Discover

Discover
[[File:{{#setmainimage:MTGA Discover.png}}|70x70px]]
Keyword Action
Introduced	The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Last used	Alchemy: Ixalan
Reminder Text	Discover N (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value N or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
Statistics	28 cards 7.1% 3.6% 25% 10.7% 10.7% 7.1% 14.3% 21.4%
Scryfall Search
keyword:"Discover"

Discover is a keyword action introduced in The Lost Caverns of Ixalan.

Description

To Discover X means "Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value X or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order."

Discover is a revamped version of cascade with more design space. Instead of being a cast trigger, it's a keyword action that always comes with a value. To discover X, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value X or less. To avoid whiffing on something like a counterspell, there is now a choice to cast the spell or simply put it into your hand. The other exiled cards are randomly put on the bottom of your library.

To avoid the Hypergenesis problem, there are no Discover 1 or 2 cards. Most are 3, 4, or 5; with a series of difficult-to-guarantee Discover X spells and a pair of Discover 10. As such, it could also go on cheaper spells and activated abilities such as on lands, though most are still restricted by the mana spent. However, putting it on triggered abilities let it chain with 3-mana clones, which got Geological Appraiser banned in Pioneer in quick fashion.

Curator of Sun's Creation doubles Discover triggers.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Discover

A keyword ability that may allow a player to cast a random spell for free. See rule 701.55, “Discover.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

• 701.55. Discover
  • 701.55a “Discover N” means “Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value N or less. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost if the resulting spell’s mana value is less than or equal to N. If you don’t cast it, put that card into your hand. Put the remaining exiled cards on the bottom of your library in a random order.”
  • 701.55b A player has “discovered” after the process described in 701.55a is complete, even if some or all of those actions were impossible.
  • 701.55c If the final card exiled during the process described in rule 701.55a has mana value N or less, it is the “discovered card,” regardless of whether it was cast or put into a player’s hand.

Rulings

• "Discover N" means "Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value N or less. That card is the "discovered" card. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost if the resulting spell's mana value is less than or equal to N. If you don't cast it, put that card into your hand. Put the remaining exiled cards on the bottom of your library in any order."
• A spell's mana value is determined only by its mana cost. Ignore any alternative costs, additional costs, cost increases, or cost reductions.
• When you discover, you must exile cards. The only optional part of the ability is whether you cast the exiled card or put it into your hand.
• You exile the cards face up. All players will be able to see them.
• If you cast a spell "without paying its mana cost", you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast it.
• If the discovered card has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.
• If you can't cast the discovered card (perhaps because there are no legal targets for the spell), you'll put it into your hand.
• Some spells and abilities that cause you to discover may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve and you won't discover.
• The mana value of a split card is determined by the combined mana cost of its two halves. If discover allows you to cast a split card, you may cast either half (as long as its mana value is less than or equal to the effect's discover value) but not both halves.
• If you discover an adventurer card, split card, or modal double-faced card, you might be able to cast that card with either set of characteristics depending on the effect's discover value. For example, if you discover 4 and reveal Galvanic Giant (an adventurer card from Wilds of Eldraine with a mana value of 4), you could cast Galvanic Giant, but not Storm Reading (its Adventure, which has a mana value of 7). If you discover 7 and reveal Galvanic Giant, you could cast either Galvanic Giant or Storm Reading.

Examples

Example

Geological Appraiser
Creature — Human Artificer
3/2
When Geological Appraiser enters the battlefield, if you cast it, discover 3. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 3 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)