Read the Bones MTG Card


Offers substantial card advantage by allowing a player to scry 2 then draw 2 cards. Scrying before drawing helps players filter and improve the quality of their draws. Leveraging life points for advantage can be a powerful, but risky strategy.
Card setsReleased in 11 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Scry

Text of card

Scry 2, then draw two cards. You lose 2 life. (To scry 2, look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)

The dead know lessons the living haven't learned.


Cards like Read the Bones

Read the Bones stands out in the world of deck manipulation and card draw in Magic: The Gathering. If we delve into a comparison with other spells, Night’s Whisper is a prime candidate, offering a less costly alternative for card drawing at two life and two mana. Despite the lower life loss, Read the Bones provides an additional advantage with its scry 2 ability, allowing players to filter their next draws, which can be pivotal in tight situations.

Another comparable card is Sign in Blood, which like Night’s Whisper, costs less in terms of life but doesn’t afford the scry benefit. Conversely, Painful Truths scales the card draw effect based on the number of colors used to cast it, giving players more card volume in a three-color deck, albeit at a higher mana cost and a maximum life loss of three. While these cards each have their merit, the scry feature of Read the Bones offers a distinct tactical edge that can outweigh its costlier life investment.

The combination of card draw and deck manipulation makes Read the Bones a solid choice, striking a balance between life investment and strategic depth in Magic: The Gathering gameplay.

Night's Whisper - MTG Card versions
Sign in Blood - MTG Card versions
Painful Truths - MTG Card versions
Night's Whisper - MTG Card versions
Sign in Blood - MTG Card versions
Painful Truths - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Read the Bones. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Abzan MidrangeAbzan Midrange ModernAbzan MidrangeModern Preliminary 2024-02-19
Jund ControlJund Control LegacyCharlotte Legacy League Season 1 Week 2

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Read the Bones enables players to draw two cards, thus providing a significant edge by increasing their options and responses in the duels. This card digs deeper into the deck, which is critical for finding key pieces or answers when necessary.

Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly produce mana or tokens, its ability to scry 2 before drawing cards effectively accelerates your resources by ensuring the next draws are more likely to be impactful. Sorting through the top cards of your library is a strategic advantage, allowing you to access vital mana or spells quicker.

Instant Speed: Although Read the Bones is a sorcery, the advantage it gives mirrors what instant speed spells offer by setting up your next turn. Being able to prepare during your turn without the pressure of timing makes it a reliable and efficient method of stabilizing your resources and game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: ‘Read the Bones’ comes with a downside; in this case, it’s the self-inflicted life loss for card selection. While not a discard in the literal sense, paying life to set up your draw can be a risky move if you’re already under pressure or facing an aggressive deck.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires two black mana in its cost, which may not always be readily available for multi-colored decks. The need for specific mana symbols can inhibit the effectiveness and timing when you’re looking to cast ‘Read the Bones’.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a converted mana cost of three, ‘Read the Bones’ can be on the pricier side when you consider many other cards provide card advantage for less mana. Competing cards might provide similar effects without impacting your life total, making them potentially more appealing in a tightly constructed deck.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Read the Bones is a staple spell in black decks due to its ability to provide card selection alongside card draw. This makes it adaptable for use in various strategies, from control to midrange, helping to smooth out draws and reach key cards more consistently.

Combo Potential: In decks that exploit the graveyard or work with reanimation strategies, Read the Bones offers a way to stock the graveyard with chosen cards. It also interacts well with cards that benefit from life loss or spell casting triggers.

Meta-Relevance: As games can often come down to who has more resources, Read the Bones keeps decks competitive by offering critical insight into the upcoming draws. Useful in multiple formats, it ensures decks remain resilient against shifts in the competitive landscape.


How to Beat Read the Bones

Read the Bones is a well-known spell in Magic: The Gathering that offers significant card advantage by allowing a player to scry and then draw cards, at the cost of life points. When up against this sorcery, the key is to apply pressure early in the game. As Read the Bones is not an instant speed spell, it gives you a window to use your turns to develop a stronger board presence.

Counterspells are also effective in neutralizing Read the Bones before it can impact the game. By judiciously saving counterspells or hand disruption tactics for key cards like this, you can limit your opponent’s ability to dig for answers or set up their game plan. Moreover, Read the Bones costs both mana and life, meaning that aggressive strategies can capitalize on the life lost. By keeping the pace of the game fast and curving out efficiently, you’ll reduce the time and life your opponent has to leverage the cards gained from this powerful spell.

Ultimately, understanding when to disrupt your opponent’s draws and when to push ahead with threats of your own will guide you in consistently outmaneuvering a strategy reliant on cards like Read the Bones.


BurnMana Recommendations

With the strategic depth of Read the Bones, your MTG gameplay ascends to new heights. This card isn’t merely about drawing; it’s about crafting the perfect hand for forthcoming rounds. Tailoring your deck to maximize such effects can drastically change the game in your favor. Whether your play style thrives on control, speed, or innovation, exploring the synergies with graveyard mechanics or life-loss triggers can be game-changing. Dive deeper into the MTG realm with us, where every card is a building block to victory, and even a seemingly small decision can tip the scales. Enhance your collection, refine your strategies, and unlock the full potential of your deck with insight from fellow enthusiasts. Discover more with us and ensure your next duel showcases not just skill, but unrivaled foresight.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Read the Bones MTG card by a specific set like Theros and Commander 2014, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Read the Bones and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Read the Bones Magic the Gathering card was released in 11 different sets between 2013-09-27 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Lars Grant-West.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-09-27TherosTHS 1012003NormalBlackLars Grant-West
22014-11-07Commander 2014C14 1582015NormalBlackLars Grant-West
32015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 1142015NormalBlackLars Grant-West
42015-08-28Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. EldraziDDP 562015NormalBlackLars Grant-West
52017-08-25Commander 2017C17 1222015NormalBlackLars Grant-West
62019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 7462015NormalBlackLars Grant-West
72020-09-26The ListPLST DDP-562015NormalBlackLars Grant-West
82021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 3281997NormalBlackLars Grant-West
92022-09-09Dominaria United CommanderDMC 1172015NormalBlackLars Grant-West
102023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 2672015NormalBlackLars Grant-West
112023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 1822015NormalBlackLars Grant-West

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Read the Bones has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Read the Bones card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2013-09-15 Scry appears on some spells and abilities with one or more targets. If all of the spell or ability's targets are illegal when it tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won't scry.
2013-09-15 The loss of life is part of the spell's effect. It's not an additional cost. If Read the Bones doesn't resolve, you won't lose life.
2013-09-15 When you scry, you may put all the cards you look at back on top of your library, you may put all of those cards on the bottom of your library, or you may put some of those cards on top and the rest of them on the bottom.
2013-09-15 You choose how to order cards returned to your library after scrying no matter where you put them.
2013-09-15 You perform the actions stated on a card in sequence. For some spells and abilities, that means you'll scry last. For others, that means you'll scry and then perform other actions.