this card really rock my socks off. Nowadays if I see my opponent playing WU I always feel pressure to finish the game by turn 7-8. when my opponent plays Sphinx's Revelation, it usually means I will fold in 2-3 turns time...
Khazuki
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Most powerful card in standard right now. Along with Thragtusk, makes running aggro decks nearly impossible.
Drewskithelegend
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Looks like the kind of card you'd want to run 1 of anyways. I mean, yeah it's a good card, it's just, for that price ($ wise) it just isn't THAT impressive. Then again, I'm the guy who said the same thing about Jace the mind sculptor until I got one for myself so what the hell do I know XD.
carbondragon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wanna do this but don't have white mana and don't need the lifegain?
Boom, you now have 5 extra cards in your hand (minimum) and got a 5/5 body out for 6 measly mana (measly, because you're playing green) where Revving would have only gotten you 3 cards and 3 life. An unblocked Vexing Devil would easily negate that advantage. Now you can not only say you have tons of cards in hand (you also have blue here, if they try something), but you can also kill that Devil without worry. They try to kill your Zegana with a burn spell? Tap your mana dork and Giant Growth Zegana to 8/8. Yes, Spear me for 4 please...
Yeah, it's not as good as Rev but it doesn't cost you $20 a card and can actually turn the game completely around in one turn, where Rev is the starting point for your comeback. Most decks in Standard don't really have too many answers for a 5/5 that got Flashed in, and Yeva is out of Spear reach so there's no worry of the combo getting destroyed (at Instant speed, anyway, 2 Pillars and Yeva is outta here). You could also toss a Rancor on Zegana and go in with a 7/5 Trampler. They can forget about their life total if you have several pump spells... The icing is that Zegana is only $8-$10 and Yeva is a dollar-rare so you're looking at a max of $11 for a potential win-con.
EnPassant
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.7/5.0)(9 votes)
"it is commonly regarded as the most powerful card in standard by pro player."
Laughable. Ratings on the Gatherer do not tailor themselves to "standard" play they cover ALL forms of play. In general, and in all formats, in any game, this is a one-card wonder in the fact that you have to wonder what's taking so long for it to be effective. You wait until TURN EIGHT?
Hey guys, turn eight big card drop here, he's going to regain five life and draw five cards to make up for the fact he had a dead card in hand for SEVEN TURNS. You probably don't understand what it's like to have "dead cards" in hand because you don't play enough magic, but let me put it simply for you. It's not there. It's the same as not having it. On turn four you can cycle it and kill an entire turn's worth of process for one card, on fifth you have a dual-colored, overcosted Inspiration (which is overcosted Divination) with a TERRIBLE reason to mark it up. Turn six, it becomes somewhat reasonable, but for the LOVE OF GOD, DO YOU ALREADY FORGET ROOFTOP STORM?
Yay, all my cards are 0 cost now! Now I can do PRECISELY NOTHING WITH IT. You lose one card's worth of board position, one card's worth of options, one card less draw until TURN. SIX. And this is no different. You could trade this card out for Sphinx of Uthuun and have a FIVE CARD ADVANTAGE (versus four) A CARD ON THE FIELD (versus none) WITHOUT DUAL-COSTING. And THAT card? Decent AT BEST. Only good because it's Big and Blue with a great effect, everything blue could ever ask for. Something worth holding out for that has IMMEDIATE and INDOMITABLE impact on the game state
I am an experienced all-around player in MTG, years of experience and understanding of the game. I cannot, for the life of me, understand how this card receives nearly a four. In terms of playability it's sideboard at best and only in main when there is a lack of a true finisher creature on a control / Mill deck that relies completely on it's slow, deliberate approach to locking down the true threats of this set. Oh, and the one and only reason I brought up for why this card is terrible was printed in M13 and half this terrible rating is because it's even WORSE outside standard, hardly even playable. 2/5
One-liners!!!: S> Playset of this, 40$. LOL. You've got it all wrong! Hold out for a few more turns and play Omniscience! Almost forgot to mention, Syncopate was reprinted in the same block. two-cost syncopate(manaleak)... LOOK HOW GOOD THAT HAND-REFRESHING DID! If you people mocking the gatherer community for their "low rating" actually play for real I can't wait for my next tournament.
RecurringMemories
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A lot of people seem to have an issue with anyone who rates this below 4-5/5. I'm not saying this is a bad card, it is a good card but those same people complaining about low ratings all seem to be Standard players. What they have to realize is not everyone who rates cards on Gatherer plays (or even likes) Standard. While it's a good card, I question it's usefulness in the Eternal formats. In Standard (and Casual once the price drops) it can be a great card. If you want to see the TRUE value of a card, see how much it get's played and it's value after it drops out of Standard.
3.5/5 - I would rate it 4 if it was XWB instead of XWBB
Lifegainwithbite
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
The people that question how good this is in standard must not play must standard. When this hits the board, it not only saves you but it gives you tons more options. If you resolve this for 3 or more in any standard game (which isn't that difficult for a control deck), you'll probably win easily. Card draw and buying yourself time are so important.
It has some modern applications as well so I don't see why everyone's complaining about it being a standard only card. I play both.
@Enpassant: You're clearly an idiot. The benefit of this card is that it is rarely a dead draw because if you're about to die, it will give you more options and it will save you. Even if you cast it for 1 or 2, if that lets you last another turn and gives you a few more options then that's great. You don't need to hold out and wait for ages. Clearly you're not much of a 'experienced, all-round' player, you don't play many tournaments and you don't understand the power of instant speed or having options(you claim Divination is better! That's just hilarious).
Anzu-chan
★☆☆☆☆ (1.3/5.0)(3 votes)
The fact that some Standard decks run it three or four times blows my mind so hard. It's indeed a powerful card, but like the other "Draw X cards", it really is the kind of card I DON'T WANT in my opening hand, not even one time, because it would be a dead card for a long time if so.
I run it one time in a UW deck (easier to play in that kind of deck than Blue Sun's Zenith) and it does a great job like that.
5/5
@Lifegainwithbite : Well, it's clearly a dead card when you have it in your opening hand. You need at least 4 turns to do something with this card. It's the case with nearly any "Draw X spells", not only Sphinx's Revelation.
If you cast it for x = one or two, it less efficient than Jace's Ingenuity (gaining one or two lifes is laughable). Spending 4 mana to gain a card? Brainstorm do that for one mana (plus, you rearrange your hand/top deck). Ok, there's no Jace's Ingenuity or Brainstorm in standard, so it can be a good excuse to cast it for X = 1 or 2.
If you cast it for x = three or more, now it starts to be revelant. But, it need six turns to make something that can reverse the situation.
It's awesome late game, okay in mid game, but a dead card in early game.
Continue
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
@EnPassant: Your comment just gave me a migraine. You cannot be serious. You cannot be serious. If you had any semblance of experience, you would realize that not every card is meant to be played as soon as possible. This isn't RDW. Control's game plan is to keep itself alive until it can play this and blow the opponent out of the water. As shown by 's success in Standard, it works. It works very well. You will never play this as a cantrip, and very rarely as an Inspiration; even then, you've at least given yourself card advantage with mana that you otherwise wouldn't have used. It's certainly more of a midgame card than one that you just draw and drop. And are you seriously comparing this to Rooftop Storm and Omniscience? Really? Two cards with entirely different applications as this. You've got to be kidding me. And then there's the Syncopate comment. Yes, because my opponents never have empty hands and never tap out. Players like you make me sick. You act like you know everything, and then you immediately show that you don't. You're worse than lotsofpoopy in that respect — at least he's entertaining to read. You're just an idiot.
tl;dr: You know nothing about this card and its applications.
Anyway, I'm rambling. Here's my opinion on the card. Generating card advantage is always a good thing, and the lifegain is a nice bonus. Against decks like Jund, it could easily be the difference between dying next turn and finding the Boros Reckoner or Thragtusk that you needed. I expect this to stay as one of Standard's most-played cards until Return to Ravnica rotates out. 5/5
DacenOctavio
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Wizards printed hate for this in Gatecrash and Dragon's Maze, and all of you dare to rate it less than 4? Shameful.
This card promises two things: card advantage and just enough time to abuse it. Instant speed lets you play Draw-Go, and overdraw your hand without having to discard. The life gain is what pushes the card over the top and makes it situationally better that Blue Sun's Zenith.
AbruptDismay
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Enpassant: That has to be the most ignorant comment I've ever seen left on a card. You have obviously never played in standard which makes me question your "years" of playing. This card is awesome and wins games, the fact that it takes eight turns is irrelevant, that's what this color combination is all about. What a dummy haha
MakeshiftMage
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch is so much better for less then this card. By the time she comes out and you're getting vag pounded by the stray dogs of Rakdos, you'd be dead probably overkilled to the point of not being able to bounce back like this card could promise you to do. I've gone against this and a fast stray dog (unleash) deck and the stray dogs get my best non standard 95% of the time. This is usually revealed to me as a card that "maybe in a couple of more turns I could've have survived the attack you just threw at me" about 95% of the time. Maybe with Lavinia of the Tenth and a lot of key bounce/detain would this card be sort of good.
cycloa24
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Hey, I just got this card a few days ago in a booster pack, and I am clueless about it. Just because I'm being curious, what does it mean by X. Is it X=10 or do you just substitute X with any given number between 1-20?
Ananeos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@cycloa24 The X symbol on the card is how much mana you pay for it.
CogMonocle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
GW Sligh player here. When this card is played, I lose.
TheManakinTransfer
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Compare it to the other glorious X cost draw card instant Stroke of Genius. The colourless is replaced by 2W and the targetability is switched with lifegain. Even being on the same page as that ol' degenerate piece of card advantage should clue you off to how great this card really is.
sweetgab
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@Totema
While the instant speed is certainly powerful, I personally think there are three just as important reason why Sphinx's Revelation sees more play than Rakdos's Return:
1. Draw X cards and Gain X life fit into the same strategy perfectly, namely control. Discard X and deal X damage don't mesh that well, since the deck which wants the discard X effect is the midrange/control deck, but the damage part does the most for aggro decks (which usually can't afford the X cost).
2. There is an upper bound to the card advantage you can generate with Return: your opponent's hand size. If you have 8 mana and a Revelation, you always get a +4 (that is, draw five cards). If you have 8 mana and a Return but they only have 2 cards, you can only get a +1. It was for this same reason why Mind Spring saw more play than Mind Shatter, despite both of them being sorceries and the discard on Mind Shatter was even random.
3. The current Standard, with Lingering Souls, Unburial Rites and Reaminator decks in general, is pretty unfriendly to discard effects that don't exile.
All these reasons combined with the instant speed explains why Revelation is much more popular than Rakdos's Return, despite the former costing one more mana. However I do think Rakdos's Return is a strong card, and I expect it to make a comeback after the rotation (that is, when point #3 above is no longer true.)
DaLucaray
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@MakeshiftMage
Are you seriously comparing a WU lifegain/draw card to a BR aggro creature? That's not comparing apples to oranges. That's comparing apples to tissue boxes.
doombladez
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Not sure how my skullcrack reaches that sphinx but I'm sure glad it does. Still, 5/5 card without a doubt.
Zylo-
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Lots of good and bad comments here.... Some people know how to play this card and others simply lack the experience and knowledge...
I play this card regularly in my Modern U/W Deck (no kidding?)... I have found this card to be most effective using 1 or 2 copies depending on the deck.. You definitely are not wanting to draw this thing in your opening hand... This card shows it's true power when you draw it mid to late game... When you and your opponent have a couple cards in hand with 7 or 8 mana on the board... Drop this card at the end of their turn and you just let me know how the rest of the game goes for you ;-)
This card is very powerful in the right deck played at the right time. I've had opponents concede immediately when this resolved.
ninjabear
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A Stroke of Genius with a more colored mana cost that gives you life. Fantastic. Stroke was played back in the deck, though in Legacy it hasn't survived the test of time :) (I guess Legacy is too fast for *any* X spell, even all mighty Mind twist would probably not be played now).
And, even without the life gain thing, draw at instant speed, and specially of these epic dimensions, is just perfect for white-blue control decks. Conveniently, the card is white and blue :)
mdakw576
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
this card doesn't feel mythic at all, but it looks fine for standard as a 1 or 2 of in control decks.
EDIT: So my first impressions were a little off on its power level, and that it's more a 3-of in control decks (sometimes 4-of, but this isn't usually something you want in an opening hand) and not a 1 or 2-of. The idea of "lifegain is weak" has been hammered into my head so much that I basically ignored that on this card, but it's actually the effect that pushes it over the edge. One of the big problems with the instant-speed X-draw spells (namely blue sun's zenith, as stroke of genius was powered by lolurzablock jokes where you could literally deck people with giant strokes) is that they're very bad against aggro decks because you almost never have the time to cast them for full value. But sphinx's revelation helps fix that by giving you enough life to spend 1-2 turns casting the spells you drew from your first revelation, which buys you time to fire off your second revelation to pull away. Against aggro, X=2 or 3 as your first revelation is good enough, because the life gain can help push you out of, say, searing spear range, whereas blue sun's zenith wouldn't save you.
And of course, X-draw spells are always insane against midrange and control.
ZGMFX13A
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It makes people scoop without even touching them. It is that good.
TowerDefender
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wish these were cheaper.
ttonyragle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Guys, this is the only card keeping blue decks viable in the current standard season. That goes for last standard season as well. If that doesn't warrant a five star rating then I don't know what does.
camjbee
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
For those not understanding why this card is amazing in a U/W control deck you NEED JESUS. This card will let you heal and draw cards. Lord the possibilities. The only reason I use Azorius Charm over this card is because of the tempo disruption the charm provides. The only reason.
Pipikako
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
overpriced -.-
Ruaranicus
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I really don't like this card - but then I'm not a Spike, and this is one of the most blatantly Spikey cards I've seen in recent sets. I get how powerful it is - it's advantage, pure and simple, both in terms of cards and life...it's just so... boring. I guess that's why it's an Azorius card; they are the guild of boring.
Callahan09
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is amazing. That is all.
Galerion
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Most powerful card in Standard and probably will be until Ravnica rotates. This card is the reason that Control are indestructible Juggernauts late game. The casting player will be happy, the opponent will be very sad.
Easy 5/5.
absreim
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Very powerful card and quite fair in Modern, but in my opinion it warps control decks too far in favor of playing UW colors in standard.
Trickster1399
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I got this in my first return to ravnica booster pack. I use It and it's really really good
orzhov20
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I guess you could say that when the world realized this cards power, they had sphinx's revelation! (ba-dum-crash!)
casualhorror
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Compare with Stroke of Genius and laugh about the people who undervalue it. It has synergy with itself, the more cards you get the more time you get to play them. Obviously doesn't give time against some alt. wincon and life total irrelevant combos, but still is nice for the cards. The biggest lack is no chance to mill. (I still want to see a likely UWR Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx untap deck hit standard.)
Frostraven
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
0.5/5: Format warping.
You have just spent your turn casting Rakdos's Return, and attack. They have one card left in hand. You attack with two 3/3 creatures -- all you have left after they killed two of your cratures with their uncounterable boardwipe on turn 4.
He has 5 life left.
On their deathbed, they cast Sphinx's Revelation for X=4. On his turn, he boardwipes again and puts another land in play.
On your turn, he counters your next spell. On his turn, he plays another land.
On your turn, after you have cast your last card in your hand out -- he casts Sphinx's Revelation X=6 -- and sits with 6 cards in hand, 11 life and have you in topdeck mode.
Draw is most often more powerful than discard as a mechanic: It's card advantage that is easier to hit with. A discard card is worthless if the opponent's hand is empty. A draw card is only worthless if your library is empty, and in that case -- you have bigger problems than dud cards in your hand.
In any case, the mythic status of this has probably caused hundreds of players to quit MTGO.
bleedingreen925
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
As good as it is in most cases, it isn't the best card in standard. Rakdos, Exava, Mogis and Xenagos and their fanatics, Desecration demon, and Ruric Thar will all tell you the same thing.
deworde2510
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Quite fun to cycle back through the last year of comments to see people slowly coming round to the idea that this card provides exactly what Control needs. Instant. Draw. Lifegain. Probably led to a LOT of level ups, and a slightly greater number of "Well yeah but it's just Standard, right? Legacy FTW", by players whose ability to judge cards is somewhat lacking for "Pro Legacy Pro Veteran Pro Players... Pro".
Interesting question regarding Mythicality. This is so simple that it doesn't appear mythic, so subtle it doesn't appear powerful, and so powerful it's been core to one of the most reliable performers in Standard. Sometimes simple is splashy, once you understand what it does.
Also funny, on one page someone mocking the idea that X's are confusing, on another someone asking if X is the Roman Numeral 10, or if it's any number between 1 and 20. One of these is ignorant, the other just doesn't know something, YMMV as to which is which.
OlvynChuru
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Enpassant
I don't play standard; I only play casual, but I can still tell that your argument is illogical. Regardless of how good YOU think it is, a lot of people play it in Standard. If it isn't a good card, it wouldn't be played by so many people. It's that simple. You may not see how people can win with this card, but they are winning with it.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is a core utility card thats required for every serious U/W control deck with little alternative. Its also printed at mythic rare ensuring that I will never touch competitive MTG with a 10 foot pole.
Yep its budget decks / kitchen table for me, and proxy printouts if I ever want to feel the power wallet warriors wield.
Hunter06
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Love the early comments saying that Rakdos's Return is better, lol
this is superior if only because its in the color of counter magic
Wonder of this has legacy potential Edit: No, it didn't, it barely even has modern potential, save a possible one of in America Control decks
4/5 Stars
Tapsa
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
For 4 mana: draw a card, gain 1 life. Sucks. For 5 mana: draw two cards, gain 2 life. A little better but still sucks. Compare to Inspiration which costs less. For 6 mana: draw three cards, gain 3 life. Compare to Opportunity which draws you four cards. 3 life is almost completely negligible. Still sucks. For 7 mana: draw four, gain 4 life. An expensive Opportunity with lifegain tacked on. Requires you to keep all your mana open which is perilous in the late game. For 8 mana: for that much mana you should win the game. I know it's scalable but still, really? 13 bucks for this?
YamiKuriboh
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A card so good in standard that control decks of all colours are simply labelled as Revelation Decks. Is there a better feeling in mtg than drawing a Revelation off a Revelation?!
Comments (96)
That's why it's $15 and this is still $4
I don't care at all. I just know that it is a good card.
Remember Mind Spring? It is a great card, very flexible use.
This one is kind of the same. With 1 White extra mana, you will get more life with the instant speed. Isn't it good enough? I like it.
I mean Misthollow Griffin was an on the curve creature, but it's ability's unique.
This is under the curve spell that isn't unique.
Yes, it's defenders can say "it's an instant you noob!". Well okay, suppose I'm a noob, would it bother you if this card were rare instead? It'd fit much more and wouldn't cause "controversy", but....oh well.
An X in a casting cost always refers to an additional mana cost that you choose. If you were to cast this and only pay the WUU you would draw 0 cards and gain 0 life, casting it for 1WUU would get you one card a one life. You can make the X as much as you have mana for after the WUU. However, you must pay all of the desired cost at once. You can't cast it for a certain cost, wait for a response, and then add more mana to the X.
Hope that answered your question.
They're not bad cards, but they don't feel very 'mythic'. Even Mythic Rares that are viewed as 'bad' by most people, like Beguiler of Wills or Helvault, are at least original effects on cards and encourage creative play. To me, a lot of the Ravnica Mythics, especially this one and Rakdos' Return, seem like upgraded Archangel's Lights. They are good cards, at least, but they seem like they are not the right level of rarity. At least Epic Experiment does something wacky and unique enough to justify being a Mythic Rare
In other words, if you don't think this card is good you need to play against it in a proper deck. Its not supposed to be cast on turn 3, 4, 5, or even 6. Its supposed to be a late game card that puts the game out of reach. Just look at its price on TCG. Its now hovering around $20. The 3.6 rating on here in no way reflects how good this card actually is.
And yes people, it being an instant makes ALL the difference. If this was a sorcery it really would have been unplayable trash.
03/01/2013 edit :
Ok this is not sexy but it's a bomb in limited if you are able to unjoy blue white control.
It still could have been a rare though , a costly one like soul's cavern which should have been Mythic or legendary ..lol
People, I cannot stress enough how important that is for control decks! What we have here is a Swiss Army knife for Standard Azorius. If you don't need to respond to anything with a counter or a bounce, you can use this to rebuild your hand all at once. The lifegain is gravy, and helps you stay ahead of burn decks for another turn or two. It's all in one card too, and with a variable X cost at that. And if you're still not convinced just... see it in action. This card hitting the field is often the harbinger of tabled being turned or possible wins becoming certain.
@Hygroscopicguy YUP.
Blue sun's zenith NEVER got this much love even though it is the exact same thing minus the lifegain.
Even if you pay 7 for this spell. That is 4 cards (same as zenith), and 4 life. 4 Life is nothing when thragtusk + resto angel can get you 20+ life in a single game.
Maybe RtR is just starved for good draw.
Also, money value is relative. Ever hear of EDH? If you think that format DOESN'T influence pricing, take a look at the Primordials from Gatecrash. Anyway...
Let's get the good stuff out of the way first. It's strong as hell late game! (But then so is any good X-cost spell.) What the control player's who love this card see is a sort of pseudo win con. You run 1 or 2 of these so that if you ever do start topdecking, you'll have an out (plus the life gain). It's awesome. And of course comparisons to everything from Think Twice to Sign in Blood to Inspiration fail. We're not talking about drawing 2 cards here. We're talking about RE-FILLING OUR HAND and getting a life boost. Nothing like Sphinxing in response to a "game-winning" swing, am I right? X being equal to pretty much any amount beyond 4 is value enough to swing things. Pure profit.
All THAT said, what happens when you get this in your starting hand and you go up against a speed aggro deck? What happens when it's completely irrelevant because the opponent has the juice to put you below 5 LP before turn 5? This has happened to me, and I run a playset of Terminus, Supreme Verdict, and Feeling of Dread.
Fact is, as slow as Standard CAN be (especially when playing Control), this card may, it must be said, still be too slow for most decks. And let's face it, the same "pro" player who swears by this puppy will also insist that you should never run 3, let alone a playset. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have a card that's RELEVANT more often than not (and preferably comes down before my opponent is right about to kill me).
Sure, there are better cards in Modern, Legacy et al, but that's literally ALWAYS going to be the case. In standard right now this is pretty much amazing card draw and life gain all rolled into one. Even giving yourself a 4 or 5 point life cushion in standard is devastating to an opponent, just watch their gleeful expression disappear when you crack this just before your turn starts :)
(Playing Simic Midrange here)
Get Yeva, Nature's Herald out ASAP (Turn 3 usually).
Flash in Prime Speaker Zegana when they swing at you.
Boom, you now have 5 extra cards in your hand (minimum) and got a 5/5 body out for 6 measly mana (measly, because you're playing green) where Revving would have only gotten you 3 cards and 3 life. An unblocked Vexing Devil would easily negate that advantage. Now you can not only say you have tons of cards in hand (you also have blue here, if they try something), but you can also kill that Devil without worry. They try to kill your Zegana with a burn spell? Tap your mana dork and Giant Growth Zegana to 8/8. Yes, Spear me for 4 please...
Yeah, it's not as good as Rev but it doesn't cost you $20 a card and can actually turn the game completely around in one turn, where Rev is the starting point for your comeback. Most decks in Standard don't really have too many answers for a 5/5 that got Flashed in, and Yeva is out of Spear reach so there's no worry of the combo getting destroyed (at Instant speed, anyway, 2 Pillars and Yeva is outta here). You could also toss a Rancor on Zegana and go in with a 7/5 Trampler. They can forget about their life total if you have several pump spells... The icing is that Zegana is only $8-$10 and Yeva is a dollar-rare so you're looking at a max of $11 for a potential win-con.
Laughable. Ratings on the Gatherer do not tailor themselves to "standard" play they cover ALL forms of play. In general, and in all formats, in any game, this is a one-card wonder in the fact that you have to wonder what's taking so long for it to be effective. You wait until TURN EIGHT?
Hey guys, turn eight big card drop here, he's going to regain five life and draw five cards to make up for the fact he had a dead card in hand for SEVEN TURNS. You probably don't understand what it's like to have "dead cards" in hand because you don't play enough magic, but let me put it simply for you. It's not there. It's the same as not having it. On turn four you can cycle it and kill an entire turn's worth of process for one card, on fifth you have a dual-colored, overcosted Inspiration (which is overcosted Divination) with a TERRIBLE reason to mark it up. Turn six, it becomes somewhat reasonable, but for the LOVE OF GOD, DO YOU ALREADY FORGET ROOFTOP STORM?
Yay, all my cards are 0 cost now! Now I can do PRECISELY NOTHING WITH IT. You lose one card's worth of board position, one card's worth of options, one card less draw until TURN. SIX. And this is no different. You could trade this card out for Sphinx of Uthuun and have a FIVE CARD ADVANTAGE (versus four) A CARD ON THE FIELD (versus none) WITHOUT DUAL-COSTING. And THAT card? Decent AT BEST. Only good because it's Big and Blue with a great effect, everything blue could ever ask for. Something worth holding out for that has IMMEDIATE and INDOMITABLE impact on the game state
I am an experienced all-around player in MTG, years of experience and understanding of the game. I cannot, for the life of me, understand how this card receives nearly a four. In terms of playability it's sideboard at best and only in main when there is a lack of a true finisher creature on a control / Mill deck that relies completely on it's slow, deliberate approach to locking down the true threats of this set. Oh, and the one and only reason I brought up for why this card is terrible was printed in M13 and half this terrible rating is because it's even WORSE outside standard, hardly even playable. 2/5
One-liners!!!:
S> Playset of this, 40$. LOL.
You've got it all wrong! Hold out for a few more turns and play Omniscience!
Almost forgot to mention, Syncopate was reprinted in the same block. two-cost syncopate(manaleak)... LOOK HOW GOOD THAT HAND-REFRESHING DID! If you people mocking the gatherer community for their "low rating" actually play for real I can't wait for my next tournament.
3.5/5 - I would rate it 4 if it was XWB instead of XWBB
It has some modern applications as well so I don't see why everyone's complaining about it being a standard only card. I play both.
@Enpassant: You're clearly an idiot. The benefit of this card is that it is rarely a dead draw because if you're about to die, it will give you more options and it will save you. Even if you cast it for 1 or 2, if that lets you last another turn and gives you a few more options then that's great. You don't need to hold out and wait for ages. Clearly you're not much of a 'experienced, all-round' player, you don't play many tournaments and you don't understand the power of instant speed or having options(you claim Divination is better! That's just hilarious).
I run it one time in a UW deck (easier to play in that kind of deck than Blue Sun's Zenith) and it does a great job like that.
5/5
@Lifegainwithbite : Well, it's clearly a dead card when you have it in your opening hand. You need at least 4 turns to do something with this card. It's the case with nearly any "Draw X spells", not only Sphinx's Revelation.
If you cast it for x = one or two, it less efficient than Jace's Ingenuity (gaining one or two lifes is laughable). Spending 4 mana to gain a card? Brainstorm do that for one mana (plus, you rearrange your hand/top deck). Ok, there's no Jace's Ingenuity or Brainstorm in standard, so it can be a good excuse to cast it for X = 1 or 2.
If you cast it for x = three or more, now it starts to be revelant. But, it need six turns to make something that can reverse the situation.
It's awesome late game, okay in mid game, but a dead card in early game.
tl;dr: You know nothing about this card and its applications.
Anyway, I'm rambling. Here's my opinion on the card. Generating card advantage is always a good thing, and the lifegain is a nice bonus. Against decks like Jund, it could easily be the difference between dying next turn and finding the Boros Reckoner or Thragtusk that you needed. I expect this to stay as one of Standard's most-played cards until Return to Ravnica rotates out. 5/5
This card promises two things: card advantage and just enough time to abuse it. Instant speed lets you play Draw-Go, and overdraw your hand without having to discard. The life gain is what pushes the card over the top and makes it situationally better that Blue Sun's Zenith.
The X symbol on the card is how much mana you pay for it.
While the instant speed is certainly powerful, I personally think there are three just as important reason why Sphinx's Revelation sees more play than Rakdos's Return:
1. Draw X cards and Gain X life fit into the same strategy perfectly, namely control. Discard X and deal X damage don't mesh that well, since the deck which wants the discard X effect is the midrange/control deck, but the damage part does the most for aggro decks (which usually can't afford the X cost).
2. There is an upper bound to the card advantage you can generate with Return: your opponent's hand size. If you have 8 mana and a Revelation, you always get a +4 (that is, draw five cards). If you have 8 mana and a Return but they only have 2 cards, you can only get a +1. It was for this same reason why Mind Spring saw more play than Mind Shatter, despite both of them being sorceries and the discard on Mind Shatter was even random.
3. The current Standard, with Lingering Souls, Unburial Rites and Reaminator decks in general, is pretty unfriendly to discard effects that don't exile.
All these reasons combined with the instant speed explains why Revelation is much more popular than Rakdos's Return, despite the former costing one more mana. However I do think Rakdos's Return is a strong card, and I expect it to make a comeback after the rotation (that is, when point #3 above is no longer true.)
Are you seriously comparing a WU lifegain/draw card to a BR aggro creature? That's not comparing apples to oranges. That's comparing apples to tissue boxes.
I play this card regularly in my Modern U/W Deck (no kidding?)... I have found this card to be most effective using 1 or 2 copies depending on the deck.. You definitely are not wanting to draw this thing in your opening hand... This card shows it's true power when you draw it mid to late game... When you and your opponent have a couple cards in hand with 7 or 8 mana on the board... Drop this card at the end of their turn and you just let me know how the rest of the game goes for you ;-)
This card is very powerful in the right deck played at the right time. I've had opponents concede immediately when this resolved.
And, even without the life gain thing, draw at instant speed, and specially of these epic dimensions, is just perfect for white-blue control decks. Conveniently, the card is white and blue :)
EDIT: So my first impressions were a little off on its power level, and that it's more a 3-of in control decks (sometimes 4-of, but this isn't usually something you want in an opening hand) and not a 1 or 2-of. The idea of "lifegain is weak" has been hammered into my head so much that I basically ignored that on this card, but it's actually the effect that pushes it over the edge. One of the big problems with the instant-speed X-draw spells (namely blue sun's zenith, as stroke of genius was powered by lolurzablock jokes where you could literally deck people with giant strokes) is that they're very bad against aggro decks because you almost never have the time to cast them for full value. But sphinx's revelation helps fix that by giving you enough life to spend 1-2 turns casting the spells you drew from your first revelation, which buys you time to fire off your second revelation to pull away. Against aggro, X=2 or 3 as your first revelation is good enough, because the life gain can help push you out of, say, searing spear range, whereas blue sun's zenith wouldn't save you.
And of course, X-draw spells are always insane against midrange and control.
Easy 5/5.
(ba-dum-crash!)
You have just spent your turn casting Rakdos's Return, and attack.
They have one card left in hand.
You attack with two 3/3 creatures -- all you have left after they killed two of your cratures with their uncounterable boardwipe on turn 4.
He has 5 life left.
On their deathbed, they cast Sphinx's Revelation for X=4.
On his turn, he boardwipes again and puts another land in play.
On your turn, he counters your next spell.
On his turn, he plays another land.
On your turn, after you have cast your last card in your hand out -- he casts Sphinx's Revelation X=6 -- and sits with 6 cards in hand, 11 life and have you in topdeck mode.
Draw is most often more powerful than discard as a mechanic:
It's card advantage that is easier to hit with.
A discard card is worthless if the opponent's hand is empty.
A draw card is only worthless if your library is empty, and in that case -- you have bigger problems than dud cards in your hand.
In any case, the mythic status of this has probably caused hundreds of players to quit MTGO.
Interesting question regarding Mythicality. This is so simple that it doesn't appear mythic, so subtle it doesn't appear powerful, and so powerful it's been core to one of the most reliable performers in Standard. Sometimes simple is splashy, once you understand what it does.
Also funny, on one page someone mocking the idea that X's are confusing, on another someone asking if X is the Roman Numeral 10, or if it's any number between 1 and 20. One of these is ignorant, the other just doesn't know something, YMMV as to which is which.
I don't play standard; I only play casual, but I can still tell that your argument is illogical. Regardless of how good YOU think it is, a lot of people play it in Standard. If it isn't a good card, it wouldn't be played by so many people. It's that simple. You may not see how people can win with this card, but they are winning with it.
Yep its budget decks / kitchen table for me, and proxy printouts if I ever want to feel the power wallet warriors wield.
this is superior if only because its in the color of counter magic
Wonder of this has legacy potential
Edit: No, it didn't, it barely even has modern potential, save a possible one of in America Control decks
4/5 Stars
For 5 mana: draw two cards, gain 2 life. A little better but still sucks. Compare to Inspiration which costs less.
For 6 mana: draw three cards, gain 3 life. Compare to Opportunity which draws you four cards. 3 life is almost completely negligible. Still sucks.
For 7 mana: draw four, gain 4 life. An expensive Opportunity with lifegain tacked on. Requires you to keep all your mana open which is perilous in the late game.
For 8 mana: for that much mana you should win the game.
I know it's scalable but still, really? 13 bucks for this?