Harsh Scrutiny MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Scry |
| Released | 2016-09-30 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Kaladesh |
| Set code | KLD |
| Number | 85 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Vincent Proce |
Text of card
Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose a creature card from it. That player discards that card. Scry 1.
"If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear." —Enforcer-Chief Ranaj
Cards like Harsh Scrutiny
Harsh Scrutiny finds its niche within the realm of creature removal and hand disruption in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest relative might be Thoughtseize, a renowned spell that targets any nonland card for a mere extra mana, but at the cost of two life. The key differentiation lies in Harsh Scrutiny’s limitation to creatures and the scry bonus, providing a subtle deck manipulation advantage alongside its peek and pluck strategy.
Then there’s Duress, which forgoes targeting creatures altogether, focusing instead on noncreature, nonland cards. It costs the same mana as Harsh Scrutiny, but lacks the beneficial scry 1. While Duress hits a different array of cards, the scrying ability gives Harsh Scrutiny an edge in fine-tuning upcoming draws, particularly in creature-heavy metas.
Considering the likes of Despise as well, we observe a balance between the broader removal spectrum of Thoughtseize and the precision of Harsh Scrutiny’s creature focus. With Despise, one can whisk away creatures or planeswalkers, yet it remains a cut below Harsh Scrutiny for those valuing that subtle deck sculpting scry provides.
Overall, Harsh Scrutiny holds a special place among its peers, navigating between disrupting opponent’s creatures and refining one’s own draws for an orchestrated play experience.
Cards similar to Harsh Scrutiny by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Harsh Scrutiny gives you the ability to peek into your opponent’s hand, providing an insight into their upcoming plays. This information can be crucial in disrupting their strategy, preserving your card advantage by making informed decisions in following turns.
Resource Acceleration: Although Harsh Scrutiny doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it tactically impedes your opponent’s creature-based resources. By removing a potential threat from their hand before they’ve had a chance to cast it, you can effectively slow down their game plan.
Instant Speed: Harsh Scrutiny operates at sorcery speed, which aligns perfectly with your first main phase, letting you set the pace of the game by affecting your opponent’s hand before they can build a formidable board presence.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In the case of Harsh Scrutiny, while dissecting an opponent’s hand can be strategic, the requirement to target a creature card specifically presents a limitation. If your opponent’s hand is devoid of creatures, the card’s potential impact is significantly reduced.
Specific Mana Cost: Harsh Scrutiny’s black mana cost confines its integration predominantly to black or multicolored decks. For players not running black mana resources, including this card in their deck is not feasible.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Considering Harsh Scrutiny’s pinpoint focus on creatures and its one-time use, the single black mana cost may be seen as steep relative to other options. Cards like Duress offer broader discard options and may provide a more comprehensive disruption to your opponent’s strategy for the same cost.
Reasons to Include Harsh Scrutiny in Your Collection
Versatility: Harsh Scrutiny offers a proactive approach to disrupting your opponent’s game plan early on. Its ability to peek at an opponent’s hand and remove a creature before it even hits the board makes it flexible enough to slot into a variety of black decks, particularly those looking to gain early game advantage.
Combo Potential: Not merely a disruption tool, Harsh Scrutiny synergizes with decks focused on information warfare and hand disruption, pairing well with cards that profit from an opponent’s decreased options. Additionally, feeding the graveyard can enable strategies focused on delve mechanics or reanimation tactics.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-heavy decks are prevalent, Harsh Scrutiny shines by offering an inexpensive method to scout for threats and streamline your game plan accordingly. It’s a low-cost investment with the potential to pivot the tide of early exchanges in your favor, a critical aspect of competitive play.
How to beat
Harsh Scrutiny is a tactical card in Magic: The Gathering that puts your opponent at a slight disadvantage by allowing you to peek at their hand and pluck out a creature, sending it to the graveyard. Moreover, you get to scry 1, essentially streamlining your next draw. Overcoming this card’s effect involves smart deck construction and gameplay tactics.
One strategy is to diversify your deck with a blend of creature and non-creature spells. This way, if Harsh Scrutiny targets you, the impact is mitigated by the likelihood of having non-creature options in hand. In addition, running cards with graveyard retrieval capabilities or utilizing spells like Opt that functionally replace the scrutinized creature by digging deeper into your deck helps maintain your game’s flow.
Playing cards that benefit from being in the graveyard or having graveyard synergy is also an effective counter strategy. This turns a potential setback into an advantage, as cards like Harsh Scrutiny can inadvertently support your strategic objectives. In essence, if you expect to face Harsh Scrutiny, prepare your deck to either minimize its influence or exploit it to further your own gameplay.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Harsh Scrutiny MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh, 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 Harsh Scrutiny and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Harsh Scrutiny has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Harsh Scrutiny card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-09-20 | You scry 1 even if that player has no creature card to discard. |