Perilous Research MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Draw two cards at instant speed, trading off a permanent for strategic flexibility and surprise factor.
  2. Sacrificing a non-essential or redundant permanent can lead to a significant card advantage in MTG.
  3. Being instant allows synergy with other spells, enhancing both offensive and defensive game plans.

Text of card

Draw two cards, then sacrifice a permanent.

When the School of the Unseen fell, so many magical treasures lay abandoned that no amount of death could deter the stream of thieves and desperate scholars.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Perilous Research offers a straightforward way to gain card advantage by drawing two cards for a minimal cost. This can be particularly useful in replenishing your hand and keeping the pressure on opponents by having more options available each turn.

Resource Acceleration: By converting a permanent you might no longer need into fresh cards, Perilous Research effectively accelerates your resources. This ability to transform any permanent on your board, perhaps one that’s already served its purpose, into new opportunities is a key asset for crafting your strategy on the fly.

Instant Speed: The fact that Perilous Research can be cast at instant speed adds a layer of flexibility to your gameplay. It allows you to wait until the last possible moment to decide whether to use it, keeping your opponents uncertain and giving you the option to respond to their actions. Furthermore, it can synergize with other instant-speed spells and abilities, making it a versatile tool in both offensive and defensive situations.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the downsides of Perilous Research is its demand that a player sacrifices a permanent, potentially disrupting your board state or strategy. This can be particularly detrimental if your available permanents are valuable or pivotal to your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell’s casting cost includes blue mana, which arguably makes it less adaptable. Decks not running blue or those with a tight mana base may struggle to find room for this card, limiting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a relatively steep cost of two mana for its effect, Perilous Research could be considered costly, especially when compared to other card-drawing options. Players often seek lower-cost alternatives to optimize their deck’s performance and maintain tempo.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Perilous Research offers the ability to draw two cards at the low cost of sacrificing a permanent, making it highly adaptable in decks that have expendable tokens, artifacts, or creatures.

Combo Potential: This card opens up the floor for various combo strings, especially in strategies that flourish when permanents leave the battlefield, such as those with the Morbid or Revolt mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state dominated by card advantage, Perilous Research stands out as a quick and flexible draw engine that can keep pace with the ever-changing demands of competitive play.


How to beat

Perilous Research is a unique card in Magic: The Gathering that presents an interesting challenge. This instant spell allows a player to draw two cards, at the cost of sacrificing a permanent. This trade-off can create sudden advantages, making it pivotal to have a strategy in place to counter this card’s benefits. First and foremost, maintaining control over your opponent’s permanents can limit the value they get from Perilous Research. Cards that force opponent sacrifices or counter spells effectively neutralize the threat by preventing the draw or reducing the permanents they can afford to lose.

Timing disruption is also key. Playing instant-speed removal or bounce spells in response to Perilous Research forces your opponent into a difficult position where they must choose to lose a more valuable permanent or gain no advantage at all. Additionally, incorporating graveyard hate in your deck can mitigate any long-term benefits they might reap from recurring the sacrificed permanents. By strategically responding to Perilous Research and managing your resources, you can diminish the card’s impact and maintain control of the game.

Overall, understanding when to disrupt your opponent’s game plan and minimizing the advantage they gain from card sacrifice will ensure Perilous Research doesn’t derail your path to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Perilous Research is a compelling instant in MTG, offering a unique card draw with a touch of sacrifice strategy. While the cost of sacrificing a permanent cannot be overlooked, the instant speed and the advantage of drawing two cards provide an unexpected depth to gameplay. For those who enjoy versatility and the thrill of potential combo plays, this card holds a distinct appeal. Consider adding it to a deck where permanents are plentiful and expendable. If you’re keen on optimizing card advantage and exploring sacrifice mechanisms, take your MTG savvy to new heights with our insights. Embark on this strategic journey and harness the full potential of Perilous Research in your deck.


Cards like Perilous Research

Perilous Research is an intriguing instant for those looking to enhance their deck with a card draw mechanism in Magic: The Gathering. It bears similarities to Think Twice, an instant that allows players to draw a card with the added flexibility of flashback, enabling a second use from the graveyard. On the contrary, Perilous Research requires a sacrifice – a non-token permanent – to draw two cards.

Another card within this comparison is Compulsive Research. Like Perilous Research, it provides a higher card draw with three cards, but with an additional step of discarding one card unless a land card is discarded instead. Both cards reflect a deeper strategy of trade-off for greater resource gain. However, Compulsive Research does not have the sacrifice requirement but at the expense of being a sorcery, which limits its use to your main phases. Furthermore, we find Chart a Course, which allows the draw of two cards and a similar discard mechanic if it was not cast during a turn in which you attacked with a creature, showcasing a condition tied to the combat phase.

In evaluating such cards, Perilous Research displays a unique and potentially more costly mechanic that, while greater in risk, offers immediate and sizeable payoff, positioning it as a compelling choice in Magic: The Gathering strategies that capitalize on sacrifice synergy.

Think Twice - MTG Card versions
Compulsive Research - MTG Card versions
Chart a Course - MTG Card versions
Think Twice - Time Spiral (TSP)
Compulsive Research - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Chart a Course - Ixalan (XLN)

Cards similar to Perilous Research by color, type and mana cost

Counterspell - MTG Card versions
Hurkyl's Recall - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare - MTG Card versions
Lat-Nam's Legacy - MTG Card versions
Flash - MTG Card versions
Boomerang - MTG Card versions
Updraft - MTG Card versions
Impulse - MTG Card versions
Rebound - MTG Card versions
Memory Lapse - MTG Card versions
Hoodwink - MTG Card versions
Tidal Bore - MTG Card versions
Accumulated Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Response - MTG Card versions
Aether Burst - MTG Card versions
Cyclonic Rift - MTG Card versions
Thassa's Intervention - MTG Card versions
Snap - MTG Card versions
Metamorphose - MTG Card versions
Flash Counter - MTG Card versions
Counterspell - Commander Masters (CMM)
Hurkyl's Recall - Antiquities (ATQ)
Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Lat-Nam's Legacy - Alliances (ALL)
Flash - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Boomerang - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Updraft - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Impulse - Game Night: Free-for-All (GN3)
Rebound - Stronghold (STH)
Memory Lapse - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Hoodwink - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Tidal Bore - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Accumulated Knowledge - Masters 25 (A25)
Teferi's Response - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Aether Burst - Odyssey (ODY)
Cyclonic Rift - Commander Masters (CMM)
Thassa's Intervention - Theros Beyond Death (THB)
Snap - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Metamorphose - Scourge (SCG)
Flash Counter - Eighth Edition (8ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Perilous Research MTG card by a specific set like Coldsnap and Commander 2011, 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 Perilous Research and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Perilous Research Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2006-07-21 and 2013-06-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-07-21ColdsnapCSP 412003normalblackDany Orizio
22011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 542003normalblackDany Orizio
32013-06-07Modern MastersMMA 582003normalblackDonato Giancola

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Perilous Research has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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