Know Evil MTG Card
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Scheme |
| Released | 2017-06-16 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Archenemy: Nicol Bolas Schemes |
| Set code | OE01 |
| Number | 8★ |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Scheme |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Anthony Palumbo |
Text of card
When you set this scheme in motion, until your next turn, up to one target opponent can't attack with creatures, up to one target opponent can't cast creature spells, and up to one target opponent can't cast noncreature spells. You can't target any player more than once.
Cards like Know Evil
Know Evil is an intriguing entry in the spectrum of control cards available to Magic: The Gathering aficionados. It shares similarities with other cards that grant access to your opponent’s strategies, such as Praetor’s Grasp. Like Know Evil, Praetor’s Grasp allows players to look into an opponent’s library and exile a card. However, what sets Know Evil apart is its potential to play the exiled card using any color of mana, which is a significant flexible advantage.
Comparatively, Gonti, Lord of Luxury offers a similar effect but is packaged in a creature card, which has its perks and detriments. Gonti lets you exile the top four cards of an opponent’s library and play one of them, much like Know Evil. However, Know Evil doesn’t inherit the limitations of a creature’s susceptibility to removal. Lastly, there’s the infamous classic, Thoughtseize, which allows you to look at an opponent’s hand and exile a nonland card of your choice. While Thoughtseize provides upfront knowledge and disruption, Know Evil surpasses in long-term strategic advantage by potentially utilizing your opponent’s cards against them.
When assessing the tactical depth and versatility, players might find Know Evil a noteworthy option, elevating the deceptive tactics in their MTG arsenal to new heights.
Cards similar to Know Evil by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Know Evil provides a significant upper hand by revealing four cards from the top of your library and giving you the power to pick one that will further your strategy. This selection method not only bolsters your hand but also equips you with knowledge about upcoming draws, letting you plan several moves ahead.
Resource Acceleration: In the world of MTG, time is mana, and Know Evil ensures you stay ahead of the curve. Upon casting, it potentially rids your opponent of a key resource while simultaneously ramping up your mana reserves, setting the stage for more powerful spells and a fortified board state in the early to mid-game.
Instant Speed: Reactivity is a player’s best friend, and Know Evil operates on this principle. Castable at instant speed, it integrates seamlessly into your strategy, allowing you to adapt to the evolving game without missing a beat. This flexibility ensures you’re always ready to counteract an opponent’s move or capitalize on a window of opportunity when they least expect it.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Essential for activating the card’s ability, the discard requirement of Know Evil means you might deplete valuable hand assets, effectively diminishing your strategic options and potentially handing an advantage to your opponents.
Specific Mana Cost: Sporting both black and blue mana in its casting cost, Know Evil is inherently restricted to decks that can produce these colors, potentially limiting its versatility across varied deck archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that can be considered steep relative to other cards with similar effects, Know Evil demands significant investment, which could impact your plays by diverting important resources that may have been used for other pivotal game actions.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Know Evil offers flexibility for deck builders, easily integrating into strategies that prioritize information disruption and card advantage.
Combo Potential: This card works well with strategies that benefit from opponents discarding cards, potentially unlocking devastating synergies in the right build.
Meta-Relevance: As the game environment evolves, knowing your opponent’s hand can be critical. Know Evil remains a relevant choice to counteract surprise tactics and strategic plays in various metagames.
How to beat
Know Evil is a unique card in the world of MTG that can pose a significant challenge to many players. Its ability to give insight into an opponent’s plan by revealing their hand can be quite disruptive. It also grants the user an opportunity to play a nonland card from the opponent’s hand, potentially turning their own strategies against them.
To effectively counteract Know Evil, it’s crucial to incorporate instant-speed interaction in your deck, such as discard spells or counterspells. These tools can be used to disrupt your opponent’s hand, making it less likely for them to benefit from your hand’s contents. Furthermore, holding back on casting your most impactful cards until you can protect them or until after Know Evil’s effect has resolved ensures that the information gained by your opponent becomes quickly outdated.
Lastly, deck strategies that operate on a wide array of redundant pieces or those that don’t rely heavily on specific nonland cards are less vulnerable to Know Evil’s disruptive force. Focusing on maintaining a low profile with your hand while using such strategies can significantly diminish the impact of Know Evil on your game plan.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Know Evil MTG card by a specific set like Archenemy: Nicol Bolas Schemes, 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 Know Evil 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
See MTG Products
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Know Evil card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-06-13 | If you don’t have three opponents left, you choose which effects won’t have a target. For example, if you have only one opponent left, you can choose no target for the first or second effect and just stop that player from casting noncreature spells. |
| 2017-06-13 | If you leave a Supervillain Rumble game after setting this scheme in motion but before your next turn begins, its effects last until your next turn would have begun. They neither expire immediately nor last indefinitely. |
| 2017-06-13 | The player who can’t cast noncreature spells can still play lands. |
| 2017-06-13 | You can’t target the same player more than once with this scheme’s ability. This ability doesn’t affect choosing targets for spells and other abilities. |