Scry

Scry is a keyword action that allows a player to look at a certain number of cards at the top of his or her library and put them back in any order. It primarily features on instants and sorceries, but has also appeared on creatures, a land and an enchantment.

The first cards with scry were printed in Fifth Dawn of the Mirrodin block. It was then expanded on several years later in Future Sight of the Time Spiral block.

Originally Scry was a keyword ability like Flying or First Strike. It has now been errata'd to be a 'keyword action', like regenerate, attach, or counter. The original cycle of Fifth Dawn instants and sorceries with Scry has been errata'd to have a period after Scry X, indicating that it is no longer a keyword.

From the Comprehensive Rules

• 502.36. Scry
  • 502.36a Scry is a static ability that functions while a spell or ability is resolving. “Scry N” means “Look at the top N cards of your library. Put any number of them on the bottom of your library in any order and the rest on top of your library in any order.”
  • 502.36b If a spell or ability has multiple instances of scry, each one works separately.

Rulings

• If a spell has scry 2, you look at the top two cards of your library and then decide where you want to put them. You can put both cards on either the top or bottom of your library in any order, or you can put one card on the top and one on the bottom.
• Follow a spell's instructions in order. All spells with scry in the Fifth Dawn set have scry as the last part of their text, so scrying is the last thing you do before the spell is put into its owner's graveyard. Several cards in the Future Sight set have scry followed by another effect, so scrying is done before following the other instructions.
• If the spell is countered, you don't get to use the scry ability.
• There is one card (Eyes of the Watcher) that has a triggered ability with scry. When the triggered ability resolves, look at the top two cards of your library and then decide where you want to put them, just as though the ability were a spell with scry.

Examples

• Fill with Fright - {3}{B}
  Sorcery
  Target player discards two cards.
  Scry 2 (Look at the top two cards of your library. Put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)
• Judge Unworthy - {1}{W}
  Instant
  Choose target attacking or blocking creature. Scry 3, then reveal the top card of your library. Judge Unworthy deals damage equal to that card's converted mana cost to that creature. (To scry 3, look at the top three cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)

Scry cards that may be played as instants can be played during upkeep to manipulate what will be drawn or not drawn next.