Implement of Examination MTG Card
2017-01-20 - Number 156
2020-11-12 - Number 244
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact |
Key Takeaways
- Provides card draw and mana acceleration, crucial for maintaining hand resources and deck flow.
- Its instant speed activation allows for flexible responses during opponents’ turns.
- Specific mana costs and high activation investment might limit its deck compatibility.
Text of card
, Sacrifice Implement of Examination: Draw a card. When Implement of Examination is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.
A tool to see the unseen.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Implement of Examination provides a significant option for card draw. As a source of card advantage, this artifact, once sacrificed, allows you to draw an additional card, keeping your hand stocked with options and potentially leading to game-changing plays.
Resource Acceleration: If you’re looking to ramp up your resources, this card can boost your mana pool. It offers a strategic advantage by letting you sift through your deck and draw into more land or spells, thereby speeding up the execution of your game plan.
Instant Speed: One of the key aspects of Implement of Examination is its ability to be activated at instant speed. This flexibility means you can respond to your opponents’ actions on their turn or at the end of their turn, optimizing the timing of your card draw and maintaining the element of surprise.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Implement of Examination necessitates discarding a card, which can be particularly taxing when your hand is already dwindling, making it less attractive in situations where card advantage is crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost for this artifact is strictly blue, thereby narrowing its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce blue mana, potentially excluding it from a wider range of strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting and activation cost that is somewhat steep, players might find the total investment in mana not entirely efficient when they need to maintain tempo or when facing aggressive decks that demand quicker responses.
Reasons to Include Implement of Examination in Your Collection
Versatility: Implement of Examination offers flexibility in deck building, as it’s a low-cost artifact that can be used in a variety of blue-based strategies. Its ability to draw a card upon leaving the battlefield makes it useful for maintaining card flow in control or tempo decks.
Combo Potential: This card holds the ability to combo with strategies that care about artifacts being sacrificed for value, or being cycled through the deck rapidly. In decks that manipulate draw or utilize graveyard strategies, Implement of Examination can be a subtle yet powerful enabler.
Meta-Relevance: Depending on the evolving meta, Implement of Examination can provide an extra edge by being an inconspicuous but impactful card. As metagames often shift towards efficiency and card advantage, having a utility artifact that keeps cards coming can be key to outpacing opponents.
How to beat
Implement of Examination is a unique card from the arsenal of Magic: The Gathering tools, offering players both card draw and a peek into an opponent’s plan. Facing down this artifact can be tricky; its ability to sacrifice and draw a card gives your opponent a significant advantage in terms of information and resources. To effectively counteract Implement of Examination, consider direct removal options for artifacts or cards that limit your opponent’s card draw capabilities. Cards like By Force or Release the Gremlins can be very efficient in dealing with this potential threat before it’s sacrificed for value.
In the matchup against Implement of Examination, it’s also crucial to manage the pace of the game. If your opponent is planning to sacrifce it to draw cards, deploying a strategy that emphasizes speed can help you maintain an edge. Stripping their hand with targeted discard spells or applying pressure with quick, aggressive creatures can prevent your opponent from utilizing the full potential of their card draw. Thus, maintaining a balance between disruption and pressure is key when navigating a match against this intriguing artifact.
Overall, understanding and forecasting your opponent’s plays with Implement of Examination while actively disrupting their tactics can tilt the game in your favor and neutralize the card’s impact on the match.
Cards like Implement of Examination
Implement of Examination presents an intriguing option within Magic: The Gathering’s suite of card draw artifacts. It carries similarities to cards like Alchemist’s Vial and Pyxis of Pandemonium, which also have abilities that can affect the flow of the game beyond simply drawing cards. Alchemist’s Vial allows for a brief control of combat dynamics, while Pyxis of Pandemonium can drastically change the board state when its later ability is triggered.
Conversely, Golden Egg is another card that provides mana fixing and card draw, though without the conditional aspect of Implement of Examination that grants card draw upon going to the graveyard. The versatility of mana generation that Golden Egg provides is often more immediately impactful, but Implement offers increased draw potential over time. Additionally, Magnifying Glass gives a similar long-term investment in card advantage, but leans towards a more costly mana investment for the activation of its ability.
In sum, while each artifact offers a different tactical approach, Implement of Examination holds a unique position for players who can capitalize on sending it to the graveyard, giving it an edge in decks that can exploit such interactions.
Cards similar to Implement of Examination by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Implement of Examination MTG card by a specific set like Aether Revolt and Kaladesh Remastered, 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 Implement of Examination and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Implement of Examination Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-01-20 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by Darek Zabrocki.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-01-20 | Aether Revolt | AER | 156 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Darek Zabrocki | |
| 2 | 2020-11-12 | Kaladesh Remastered | KLR | 244 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Darek Zabrocki |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Implement of Examination has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Implement of Examination card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-02-09 | An Implement’s last ability triggers no matter why it’s put into a graveyard from the battlefield. You don’t have to activate its first ability. |
| 2017-02-09 | If you activate an Implement’s first ability, you’ll draw a card from its second ability before the first ability resolves. If the first ability has a target, you need a legal target to activate that ability, and you choose that target before seeing what card you’ll draw. |
