Pointed Discussion

An instant card-filtering spell that is also a sacrifice outlet? Count me in! Note how much worse this is now that combat damage doesn't use the stack.

its power was that it was an x spell that drew cards relatively cheap, while filling your graveyard. it combos pretty well with a little thing called psychatog. perhaps you've heard of it?

The strongest X draw made by magic.

Goes well with multiple Hatching Plans, as well. Massive card drawing, anyone?

This card is very powerful and I suspect most people don't know what it can do. An instant card-draw is a vastly strong effect on its own. The fact that you could sacrifice useless late-game lands and/or discard useless cards, the drawback is pretty much nothing. Given that you DRAW FIRST before the alternative, you would know what cards to keep,. Needless to say, it also works very well with Threshold and Madness mechanics.

4/5, but to help bring the rating back to where it deserves I will rate it 5/5. I can't believe people rated this below 4.

I will do the same as Cyberium. I can't believe it only had 2.5 before I voted. Such a good drawing card with a drawback that's not only very easy to manage, but that can also be at your advantage.

"For each card drawn this way...", so if you use a replacement effect (such as Abundance) or Words of Wind to prevent drawing, you don't have to do the second part?

@Nate
I'm pretty sure you are right. I don't have any rule quotes but I know it works that way with other replacement effects. (Like Blightsteel never touching the graveyard, thus not triggering GY effects)

So I asked this question over at future sight but i figure I'll ask the simple version of it here. Does this in conjunction with library of leng let you, essentially stack the top X cards of your deck?

EDIT: While I still like this card; I've attempted to build a few of the decks that I thought it would be bomb in, but alas pure black works dredge more the way I like it. It's nice that you can safe yourself from wrath effects and similar, but this is a meta-dependent card.

3.5/5 for instant speed control with a twist.

Works awesome with:
-dredge decks *******************
-permanents that have "into graveyard" effects
-cards that when put into the graveyard are put back into play or your hand
-cards that will sacrifice themselves anyway (like several red elementals)
-cards that will destroy all creatures, remove all creatures, put creatures from graveyard into play
-cards that utilize exiling graveyard mechanics
-excess lands, redundant enchantments, temporarily controlled opponent permanents
-many many more...

Also noteworthy, it:
-is instant speed card filtering
-creates card advantage vs. Wrath effects
-denies steals if need be, among other things.

4.5/5 IMO. Very very good, merely requiring a deck that can utilize it properly.

I always thought this card was pretty bad, but reading the comments here has changed my mind.

@RamadaArtist: Yes.

I hate it when a wizard makes you wait through a 12 minute rune solo.

Absolutely ridiculous in token spawning decks. Even at its worse it's a one cost instant "draw a card/discard a card" which isn't that terrible.

A wonderfully powerful card in EDH or any format where Boardwipes are common. As it only requires one mana open to activate, it can give you so much card advantage, so quickly...

Great in the right deck works awesome with psychatog! 3.5/5

Very interesting card.