Illuminate History MTG Card
2021-04-23 - Number 108
2021-04-23 - Number 312
2021-04-24 - Number 108s
2021-04-24 - Number 108p
2002-06-24 - Number 90124
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery — Lesson |
Text of card
Discard any number of cards, then draw that many cards. Then if there are seven or more cards in your graveyard, create a 3/2 red and white Spirit creature token.
"Look at the detail in this stonework! Professor, our assumptions about early Kathorran tool use may not be correct."
Cards like Illuminate History
Illuminate History is a unique entry into Magic: The Gathering’s landscape of card advantage mechanics. In gameplay, it reminds one of Cathartic Reunion in that both provide the opportunity to discard and draw cards, yet Illuminate History offers a Lesson learned if discarding any number of cards. Unlike Cathartic Reunion’s upfront draw three after a discard of two, Illuminate History allows a potentially more significant hand refresh late in the game.
Another parallel can be drawn with Thrilling Discovery, which increases life alongside the draw-discard dynamic, still at a lower overall mana value. Illuminate History does not confer life but can furnish a higher quantity of cards to cycle from the hand. More aligned with its mechanical theme is the card Faithless Looting, which, although efficient in cost, does not boast the same late-game potency as Illuminate History’s potential for a sizeable one-time hand renovation coupled with its learn mechanic.
Assessing these card advantage tools in MTG, Illuminate History distinguishes itself with its selection and setup for later turns, suggesting strategic depth for players who thrive on foresight and maximization of their draw and discard strategies.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Illuminate History grants you a unique edge by delving into your graveyard and drawing cards equal to the number of different mana values among nonland cards there. This mechanic not only replenishes your hand but also utilizes resources that are typically inaccessible once used.
Resource Acceleration: Upon hitting a threshold of four or more different mana values within your graveyard, Illuminate History allows the addition of a 3/2 red Spirit creature token to your battlefield. This extra creature can prove crucial, acting as a surprise blocker or an unexpected source of additional damage, essentially speeding up your board presence.
Instant Speed: While Illuminate History operates at sorcery speed, being part of the Learn mechanic offers a tactical advantage. It enables you to adapt on-the-fly and fetch important Lesson cards from outside the game mid-battle, providing instant responses to the evolving game state and outmaneuvering opponents with timely tricks.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Illuminate History card necessitates discarding as part of its Lorehold ability. This might deplete your hand faster, especially troubling if you are trying to maintain a specific card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Illuminate History requires a combination of red and white mana, limiting its seamless integration into multi-colored or colorless decks that don’t have easy access to these mana types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of four, including two that must be red or white, Illuminate History may be considered costly, especially when other cards could potentially provide similar effects or greater board impact at a lower cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Illuminate History offers great flexibility in deckbuilding due to its ability to enable both graveyard strategies and spell-slinging approaches. It’s perfect for decks that capitalize on sorceries and casting multiple spells in a turn.
Combo Potential: With its Learn mechanic, Illuminate History synergizes well with other cards with Lesson and can be part of powerful draw and discard combos, making it a linchpin in decks aiming to optimize hand and graveyard manipulation.
Meta-Relevance: Given its niche in supporting strategies that fill the graveyard, Illuminate History proves its worth in metas where casting spells from the graveyard or leveraging graveyard resources are key components of winning strategies.
How to beat
Illuminate History is a unique card from Magic: The Gathering, providing both graveyard interaction and card advantage. This prowess offers a selective draw, allowing you to discard and then draw from a new selection of cards. When compared to other looting spells, the ability to potentially refill your hand can be powerful, yet this can also be a double-edged sword.
When facing Illuminate History, the key to success is applying graveyard control. Cards that exile the graveyard, like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void, can neutralize the benefits Illuminate History offers. Moreover, since it’s part of the Learn mechanic, denying the opponent access to their sideboard with cards like Drannith Magistrate can significantly diminish its impact. Containment Priest can also be strategically used to ensure that any creatures that might be cheated onto the battlefield from the graveyard are instead exiled.
Ultimately, while Illuminate History can swing the game by refilling a player’s hand and offering a strategic advantage, incorporating graveyard hate and controlling Lesson access into your deck will give you the upper hand against this spell.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Illuminate History MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Illuminate History 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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Printings
The Illuminate History Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-04-23 and 2021-04-24. Illustrated by Jokubas Uogintas.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 90124 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jokubas Uogintas | ||
| 2 | 2021-04-23 | Strixhaven: School of Mages | STX | 108 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jokubas Uogintas | |
| 3 | 2021-04-23 | Strixhaven: School of Mages | STX | 312 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jokubas Uogintas | |
| 4 | 2021-04-24 | Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos | PSTX | 108s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jokubas Uogintas | |
| 5 | 2021-04-24 | Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos | PSTX | 108p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jokubas Uogintas |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Illuminate History has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Illuminate History card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-04-16 | Although you may want to include Lessons in your sideboard if you’re playing with cards that instruct you to learn, Lesson cards can be included in your main deck like other instant or sorcery cards. |
| 2021-04-16 | Illuminate History will stay on the stack until it is finished resolving, so it will not count itself as one of the cards in your graveyard. |
| 2021-04-16 | Lesson is a spell subtype found on some instant and sorcery cards in the Strixhaven set. The Lesson subtype has no special rules associated with it. |
| 2021-04-16 | You may choose not to discard any cards as Illuminate History resolves. In that case, you will not draw any cards, but you might still create a Spirit. |