Drastic Revelation MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Released	2009-04-30
Set symbol
Set name	Alara Reborn
Set code	ARB
Number	111
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Trevor Claxton

Key Takeaways

It grants card advantage by refreshing hands and setting up game-changing plays with its draw and discard effects.
Instant speed play allows for flexible strategy, providing a significant upper hand in the ebb and flow of matches.
Despite its power, Drastic Revelation requires careful use due to its specific mana cost and potential card loss.

Text of card

Discard your hand. Draw seven cards, then discard three cards at random.

Every disaster holds mystery, for lack of a sane witness.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Drastic Revelation shines by offering players a significant boost in hand size, as it enables the discarding of cards for a fresh set, potentially leading to game-changing combinations and outplays.

Resource Acceleration: This card not only refreshes your hand but also ramps up your resources. It turns any discarded nonland cards into an abundance of colorless mana, which can be vital for casting costly spells much earlier than usual.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Drastic Revelation at instant speed provides a strategic advantage, allowing for reactive play to the board state and keeping opponents guessing until the last possible moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the limitations of Drastic Revelation is its prerequisite to discard your entire hand. This condition can be particularly detrimental in late-game scenarios where each card in hand is a valuable asset, potentially leading to a significant loss of resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Drastic Revelation calls for a rather specific combination of mana, including a blue, a red, and a black. This requirement confines the card’s inclusion to certain decks that can reliably produce these colors, often limiting its use to Grixis or multicolor strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of five mana—two generic and three specific colors—Drastic Revelation sits at a higher end of the mana curve for its effects. When considering the current pool of available cards, players might find that other options provide similar benefits without the steep cost and the risk of losing their hand.

Reasons to Include Drastic Revelation in Your Collection

Versatility: Drastic Revelation offers flexibility to a wide array of deck archetypes. This spell shines in decks that thrive on both discarding for value and replenishing the hand with fresh resources.

Combo Potential: By discarding cards, Drastic Revelation can set up graveyard strategies, enable reanimation tactics, or fuel abilities that synergize with high card turnover. Its ability to potentially refill your hand also means combo pieces can be drawn into more consistently.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where managing resources is key to outlasting opponents, the card advantage and selective discard that Drastic Revelation provides may turn the tide in games that are often decided by who has the upper hand in card quality and quantity.

How to Beat Drastic Revelation

Drastic Revelation has emerged as a powerful tool for players seeking to refill their hand and sculpt their strategy in Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to other big draw spells, Drastic Revelation offers a unique twist: the necessity to discard your hand, which can be both beneficial and risky. It draws cards equal to the greatest power among creatures you control, setting the stage for a dramatic shift in game dynamics. Its dramatic impact on card advantage can be a double-edged sword, requiring careful timing to maximize its potential.

Strategies to counteract Drastic Revelation often involve disrupting the opponent’s board presence. Since the card’s effectiveness hinges on the power of creatures in play, removing key creatures can significantly reduce the draw power. Additionally, instant-speed removal or counterspells employed when Drastic Revelation is cast can serve to minimize or negate its effects, maintaining the balance of the game. Hand disruption tactics and graveyard manipulation are also viable, as they can erode the advantages gleaned from Drastic Revelation’s aftermath.

Effectively navigating the impact of Drastic Revelation calls for tactical foresight and reactionary plays. By anticipating its use and maintaining board control, players can ensure they’re not overwhelmed by the sudden surge of resources this spell provides.

Cards like Drastic Revelation

Drastic Revelation finds its place within the pantheon of card draw engines in Magic: The Gathering, aligning with the likes of Wheel of Fortune, which is treasured for its powerful and game-altering draw seven cards ability. Unlike Wheel of Fortune, Drastic Revelation goes beyond mere drawing, as it requires discarding your hand first, then drawing seven cards, and finally sacrificing a number of nonland permanents equal to the number of cards discarded. This can be both a boon and a setback, depending on your game strategy.

Another contender, Windfall, shares the trait of discarding followed by drawing, setting up numerous cards to be drawn based on the hand size. Though both are sorceries and reset players’ hands, Windfall’s impact varies with each player’s hand size, whereas Drastic Revelation delivers a consistent seven. Additionally, Reforge the Soul, with its Miracle cost possibility, echoes this discard and draw dynamic. However, it comes without the permanent-sacrifice clause of Drastic Revelation.

Considering the balance between risk and reward, Drastic Revelation stands out for the potential of a massive game state upheaval. Its unique requirement for sacrificing permanents can be manipulated to the player’s advantage in the right deck, setting it apart from the more straightforward card draw spells in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Drastic Revelation by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Drastic Revelation MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn, 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 Drastic Revelation and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Drastic Revelation has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2009-05-01	If there are fewer than seven cards left in your library, you’ll draw all the cards in your library, then you’ll discard three cards at random. Then you’ll lose the game as a state-based action.
2009-05-01	You discard your hand as part of Drastic Revelation’s effect, not as an additional cost. If you have no cards in hand at this point, you simply don’t discard any; the rest of the spell will still have its effect.
2009-05-01	You’ll discard three cards at random even if some other effect replaces your seven draws.