Last Thoughts MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Cipher
Released	2013-02-01
Set symbol
Set name	Gatecrash
Set code	GTC
Number	40
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Peter Mohrbacher

Key Takeaways

Provides a reliable draw mechanism directly tied to dealing combat damage, bolstering hand resources.
Encodes onto creatures for repeatable card advantage, enhancing strategies focused on elusive attackers.
Maintains relevance in slower games where consistent card draw can decisively shift the balance.

Text of card

Draw a card. Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Last Thoughts offers a persistent draw mechanism; when the enchanted creature deals combat damage, you get to draw a card, thereby keeping your hand filled as the game progresses.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing mana, drawing extra cards can lead to more land drops or finding key spells that ramp your resources, subtly accelerating your game plan.

Instant Speed: The Cipher ability encodes Last Thoughts onto a creature after it’s cast, and every subsequent hit with that creature translates to card draw at combat’s speed, echoing the benefits of instant-speed interactions without needing to hold mana in reserve.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When playing Last Thoughts, a player must pitch another card, potentially depleting valuable hand resources which could be pivotal during critical moments of gameplay.

Specific Mana Cost: This card necessitates both generic and blue mana to cast, which can potentially restrict its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce blue mana, reducing its versatility across various deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In competitive play, the mana investment to cast Last Thoughts may be steep relative to other card draw options available within this mana range, possibly leading to tempo loss or less efficient play sequences.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Last Thoughts offers flexibility across various deck archetypes given its ability to provide card draw attached to a creature through the Cipher mechanic. It can be slotted into decks that aim to maximize spell casting or focus on elusive creatures.

Combo Potential: Ciphering Last Thoughts onto a creature opens the door to repeated card draw, pairing well with strategies that emphasize dealing combat damage or casting multiple spells in a turn. It can be a keystone in a deck that interacts with spell synergies or unblockable creatures.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where games are drawn out and card advantage becomes key, Last Thoughts can consistently replenish your hand, allowing you to maintain resource parity or even get ahead. Especially in slower-paced games, being able to draw extra cards can tip the scales in your favor.

How to beat

Last Thoughts is an intriguing card from the Magic: The Gathering universe, known for its cipher ability which lets you encode the spell onto a creature and replicate its effects. At the surface, it appears to give players a consistent card draw mechanism, allowing for deeper digging into the deck with each combat damage delivered to an opponent. This ability makes it important to consider ways to prevent the cipher player from gaining too much momentum.

To effectively challenge a player using Last Thoughts, one strategy is to limit their opportunities for successful attacks. Creature removal is key; spells that destroy or exile opposing creatures can break the cipher chain. Another tactic is to use counterspells to prevent Last Thoughts from resolving in the first place, halting the cipher loop before it starts. Creature spells with flash can also surprise an opponent by blocking an encoded creature. Lastly, enchantment removal can deal with the cipher once it’s attached.

Ultimately, disrupting the tempo of a deck focused on Last Thoughts is essential. By maintaining control of the battlefield and being prepared to counteract the encoded spells, you can negate the advantage that Last Thoughts could potentially offer an adversary, maintaining the balance of the game in your favor.

Cards like Last Thoughts

Last Thoughts is a unique add-on to the roster of card draw spells in Magic: The Gathering. This card bears a resemblance to spells like Think Twice, which also provides the advantage of card draw. However, Last Thoughts stands out with its cipher ability, allowing a player to encode the spell onto a creature to potentially draw many more cards over several turns. In contrast, Think Twice can be cast from the graveyard thanks to flashback but can only ever draw a player two cards at most.

Another comparable card is Inspiration, which draws two cards at instant speed, yet it lacks any repeatable effect. In contrast to Last Thoughts, Inspiration is a one-time event, missing the chance for ongoing card advantage. If we look at Cephalid Coliseum, players find a location-based method to acquire new cards. Unlike Last Thoughts, it also forces discarding, which could be a strategic benefit or drawback depending on your hand and game state.

Indeed, Last Thoughts delivers a strategic layer not found in many similar MTG spells. The cipher mechanic can lead to repeated card advantage, setting it apart and providing players with lasting benefits during a match.

Cards similar to Last Thoughts by color, type and mana cost

Inscription of Insight - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Last Thoughts MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash, 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 Last Thoughts and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Last Thoughts has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-04-15	If a creature with an encoded card deals combat damage to more than one player simultaneously (perhaps because some of the combat damage was redirected), the triggered ability will trigger once for each player it deals combat damage to. Each ability will create a copy of the exiled card and allow you to cast it.
2013-04-15	If another player gains control of the creature, that player will control the triggered ability. That player will create a copy of the encoded card and may cast it.
2013-04-15	If the creature leaves the battlefield, the exiled card will no longer be encoded on any creature. It will stay exiled.
2013-04-15	If the spell with cipher doesn’t resolve, none of its effects will happen, including cipher. The card will go to its owner’s graveyard and won’t be encoded on a creature.
2013-04-15	If you choose not to cast the copy, or you can’t cast it (perhaps because there are no legal targets available), the copy will cease to exist the next time state-based actions are performed. You won’t get a chance to cast the copy at a later time.
2013-04-15	If you want to encode the card with cipher onto a noncreature permanent such as a Keyrune that can turn into a creature, that permanent has to be a creature before the spell with cipher starts resolving. You can choose only a creature to encode the card onto.
2013-04-15	The copy of the card with cipher is created in and cast from exile.
2013-04-15	The exiled card with cipher grants a triggered ability to the creature it’s encoded on. If that creature loses that ability and subsequently deals combat damage to a player, the triggered ability won’t trigger. However, the exiled card will continue to be encoded on that creature.
2013-04-15	The spell with cipher is encoded on the creature as part of that spell’s resolution, just after the spell’s other effects. That card goes directly from the stack to exile. It never goes to the graveyard.
2013-04-15	You cast the copy of the card with cipher during the resolution of the triggered ability. Ignore timing restrictions based on the card’s type.
2013-04-15	You choose the creature as the spell resolves. The cipher ability doesn’t target that creature, although the spell with cipher may target that creature (or a different creature) because of its other abilities.