Last updated on March 14, 2024
Thrill of Possibility | Illustration by PINDURSK
Card advantage in MTG is one of the levers decks can pull to get to the win. That usually involves drawing cards. Card selection, which doesn’t put you up a card but allows you to make some choices about the cards you do draw, isn’t quite as good, but it can become so if it’s easier and/or cheaper to use or if it synergizes.
Ranking card selection mechanics is hard because of those synergies. Is surveil better than scry? How about cycling? Looting seems better than rummaging, but how do either compare to something like explore or connive?
However we rank these, today’s topic, rummaging, seems to be the worst. But on its best cards, like Fable of the Mirror-Breaker, it can be good enough to contribute to a Standard banning decision. Let’s take a look at them all and see what shakes down!
What Are Rummagers in MTG?
Seasoned Pyromancer | Illustration by Cynthia Sheppard
Rummaging is a mechanic that involves discarding one or more cards then drawing one or more cards. You’ll recognize this from Blood tokens. Looting, which draws first and then discards, is generally better because you have more information to inform the discard decision. Looting, named for Merfolk Looter, tends to be in blue, while rummaging, named for Rummaging Goblin, tends to be in red.
Because there’s no set templating for rummage as an ability, and because it’s not keyworded, it took a bit to rummage through the history of Magic to generate this list, so enjoy!
One definitional note before we begin. Red also has a fairly common mechanic that involves discarding your whole hand and drawing X cards, like on Ogre-Head Helm, Shattered Perception, or Anje's Ravager. In practice, this can act like rummaging if you have only a card or two in hand, but there are enough cards that do that more unique play pattern that feels like a different ability.
Hey, can I name it? The first time we see an effect like that seems to be Slate of Ancestry from Onslaught. It could be called “slating,” you know, like a blank slate? Maybe a better name would be “wagering” from Dangerous Wager?
#74. Chandra’s Defeat
The Hour of Devastation defeat cycle is pretty much unplayable. Chandra's Defeat seems almost the worst of the bunch, but I’ve seen Redcap Melee in sideboards at times, so maybe?
#73. Spellgorger Barbarian
‘90s Magic could be a trip, right? How much would you pay for a slow-mo rummage and a 3/1? Spellgorger Barbarian costs twice as much as it should, and even then, I dunno.
#72. Tin Street Market
What the what? Why does Tin Street Market cost five?
#71. Ring of Renewal
And why does Ring of Renewal cost 5 mana. And each time?? And with a random card? Fallen Empires, man. Weird times.
#70. Compulsion
Compulsion is a card that exists. I’ll bet we both learned that today!
Compulsion isn’t a card you can really play. The art is pretty sweet, though, and maybe you toss this in mask-themed, if you wanna build another meme deck? That would be a creepy deck, though. Do you feel a compulsion to play it now? Eh?
#69. Obsessive Astronomer
We need another set that cares about Day and Night for Obsessive Astronomer to have enough support.
#68. Expensive Rummagers
Any ETB rummager that costs more than two mana is pretty much unplayable, I think.
#67. Riptide Survivor
Riptide Survivor isn’t exactly “playable,” even in Kadena, Slinking Sorcerer decks, but getting a Cathartic Reunion rate on this rummage effect is kind of nice if morph ever gets another set’s worth of support.
#66. Drowned Rusalka
Cool for being a reasonably rare sac outlet in blue, but Drowned Rusalka has a pretty poor rate as a rummager.
#65. Axiom Engraver
Axiom Engraver feels like a trap outside of Limited.
#64. Gallia of the Endless Dance
The art on Gallia of the Endless Dance is irresistible. The text is very resistible. An attack trigger that rummages a random card is not okay.
#63. Prophetic Ravings + Epiphany Storm
Even as an aura that gives haste, I’m unconvinced by Prophetic Ravings. I’m as high on Ghen, Arcanum Weaver as anyone, and I wouldn’t even put this in that deck. Epiphany Storm is just worse!
#62. Curse of Chaos
One of the worst curses, Curse of Chaos might be more useful than the attack trigger creatures to come in this list. But because it spreads the wealth, probably not.
#61. Academy Raider + Wandering Champion
Academy Raider and Wandering Champion are worse than the next cards in every way, and they don’t even work with Isshin!
#60. Burning-Tree Vandal+ Vaultbreaker
Burning-Tree Vandal and Vaultbreaker are expensive, fragile, and awkward. Let’s assume Isshin, Two Heavens as One is out and you’re doubling the rummage trigger. Still meh.
#59. Battlefield Scavenger
Battlefield Scavenger is likely worse than the previous combat trigger creatures, but if you’re doing some kind of exert focus (?!??) this could be good.
#58. Akki Ronin
The most plausible combat trigger rummager, as samurai decks like Raiyuu, Storm's Edge naturally do what Akki Ronin wants.
#57. Cloudpiercer
Cloudpiercer was never the best part of a mutate pile, but it’s probably welcome in Snapdax, Apex of the Hunt.
#56. Reckless Racer
Tap to rummage is okay. Ish. Blue has tap to loot creatures at mana value two, so this next set of cards is quite a premium. It’s a pilot, so the joke is that Reckless Racer rummages when you crew a vehicle. Even in Limited, I dunno about that.
#55. Hangar Scrounger
The racer upgrade. The backup here is better than the Racer’s first strike, but the real selling point is the dwarf creature type to use in Magda, Brazen Outlaw decks. You can get a rummage and a Treasure for a tap, which seems fine.
#44. Quarrel’s End + Honor the God-Pharaoh
Three mana for some kind of rummage at sorcery speed seems like a bridge too far unless you’re moving a lot of cards around. And these aren’t that. An amass with Honor the God-Pharaoh or a token with Quarrel's End aren’t enough upside.
#53. Territorial Kavu
In a Modern Zoo deck with lots of fetches and triomes, this comes down as a big beater. But let’s say you just run Territorial Kavu in a Gruul EDH deck. Is a 2/2 that rummages on attack or eats something from a graveyard worth it? Probably not. If you’re running a domain deck, I can see the value here, but it seems iffy for Commander.
#52. Rummaging Goblin
The namesake card! But Rummaging Goblin has been power crept.
#51. Heirloom Mirror / Inherited Fiend
Slow rummage for mono black, with added life loss and mill? And then you get an overcosted and underfeatured Scavenging Ooze? I don’t see Heirloom Mirror in many decks because black has more explosive ways to draw cards and stock the graveyard.
Sweet flavor, though.
#50. Nantuko Cultivator
Nantuko Cultivator isn’t a great rate, but if green doesn’t have enough card draw for you already, here’s you rummager in that color.
#49. Dismissive Pyromancer
Dismissive Pyromancer is kinda awesome if you can copy it with regularity, like with a flipped Fable of the Mirror-Breaker. Otherwise, it’s kind of unplayable.
#48. Famished Foragers
Hear me out! Famished Foragers can definitely combo if you have infinite mana. But there are like 587 better things to do with infinite mana. I like this card in my Boros blink deck helmed by Éowyn, Fearless Knight. If you can get the blink train really rolling, this nets you big mana.
#47. Kinetic Augur
As long as we’re blinking for value, Kinetic Augur? I know you even cut this card in Draft, but maybe?
#46. Fissure Wizard + Immersturm Raider
Identical cards but for creature type, both Fissure Wizard and Immersturm Raider are nice blink or copy targets.
#45. Rix Maadi Reveler
Rix Maadi Reveler is an upgrade to the other ETB rummagers because it can spectacle up to dishing your hand for three cards. That isn’t awesome for four mana. Maybe I’m just salty because I kept opening this as my rare in Ravnica Allegiance drafts.
#44. Fast // Furious
Bad rates for both halves of Fast // Furious. I can imagine a deck that wants graveyard synergies and some sweepers that could use this, but you’re never happy to see this in your hand.
#43. Electric Revelation
Electric Revelation is a more expensive Thrill of Possibility. That’s not awesome, but like most flashback cards, this is a pretty decent card to rummage away.
#42. Invasion of Ergamon / Truga Cliffcharger
An ETB of a Treasure and an optional rummage with Invasion of Ergamon is kinda okay. I’m not sure you’d bother flipping it to the Truga Cliffcharger for a mopey creature and a quasi-rummage that can tutor, but it can find you any land you want or like an Invasion of Ikoria?
This is a stretch, I know.
#41. Mishra, Excavation Prodigy
Paying a mana and tapping Mishra, Excavation Prodigy to loot one card is a miserable rate. Mishra’s static ability is decent in a deck like, say, cycling.
#40. Merchant of the Vale
The Haggle spell is kinda cool if you are doing stormy stuff with Birgi, God of Storytelling or Urabrask. I can see a place for Merchant of the Vale.
#39. Fiery Encore
Fiery Encore is cute but too expensive for what it does.
#38. Torrent Sculptor / Flamethrower Sonata
Flamethrower Sonata is a much better rate for that effect! Torrent Sculptor is rarely a card you want to play and serves mostly to add a color to the EDH requirements for playing this card.
#37. Plargg, Dean of Chaos / Augusta, Dean of Order
Like all the Strixhaven deans, there’s a lot going on here. How often are we casting Plargg, Dean of Chaos at all, much less to use as a tap to rummager? Especially with a reasonable option in Augusta, Dean of Order on the back?
#36. Niambi, Esteemed Speaker
There’s a lot going on with Niambi, Esteemed Speaker. It swoops down for a Rescue that gains life, to start with. How often are you going to want to discard a legendary card to get a Thrill of Possibility effect? I think that gets more likely the more legendary matters decks improve. If everyone is legendary, then no one is. Might as well pitch anything as needed. And if you’re running a pile of legendary lands to boot, you can even pitch those. Better than you remember!
#35. Mila, Crafty Companion / Lukka, Wayward Bonder
Mila, Crafty Companion is sneaky good, but since Lukka, Wayward Bonder isn’t blue, it doesn't have a great home. We’ve got a 6-mana rummager that can do a version of unearthing creatures. I guess.
Good news: a planeswalker in the command zone. Bad news: it’s Lukka.
#34. Farid, Enterprising Salvager
If you absolutely need another Quicksmith Genius for your deck, Farid, Enterprising Salvager can do that job. It makes a lot of artifact tokens but doesn’t care about them, so it really needs support. I always seem to cut it in the end.
#33. Forget
You can use Forget as an underrate rummage in blue, which has loads of better options in looters and likely doesn’t want this. But it’s also a force discard/draw for an opponent, which can matter in certain control shells.
#32. Wild Guess
A much harder to cast Tormenting Voice is pretty much worth it only in mono red. Is mono red playable yet? To take a Wild Guess, probably not.
#31. Tormenting Voice
Fine. Worse than Thrill of Possibility, but Tormenting Voice is still a decent rate.
#30. Scrapwork Mutt
The floor here is discard two and draw two for 4 mana, which is terrible. But Scrapwork Mutt is also an artifact creature you can recur. If you have synergies going, this card can find a home.
#29. Invasion of Mercadia / Kyren Flamewright
Tormenting Voice with upside? Sure! Flipping Invasion of Mercadia can create a reasonably powerful engine in Kyren Flamewright, especially in a tokens build.
#28. Disciple of Deceit
Is this rummage? Leveled up rummage maybe? If you can throw Disciple of Deceit into a deck that taps and untaps with Hidden Strings effects, you’re in effect transmuting whatever card you want for “free.” This seems like a hidden gem.
#27. Azra Oddsmaker
This feels too easy to blow out with instant removal, but if you can protect your team, Azra Oddsmaker brings the value.
#26. Lord Windgrace
Lord Windgrace is an awesome Jund landfall/recursion engine, but it starts to feel like if I’m doing all of that, there’s some kind of OP Omnath variant I’d rather synergize with instead?
#25. Bitter Reunion
Tormenting Voice isn’t good enough. But if you also made it an enchantment that stuck around to give the whole team haste on a future turn, then you have a playable. Bitter Reunion doesn’t have a super clear home in Commander, but it’s not bad.
#24. Conspiracy Theorist
I always liked Conspiracy Theorist more than most, it seemed. Best case is you attack and spend one to draw a card if you have something in hand you want to cast. That’s good, especially if you are using spells to clear a path.
But wait, there’s more! The pay one to cast a discarded card works on all discard effects, not just the Theorist’s attack trigger. Other rummagers, cyclers, etc. gain extra value with this card out. It’s like a rummage lord?
#23. Neheb, Dreadhorde Champion
Neheb, Dreadhorde Champion is one of two cards here that you can choose to discard your whole hand. It kind of breaks my self-imposed rules, but it’s a choice. Most common as a value engine in combat-forward decks, especially minotaur decks like Sethron, Hurloon General, Neheb is a threat that has to be answered.
#22. Anje Falkenrath
You’re the madness queen! Old and mean, only, uh, 417?
Anje Falkenrath is a fun madness commander. Once. But we need more madness cards to give the deck some creative punch.
#21. Nahiri, the Unforgiving
It feels like someone completed Nahiri, the Harbinger with body parts left over from Daretti. If you cast Nahiri, the Unforgiving for the compleated cost, you’re getting a Seize the Spoils where you replace one card and a Treasure for a 4-loyalty planeswalker that can recur a piece of equipment. I think that’s worth it in the right deck.
These planeswalkers here are all like that. They fit specific decks and have a rummage tacked on to help you dig for key pieces of the deck. That’s fine but not excellent.
#20. Nahiri, the Harbinger
Nahiri, the Harbinger replaces Daretti’s synergistic second ability with removal, which is much less good in Commander where spot removal is only good in a pinch and synergies are paramount.
#19. Sarkhan, Fireblood
Sarkhan, Fireblood is basically a mana rock for a dragons deck that has some rummage on it to help you dig for dragons. Cool.
#18. Daretti, Scrap Savant
Better as a card in a deck like Osgir, the Reconstructor than as a commander, Daretti, Scrap Savant gives good value with its two-for-two rummage. The fact that its other abilities synergize with stocking your graveyard is icing on the cake if you have some decent artifacts to grab.
#17. Jaxis, the Troublemaker
For one mana you slow-motion rummage while copying a creature in the meantime. That seems kinda nice, especially when you can blitz Jaxis, the Troublemaker to do it with haste!
#16. Moria Scavenger
Perhaps the best card with tap to rummage, Moria Scavenger is a great enabler for Rakdos sacrifice and reanimation strategies. A card and an amass trigger for each creature tossed into the graveyard is pretty great value.
#15. Ghostly Pilferer
Just hold on a second before you fire off those comments! The general operation of Ghostly Pilferer is like a slow rummage from beyond the grave. You discard, attack safely, and then pay two and draw. I realize that’s rarely what you use this card for in your rogues and/or spirits typal decks, but you could!
#14. Mishra’s Command
Mishra's Command is overlooked. It’s sorcery speed, but being able to rummage however much you want while dealing damage in some form is useful, especially if you’re of the camp that spot removal puts you down a card in EDH. This gives you some selection in return, which is almost enough.
The force discard in red is helpful, as well. I play this in Izzet decks and have used it to get a wrath someone has just tutored for out of their hand.
#13. Quicksmith Genius
An excellent value for an artifactfall deck, especially with Treasures, Quicksmith Genius can churn through a lot of cards really quickly.
#12. Seize the Spoils
One more mana for a Tormenting Voice that gives one Treasure? I’d rather have the next card than Seize the Spoils, but even then….
#11. Pirate’s Pillage
Sorcery speed Big Score is a lot less good. The lesson from decades of blue decks is that card draw is best when you don’t need to use your other instant speed interaction. But if you’re a tap-out sort of deck Pirate's Pillage is a fine card.
#10. Thrilling Discovery
Thrilling Discovery is harder to cast than the next card, but it gives you life. It’s the Lightning Strike versus Lightning Helix conundrum. If you’re in the colors, choose life. Note that if they don’t counter this, you don’t have to discard the cards, unlike Cathartic Reunion. That’s good and bad depending on how important stocking the graveyard is.
#9. Cathartic Reunion
The rate on Cathartic Reunion is pretty sweet. Pitch two to draw three is awesome, especially when you’re doing things like trying to get a card like Emergent Ultimatum in the graveyard for recursion. If you just want the cards, a less good effect at instant speed is likely better. But for graveyards, this is it.
#8. Faithless Looting
The “fixed” Faithless Looting is always more disappointing than you’d hope. Rebound is great for spells matter decks, and Faithless Salvaging is probably better than the next card if your goal is to stock the graveyard with specific targets. But this exiles itself, which is annoying.
#7. Cathartic Pyre
Removal or instant speed rummage. This was the Standard rummage state of the art in Standard until Fable was printed. Cathartic Pyre is a tougher topdeck in late game, perhaps.
#6. Thrill of Possibility
As with so much of Throne of Eldraine, Thrill of Possibility is power creep. Serviceable but clunky sorcery speed Tormenting Voice from way back in Khans of Tarkir gets upgraded to instant speed, which makes it super useful to dash off on an opponent's end step.
#5. Hazoret’s Monument
Is Hazoret's Monument good outside the Birgi, God of Storytelling plus Grinning Ignus combo? Yes! In a creature-heavy deck, this is functionally a mana rock. At three mana, that isn’t a great floor, but it’s fine. But rummaging with each creature (not just red creatures!) is wicked.
#4. Big Score + Unexpected Windfall
Obviously Big Score being easier to cast than Unexpected Windfall gives it the edge, but both are awesome cards. Thrill of Possibility where you pay two mana to get two Treasures is pretty big value for an instant speed card, and we’ve seen Big Score show up in all sorts of Standard and Pioneer decks for that reason.
#3. Seasoned Pyromancer
If you’re discarding nonland cards and you get a 2/2, two 1/1s and two rummages, you are way out ahead of Mulldrifter. I tossed Seasoned Pyromancer in my long anticipated Éowyn, Fearless Knight Boros blink deck and bask in the pure value.
#2. Glint-Horn Buccaneer
Glint-Horn Buccaneer has an overcosted activated rummaging ability but is a really nice payoff for rummaging. A really grindy wincon is still a wincon. Toss a Curiosity on and/or play in a Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator deck and go to town.
#1. Fable of the Mirror-Breaker / Reflection of Kiki-Jiki
Of course, it’s Fable of the Mirror-Breaker! Banned in Standard, this card is testament to the power of rummaging. Whether it’s sending an Atraxa, Grand Unifier into the graveyard for reanimation, synergizing with Sheoldred, the Apocalypse to gain some life, gaining the Treasure, or flipping the saga into a Reflection that can copy all sorts of wincons, this card is value incarnate. Its rummaging isn’t the greatest rate, but as icing on the cake, it’s perfect.
Best Rummager Payoffs
Anything that lets you see more cards in red is good, so already this is an okay payoff. But there’s a few special cases.
Cycling or madness are obvious choices here, but there are other commanders that just synergize with discarding, like Brallin, Skyshark Rider, Oskar, Rubbish Reclaimer, Rielle, the Everwise, and Toluz, Clever Conductor.
If you want things in the graveyard, either for creature reanimator strategies or decks like Kess, Dissident Mage that want spells in the graveyard, so much the better.
Why Is Draw and Discard Called Rummaging?
It’s named after the first card that had this ability, Rummaging Goblin.
What Is the Opposite of Rummaging Called?
Looting is the name for drawing and then discarding, the opposite of rummaging.
Wrap Up
Tormenting Voice | Illustration by Dan Scott
I know there were cards on this list that you’ve never seen! Given how important both card advantage and selection are to winning games of Magic, perhaps this will be a useful resource as you brew Commander decks?
What do you think? Do you have a favorite rummager I disrespected? Let us know in the comments or in the Discord!
Take care and stay safe!
Follow Draftsim for awesome articles and set updates:
Add Comment