Illusionary Informant MTG Card

Grants peek at your deck, providing card advantage and strategic insights during gameplay. Demands discarding and specific mana, which might limit its use in diverse deck builds. Flies and partners with cohort cards, making it versatile in control and flying archetypes.

Illusionary Informant - Conspiracy: Take the Crown

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Bird Illusion
Abilities	Flying
Released	2016-08-26
Set symbol
Set name	Conspiracy: Take the Crown
Set code	CN2
Power	1
Toughness	3
Number	32
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Tomasz Jedruszek

Text of card

Draft Illusionary Informant face up. During the draft, you may turn Illusionary Informant face down. If you do, look at the next card drafted by a player of your choice. Flying

Cards like Illusionary Informant

Illusionary Informant carves out a niche for itself in the realm of creature spells in Magic: The Gathering. It shares some common ground with cards like Sage Owl, which also allows a peek at the top few cards of a player’s library. Both creatures possess the ability to influence the draw by rearranging those cards. However, what stands out for Illusionary Informant is its Flying trait and its partnership with other cards that utilize the cohort ability, presenting a unique advantage.

Comparatively, Augury Owl mirrors the library manipulation aspect, but it does so when entering the battlefield, whereas Illusionary Informant requires an activation. This delineation offers players a strategic choice based on the state of the game. Moreover, Spire Owl is another card that filters the top four cards upon its arrival. Though it grants immediate organization of the upcoming draws, it lacks Illusionary Informant’s potential for repeatable effect through its cohort mechanic.

Assessing their various attributes, Illusionary Informant stands as a versatile and tactical option within creature spells, optimized in decks that synergize with its cohort feature and those that benefit from consistent top-deck control.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Illusionary Informant lets you peek into the future of your deck, potentially drawing you a card that can tip the scales in a tight match.

Resource Acceleration: With the ability to sift through your library, the card can indirectly accelerate your resources by ensuring you draw into the lands or spells you need to execute your strategy faster.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Illusionary Informant at instant speed adds to its tactical strength, allowing you to adapt to the evolving battlefield without skipping a beat.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Illusionary Informant requires the player to discard another card, which could be a strategic setback if your hand is already running low on options.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a very particular mana setup to cast, which means it fits best in decks that can reliably produce the necessary blue mana, potentially limiting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Given that Illusionary Informant’s abilities may not align with its casting cost, players might find it difficult to justify including it over other cards that provide more impactful plays for the same, or even lower, mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Illusionary Informant can be slipped easily into various deck archetypes due to its low casting cost and utility as both a creature and an information-gathering tool. Its presence in your arsenal ensures you’re prepared with a tactical advantage, no matter the opponent.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with strategies emphasizing surveillance and deck manipulation. As a flying creature, it also complements decks focused on air superiority, potentially unlocking synergy with other creatures or spells that benefit from flying allies.

Meta-Relevance: As the game environment fluctuates, having access to a card like Illusionary Informant can be crucial. It functions as a counterpoint to strategies that rely on surprise or hidden information, making it a smart inclusion as the meta shifts towards more interactive or control-heavy playstyles.

How to beat

The Illusionary Informant may not appear formidable at first glance, but its capacity to disrupt your game plan is not to be underestimated. Unlike other creatures that simply add power to the board, the Informant’s peek-and-reveal ability can give the opponent valuable insights into your strategy while also morphing into a surprising offensive asset. Handling this clairvoyant creature requires a strategic approach.

One effective strategy includes using instant-speed removal spells, which can deal with the Informant before it flips or triggers its formidable ability. Spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can efficiently dispose of the creature at minimal cost. Additionally, employing counterspells to prevent the Informant from ever touching the battlefield is a solid tactic since counter magic avoids the potential card advantage the creature’s controller might gain. Be vigilant of blue mana left open during drafting; it’s often wiser to put down threats when the opponent’s guard is potentially down.

Ultimately, maintaining a read on the battlefield and having removal or countermeasures ready is key in managing the unique challenges posed by Illusionary Informant. Employing these strategies should effectively neutralize its spying ways and maintain the integrity of your game plan.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Illusionary Informant MTG card by a specific set like Conspiracy: Take the Crown, 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 Illusionary Informant and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Illusionary Informant has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2016-08-23	Once a player has put a card into their pile of drafted cards, it’s too late to turn Illusionary Informant face down to look at that card. As a courtesy, you should alert the player as soon as they are passed the booster pack.