Curator of Mysteries MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Sphinx
Abilities Cycling,Flying,Scry
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Curator of Mysteries enhances deck consistency through cycling and scrying, refining draws and boosting graveyard strategies.
  2. Flexibility is key; Curator of Mysteries adapts to the game’s pace with instant speed cycling for strategic play.
  3. Despite its mana specificity and discard requirement, Curator of Mysteries’ versatility makes it a potent deck inclusion.

Text of card

Flying Whenever you cycle or discard another card, scry 1. Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

To consult a sphinx is a test in patience. Perhaps that's the point.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The cycling ability of Curator of Mysteries helps you sift through your deck to find the cards you need while also putting a creature into your graveyard that can be brought back by various graveyard strategies.

Resource Acceleration: When Curator of Mysteries is cycled, its secondary ability allows you to scry 1, effectively filtering your future draws and thus, accelerating your access to essential resources in the subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: Cycling can be done at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to adapt to the current state of the match and decide whether to cycle or cast other spells during your opponent’s turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Curator of Mysteries mandates a card to be discarded when you cycle it, which can deplete your hand especially in crucial moments when maintaining card advantage is key.

Specific Mana Cost: With its necessity for both blue and generic mana to cast, it fits primarily within blue-focused decks, potentially limiting its integration into more flexible or diverse mana bases.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At four mana, this sphinx arrives with a financial commitment that may compete with other impactful plays or creatures you wish to deploy during the mid-game stages.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Curator of Mysteries serves as a flexible card, adept at fitting into various blue decks. With both flying and cycling abilities, this card can be a formidable airborne threat or used to dig through your deck for answers or synergies.

Combo Potential: The cycling mechanic that Curator of Mysteries possesses plays well with numerous deck archetypes that capitalize on drawing cards or discarding as triggers for powerful effects. Additionally, its ability to scry when you cycle or discard another card can set up your draws for future turns.

Meta-Relevance: Given the dynamic environment of MTG, Curator of Mysteries remains relevant in formats where control strategies flourish. Its cycling ability lets players avoid dead draws, maintain hand advantage, and ensure smoother gameplay against various meta contenders.


How to beat Curator of Mysteries

Curator of Mysteries from Amonkhet is a versatile card often found in MTG blue decks focusing on cycling or synergies with flying creatures. This Sphinx not only allows you to cycle it for a single blue mana but also lets you scry whenever you cycle another card. However, formidable as it may be, there are ways to keep this creature in check within the game.

To undermine an opponent’s Curator of Mysteries, consider using removal spells that bypass its flying ability. Spells like Fatal Push, Path to Exile, or Terminate can efficiently handle this four-mana threat before it begins to unravel your strategy. Additionally, board wipes like Damnation or Wrath of God clear the field no matter how high the opponent’s creatures may soar.

Control decks can also counteract Curator of Mysteries by countering it upon cast or using bounce spells to disrupt the opponent’s tempo. Moreover, a well-timed Thoughtseize or Duress can remove this threat from your opponent’s hand before it even hits the battlefield. Preemptive measures such as these keep you ahead of the game, leaving the mysteries for your opponent to ponder.


BurnMana Recommendations

With Curator of Mysteries, MTG players have a rich opportunity to craft strategies that keep them ahead of the curve. Employing its cycling ability has the dual benefit of digging deeper into your deck and laying the groundwork for graveyard synergy. Its role in resource acceleration cannot be overstated, especially with the scrying perk refining your draws. The flexibility offered by instant speed cycling gives you a tactical edge, allowing you to adapt on the fly to the shifting tides of the game. Delve deeper into the strategic uses of Curator of Mysteries, enhance your gameplay, and optimize your blue deck’s efficiency. For more insights into maximizing this card’s potential, align with us on your quest for MTG mastery.


Cards like Curator of Mysteries

In the world of MTG, Curator of Mysteries competes with other intriguing creatures in the cycling card subset. Sphinx of Foresight stands as a notable comparison, allowing players to scry at the beginning of their first main phase. Despite both being sphinxes, Curator of Mysteries offers a different perk – the ability to cycle for another card and scry 1, potentially refining the player’s strategy earlier in the game.

Contrasting Curator of Mysteries with Nimble Obstructionist highlights different tactical advantages. While the nimble bird also has cycling and can counter activated or triggered abilities, Curator of Mysteries shines in its four mana slot, boasting a solid 4/4 flying body, which provides both a significant threat on the board and a potential card advantage through its cycling ability.

Absorbing these comparisons, it’s clear that Curator of Mysteries earns its place in MTG decks focused on cycling synergy and air dominance, cementing its value as a flexible blue creature card with powerful and strategic utilities.

Sphinx of Foresight - MTG Card versions
Nimble Obstructionist - MTG Card versions
Sphinx of Foresight - MTG Card versions
Nimble Obstructionist - MTG Card versions

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Extravagant Spirit - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
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Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
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Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Curator of Mysteries MTG card by a specific set like Resale Promos and Amonkhet, 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 Curator of Mysteries and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Curator of Mysteries Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2007-01-01 and 2021-07-23. Illustrated by Christine Choi.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-01-01Resale PromosPRES 492015NormalBlackChristine Choi
22017-04-28AmonkhetAKH 492015NormalBlackChristine Choi
32017-04-29Amonkhet PromosPAKH 49s2015NormalBlackChristine Choi
42020-04-17Commander 2020C20 1092015NormalBlackChristine Choi
52020-08-13Amonkhet RemasteredAKR 582015NormalBlackChristine Choi
62021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 812015NormalBlackChristine Choi

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Curator of Mysteries has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2017-04-18 An ability that triggers whenever you discard a card doesn't give you permission to discard cards. You'll need another effect that instructs or allows you to discard them.
2017-04-18 An ability that triggers whenever you “cycle or discard” a card triggers only once if you cycle a card. The ability “Whenever you discard a card” is functionally identical to this ability; cycling is mentioned for clarity.
2017-04-18 If a player discards a card during their cleanup step due to having too many cards in hand, any appropriate abilities that trigger on discarding that card trigger. If this happens, those triggered abilities are put onto the stack and players receive priority in that cleanup step to cast spells or activate abilities (normally, no players may take actions during a cleanup step). Another cleanup step is created following that one.
2017-04-18 Some cards have an ability that triggers whenever you cycle any card. These triggered abilities resolve before you draw from the cycling ability.

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