At first glance, the card is terrible. But you have to make your deck around it. I envision it in a Grixis deck that has cards like: Spiteful Visions, Forced Fruition, Kederekt Parasite, and Phyrexian Tyranny.
Jokergius
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I agree, at first glance this card is horrible. "Drawing two cards, and have them take two damage (three tops)? That sucks!" But as the combos stated above, it IS quite lethal. The most they would take is like 10 (because of Forced Fruition ad the their draw step. And I agree, put this combo on a Grixis deck and have fun!
Volcre
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(5 votes)
There are better combos for you to use this on your enemy and there are better draw spells than to use this on yourself... what a strange and weak rare...
This is an odd one. Not the greatest, but there's potential for this card. It's like arachibutyrophobia said, your deck must be designed for this card to fit in, but if it is, it will work very well.
and of course, twincast would help this out quite a bit. Imagine casting this one time after a forced fruition caused your opponent to draw seven cards, then casting it again with a twincast.
Please draw 9 cards, then take 9 damage, then draw 2 more cards, then take 11 more damage.
sethddickess
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
runeflare trap
ChampionofSquee
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
just use Plagiarize with this on their turn. its 7 total mana but hey they take 1 and you draw two. not all that bad imo
BrutalJim
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
You don't have to build around this card, it's basically a Sign in Blood at instant speed for 1 more CC. The downside is that using more than one a turn will result in you taking more damage, but the upside is you can burn your opponent for a lot of they drew a lot of cards.
Ribsublover
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
This card works very well for me. I play it in two separate U/R decks, and both make excellent use of it. Either use it at the end of your opponents turn for 2 cards two damage, or twincast it on your opponent for an 8 damage finisher for 5 mana, pyromancer ascension a lot of great ways to use this card. Any U/R deck that I play would almost definitely have this card, especially since I almost always bring twinscast
channelblaze
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
AWESOME with forced fruition.
Ok, you take 17 damage...and get milled =) you lose twice to the same spell
Cyberium
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Works with opponent's Brainstorm/Jace also. If you can cast a few copies in one turn, the damage greatly magnified.
I like how most of the guilds on Ravnica are concerned with power struggles and politics, whereas the Izzet were doing stuff like this to themselves just for the hell of it.
Mprime818
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Temple bell works well with this...
Hayw00d0909
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I can see some obscure use with this, but it just doesn't grab me.
1 You play it, during your turn, letting you draw 3 that turn and taking 3, unless you had to cast it at instant speed, its probably worse than Divination.
2 You play it, during their turn, letting you draw 2 and taking 2, it only does damage to the player that draws the cards from the effect, it may be less effect mana wise over Sign in Blood, but it has the instant on it's side, you can use it at the end of their turn, if you didn't counter something.
3 You play it, during your turn, on them, doing 2 damage, and letting them draw 2 cards. This is probably the least effective way to do it, being almost always worse than Sign in Blood (yes it is a different color). Cards>Life.
4 You play it, during their turn, on them, doing 3 damage, and letting them draw 2 cards, probably from the end step, once again Cards>Life, and it only does 3 damage.
This card is only good because of its flexibility, I dunno if I would use it in any deck, but then again, Red is my least color, and Blue is 2nd least, I may not appreciate it because I'm not in the colors.
It does do something amazing though, against opponents that draw a buncha cards in a turn, Mind Spring or if you force them to draw with something like Forced Fruition then you can do a ton of damage.
I dunno, I don't see that awesome of a card, but I do appreciate its flexibility
This is the centerpiece of my Brain Melter deck. Basically, it goes something like this: 1) Hold them off through damage and get yourself some card draw 2) Bust out Djinn Illuminatus. 3) At the end of one of their turns where you've got enough open mana, send three or four Cerebral Vortexes their way. The first one deals 3 damage. Next deals 5(total of 8), then 7(15), and so on. Make them draw until their heads explode.
JFM2796
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Why does everyone seem to be talking about dealing the damage to your opponent? I would cast this on myself first.
I love this card. Hilariously effective with pyromancer's ascension. 2 or 3 active pyromancer's with one of these is just too funny. I usually end up using a lot of lightning bolts and pyroclasms on creatures while building up the ascensions, so its a great finisher as well as a good draw card early game.
NeoKoda
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Love the art. Really embodies the Izzet, doing stupid stuff in the name of learning, even if it makes their heads go "blehwaufga."
Axelle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Maybe it should have costed ...
htgtmd
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If your opponent has no cards use this, deal 3 damage, then on your turn use Blightning for another 3 damage and something to discard.
LordRandomness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
People are forgetting that instant-speed Divination at the cost of 2 life on yourself isn't that bad of a deal, since it lets you leave your mana open for counters/other control. It's an emergency measure, sure, but a handy one.
A lot of people have talked about it hitting your opponent. I'm thinking this is reasonably good instant speed draw for yourself, normally that would cost you {1} more but you shock yourself instead.
thexmanlight
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Awesome card. Instant card draw for you for a negligible drawback, or punishment for an opponent's card draw. Or occasionally, it can be used against you.
Once I tossed out one of these when I was at 4 on my opponent's turn, hoping to draw into an answer for his Darksteel Colossus, and in response he cast Careful Consideration, targeting me. And then, 5 years later, the police found him chained to a block of concrete at the bottom of the Hudson River with a playing card embedded in his skull.
alphagprime
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
For this card you really have to consider the block it was printed in. This card can combo extremely well with Tibor and Lumia, Wee Dragonauts, and Gelectrode. But with Niv-Mizzet this could hurt you just as much as your opponent. It's decent in a pinch early on when combo'd with any of the Izzet dual color critters but I would never run more than one of.
However, out of block look at Psychosis Crawler, Niv-Mizzet, Temple Bell, and a metal crafted Molten Psyche. (Assuming your opponents hand is empty with Niv-Mizzet & Psychosis Crawler on the field) Draw on your upkeep (2 dmg), Tap Temple Bell (+4), Tap (+2), Cast Cerebral Erruption on them (+4), Cast Molten Psyche. Assuming you only had Eruption and Psyche in your hand when the turn began you and your opponent should have a hand size of 3 so you draw 3 and they draw 3 (+12). That's a total of 24 dmg. Of course that requires several turns of setup (at least 7 to get Niv on field assuming no mana ramp). This combo does 2 damage to your opponent for every card you draw AND another 2 damage for every card they draw.
In multi-player all of your other opponents will have taken at least 3 dmg and upwards of 10 dmg.
KokoshoForPresident
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Works nicely with Dragon Mage, especially in a grixis deck where you can throw in a megrim too. Or, you could run it with Consecrated Sphinx.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If you go ultimate with Jace, Memory Adept, this can deal 22 damage. Might be worth 1 card slot just for that. And if you need to, could use it on yourself at end of opponents turn.
Or as others have said, you could dedicate a casual deck to this card.
Superllama12
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Step 1: Build a Pyromancer Ascension EDH deck Step 2: Find someone who always plays their annoying mono-blue Azami EDH deck that uses Rhystic Study Step 3: Combo out, refuse to pay the for each spell Step 4: Play this
CogMonocle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It just counters storm. It's also instant speed sign in blood, for izzet, costed 1 higher to account for instant. Which is awesome for the colors that enjoy instant speed the most.
sweetgab
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If the instant speed on Inspiration is worth one extra mana compared to Divination, I don't see why this is bad given this is just an instant speed Sign in Blood for one more mana. Although back then card draw on the level of Phyrexian Arena and Compulsive Research (and Dark Confidant!) were the norm so this was probably underwhelming back then.
krauser-gogetthegirl
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is a weird card. Its very feel bad, so u think you should use it on your opponents, its instant and they will take 3 damage and draw 2 cards. Not the best. But it has some awesome combo stuff too. But if u use it on yourself its the only instant divination in modern. There is Perilous Research but sometimes sac'in a permenant is more painful than damage.
Comments (43)
Some cards I think would make the deck work are:
Spiteful visions
underworld dreams
sign in blood
forced fruition
kederekt parasite
reckless scholar
and of course, twincast would help this out quite a bit.
Imagine casting this one time after a forced fruition caused your opponent to draw seven cards, then casting it again with a twincast.
Please draw 9 cards, then take 9 damage, then draw 2 more cards, then take 11 more damage.
Ok, you take 17 damage...and get milled =) you lose twice to the same spell
Brainstorm/Jace + turn draw + 1st Vortex = 6 damage. 2nd one 8 damage.
I'll stick with Consult The Necrosages.
Would view again
2 You play it, during their turn, letting you draw 2 and taking 2, it only does damage to the player that draws the cards from the effect, it may be less effect mana wise over Sign in Blood, but it has the instant on it's side, you can use it at the end of their turn, if you didn't counter something.
3 You play it, during your turn, on them, doing 2 damage, and letting them draw 2 cards. This is probably the least effective way to do it, being almost always worse than Sign in Blood (yes it is a different color). Cards>Life.
4 You play it, during their turn, on them, doing 3 damage, and letting them draw 2 cards, probably from the end step, once again Cards>Life, and it only does 3 damage.
This card is only good because of its flexibility, I dunno if I would use it in any deck, but then again, Red is my least color, and Blue is 2nd least, I may not appreciate it because I'm not in the colors.
It does do something amazing though, against opponents that draw a buncha cards in a turn, Mind Spring or if you force them to draw with something like Forced Fruition then you can do a ton of damage.
I dunno, I don't see that awesome of a card, but I do appreciate its flexibility
3/5
1) Hold them off through damage and get yourself some card draw
2) Bust out Djinn Illuminatus.
3) At the end of one of their turns where you've got enough open mana, send three or four Cerebral Vortexes their way. The first one deals 3 damage. Next deals 5(total of 8), then 7(15), and so on.
Make them draw until their heads explode.
Also: Runeflare Trap, lol.
Once I tossed out one of these when I was at 4 on my opponent's turn, hoping to draw into an answer for his Darksteel Colossus, and in response he cast Careful Consideration, targeting me. And then, 5 years later, the police found him chained to a block of concrete at the bottom of the Hudson River with a playing card embedded in his skull.
However, out of block look at Psychosis Crawler, Niv-Mizzet, Temple Bell, and a metal crafted Molten Psyche. (Assuming your opponents hand is empty with Niv-Mizzet & Psychosis Crawler on the field) Draw on your upkeep (2 dmg), Tap Temple Bell (+4), Tap (+2), Cast Cerebral Erruption on them (+4), Cast Molten Psyche. Assuming you only had Eruption and Psyche in your hand when the turn began you and your opponent should have a hand size of 3 so you draw 3 and they draw 3 (+12). That's a total of 24 dmg. Of course that requires several turns of setup (at least 7 to get Niv on field assuming no mana ramp). This combo does 2 damage to your opponent for every card you draw AND another 2 damage for every card they draw.
In multi-player all of your other opponents will have taken at least 3 dmg and upwards of 10 dmg.
Or, you could run it with Consecrated Sphinx.
Or as others have said, you could dedicate a casual deck to this card.
Step 2: Find someone who always plays their annoying mono-blue Azami EDH deck that uses Rhystic Study
Step 3: Combo out, refuse to pay the
Step 4: Play this
"You're not going to like this."