Fateseal
| Fateseal | |
|---|---|
| Keyword Action | |
| Introduced |
Mirage (mechanic) Future Sight (keyword) |
| Last used | Future Sight |
| Reminder Text |
Fateseal N (To fateseal N, look at the top N cards of an opponent's library, then put any number of them on the bottom of that player's library and the rest on top in any order.) Fateseal 1 (To fateseal 1, look at the top card of an opponent's library, then you may put that card on the bottom of that library.) |
| Storm Scale | 8[1] |
| Scryfall Statistics | |
Fateseal was an ability introduced in Future Sight as one of four "pre-print" abilities that only appeared on timeshifted cards.
History
Fateseal was introduced in Future Sight but was based on the mechanic of the Mirage card Sealed Fate. It is a keyword action similar to scry, with the difference between them being that when you scry, you affect your own library, and when you fateseal, you affect an opponent's library. It has only been printed on two cards so far, Mesmeric Sliver and Spin into Myth.
Since scrying is a smoothing mechanic, as its opposite, fateseal is used to disrupt the opponent's draw steps. Showing an opponent that either their next draw step is bad or that one of their good draws is lost is considered to be a very un-fun mechanic by R&D and is not expected to show up again any time soon.[2][3][4]
Coral Fighters has the effective text of fatesealing 1 if unblocked printed back in Mirage. Precognition has functional "At the beginning of your upkeep, fateseal 1", which was printed in Tempest.
Similar historical mechanics
"Fateseal" has become the most common nickname for the first ability of the planeswalker Jace the Mind Sculptor. There are several minor distinctions: it could act as a scry, it could be redirected as a targeted ability, and it doesn't trigger scry effects; but ultimately its main application is the same as fateseal 1. Draugr Thought-Thief, Lurking Informant, Wand of Denial and Eye Spy have a similar graveyard-based variant, while Ransack is a five-card variant.
Manipulating the opponent's library had once been done historically but has become extremely rare in the most recent decade: Draugr Thought-Thief is the first and last seen variant since 2013. It was primary in blue, secondary in black, but red and green also had one each. Often the older ones were card-negative, making them bad to play and unpleasant to play against. The ability to remove, choice of target and where the cards that aren't kept goes varies across designs, as does the number of cards. The list is sorted mostly by the first category.
- Rearrange three or more but can't remove any cards
- Tahngarth's Glare
- Elemental Augury
- Architects of Will (target player)
- Second Sight (five cards, target player)
- Can or must keep one of several
- Wu Spy (target player)
- Dimir Machinations (target player)
- Dimir Charm (target player)
- Thoughtpicker Witch
- Psychic Surgery
- Remove one, keep rest
- Rearrange or shuffle (target player)
Rules
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)
- Fateseal
- To manipulate some of the cards on top of an opponent’s library. See rule 701.29, “Fateseal.”
From the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)
- 701.29. Fateseal
- 701.29a To “fateseal N” means to look at the top N cards of an opponent’s library, then put any number of them on the bottom of that library in any order and the rest on top of that library in any order.
Rulings
- The fateseal action doesn't target. You choose which opponent to affect as part of performing the action.
Examples
Example 1
Mesmeric Sliver 
Creature — Sliver
2/2
All Slivers have "When this permanent comes into play, fateseal 1." (To fateseal 1, its controller looks at the top card of an opponent's library, then they may put that card on the bottom of that library.)
Example 2
Spin into Myth 
Instant
Put target creature on top of its owner's library, then fateseal 2. (To fateseal 2, look at the top two cards of an opponent's library, then put any number of them on the bottom of that player's library and the rest on top in any order.)
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (2014-02-23). "Where is fateseal on the storm scale?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 18, 2015). "Modern Mailbag". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 10, 2020). "Back to the Future Sight, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 17, 2021). "Future Sight Design Handoff Document". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.