In Search of Greatness MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Abilities Scry

Key Takeaways

  1. It allows casting spells for free, potentially bypassing the need to draw additional cards.
  2. The card’s upkeep trigger provides a repeatable effect, simulating instant speed advantages.
  3. Despite benefits, its usage requires managing higher-cost cards in hand and specific mana.

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, you may cast a permanent spell from your hand with mana value equal to 1 plus the highest mana value among other permanents you control without paying its mana cost. If you don't, scry 1.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: In Search of Greatness offers a unique mechanism to potentially cheat cards onto the battlefield at the beginning of your upkeep. By comparing mana costs, it can keep your hand full by enabling you to play from your deck directly, circumventing traditional draw restrictions and generating continuous advantage.

Resource Acceleration: With this enchantment, players essentially bypass the mana costs of certain spells, accelerating their resource allocation. By effectively reducing the cost to nothing for the right card, In Search of Greatness can rapidly change the pace of the game in your favor.

Instant Speed: Although this card is not an instant, the trigger during the upkeep ensures that the effect is at the ready each turn, akin to having an instant-like effect in waiting. This unscheduled play disrupts opponents’ expectations and planning, comparable to the strategical benefits provided by instant speed spells.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In Search of Greatness necessitates having a higher-cost card in hand to play for free, which could lead to a less optimal hand if those cards aren’t readily available.

Specific Mana Cost: This enchantment requires both green mana and generic mana, potentially restricting its inclusion in multi-colored decks that may have a tighter mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a converted mana cost of two green mana and one other, In Search of Greatness has a steep entry point, especially when no immediate benefit is felt upon casting.


Reasons to Include In Search of Greatness in Your Collection

Versatility: In Search of Greatness offers a dynamic ability to potentially cast spells for free at the beginning of your upkeep, which means it can be a significant asset in various deck archetypes. Its condition for play and mana value fitting seamlessly into green-based decks, ranging from ramp to creature-heavy strategies, adds value to collections favoring such builds.

Combo Potential: This enchantment is a combo enabler. It interacts well with cards that manipulate library top cards or have variable mana costs. Players can orchestrate deck mechanics that ensure the correct mana value cards are on top of their library, ready to be cast for no mana, thereby unlocking powerful combo plays without expending resources.

Meta-Relevance: Given its capacity to reduce the cost of casting higher mana value spells and its synergy with permanents that have similar or lesser mana value, In Search of Greatness can adapt to a shifting meta. Its presence is particularly impactful in metas where keeping up with the tempo and resource management is crucial for maintaining an advantage over opponents.


How to beat

Devising a strategy to outplay ‘In Search of Greatness’ in the world of Magic: The Gathering hinges on understanding its potential to provide a mana advantage over time. At the dawn of each turn, this enchantment has the chance to cheat the mana cost of a permanent card, fostering an exponential threat the longer it remains on the battlefield. To combat this, consider incorporating cards that can swiftly remove enchantments from play, like Disenchant or Mortify. Additionally, control tactics that limit your opponent’s ability to keep a variety of different converted mana cost (CMC) permanents on the field are equally effective. Counterspells can prevent ‘In Search of Greatness’ from ever taking effect, and attacking your opponent’s hand with discard spells can dismantle their planned synergies. Keep in mind, cards with versatile answers, such as Assassin’s Trophy or Bedevil, offer solutions that adapt to various threats while keeping ‘In Search of Greatness’ in check. By prioritizing enchantment removal and control strategies in your deck, you maintain dominance against the continuous advantage ‘In Search of Greatness’ can otherwise provide.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the mechanics and potential of In Search of Greatness is essential for any MTG player looking to optimize their deck’s performance. This enchantment could revolutionize your gameplay, offering innovative ways to outpace your opponents. It’s imperative to evaluate both its advantages and limitations within your deck’s structure. If you’re eager to explore new strategies, harness powerful combos, and adapt to the ever-changing MTG meta, incorporating this card could be pivotal. For those ready to maximize their deck’s efficiency and experience what In Search of Greatness can truly offer, we’re here to guide you. Enhance your MTG collection and unlock new possibilities on your path to victory.


Cards like In Search of Greatness

In the realm of enchantments that continually provide value in Magic: The Gathering, In Search of Greatness is a unique gem. It shares the stage with cards like Sylvan Library, which also offers players a card advantage over time. Both these cards encourage strategic deck building, but while Sylvan Library allows for the manipulation of the top deck and gain of extra cards with a life cost, In Search of Greatness goes a different route by potentially cheating cards into play for free.

Exploring further, Mirari’s Wake is another enchantment that amplifies your gaming strategy and available resources, providing players with an additional mana boost and an anthem effect. Although it doesn’t directly put cards onto the battlefield like In Search of Greatness, Mirari’s Wake does increase the power of your creatures and the impact of your spells. On the contrary, as a card-specific to creature’s casting cost, In Search of Greatness can bypass mana costs under the right conditions making it a distinct and valuable addition to creature-focused decks.

When weighed against its counterparts, In Search of Greatness holds a prominent place in decks looking to maximize efficiency and gain an upper hand through constant on-board advantage. Its uniqueness lies in the synergy with creature casting costs and the potential for unanticipated plays without the need for additional mana expenditure.

Sylvan Library - MTG Card versions
Mirari's Wake - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Library - Legends (LEG)
Mirari's Wake - Judgment (JUD)

Cards similar to In Search of Greatness by color, type and mana cost

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Lifeforce - MTG Card versions
Gaea's Touch - MTG Card versions
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Aspect of Wolf - Treasure Chest (PZ2)
Regeneration - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Lifeforce - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
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Night Soil - Commander 2013 (C13)
Sylvan Library - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Primal Rage - Stronghold (STH)
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Crosswinds - Urza's Saga (USG)
Fortitude - Urza's Saga (USG)
Tranquil Grove - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Treetop Bracers - Tenth Edition (10E)
Root Cage - Prophecy (PCY)
Elfhame Sanctuary - Invasion (INV)
Compost - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Thoughtleech - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Weaver of Harmony - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Promos (PNEO)
Shigeki, Jukai Visionary - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Fertile Ground - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Quiet Disrepair - Future Sight (FUT)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase In Search of Greatness MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Kaldheim, 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 In Search of Greatness and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The In Search of Greatness Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2021-02-06. Illustrated by Ilse Gort.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 883462015normalblackIlse Gort
22021-02-05KaldheimKHM 1772015normalblackIlse Gort
32021-02-05KaldheimKHM 3642015normalblackIlse Gort
42021-02-06Kaldheim PromosPKHM 177s2015normalblackIlse Gort
52021-02-06Kaldheim PromosPKHM 177p2015normalblackIlse Gort

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where In Search of Greatness has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-02-05 A permanent spell is an artifact spell, a creature spell, an enchantment spell, or a planeswalker spell.
2021-02-05 Consider the other permanents you control as the triggered ability resolves to determine which spell you can cast. If the only other permanents you control are lands, or in the unlikely event you don’t control any other permanents, you may cast a permanent spell with converted mana cost 1 from your hand.
2021-02-05 If a permanent has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
2021-02-05 If the spell you cast has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X.
2021-02-05 If you cast a spell “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, those must be paid to cast the spell.

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