Divining Witch MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Spellshaper
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Divining Witch allows on-demand deck sifting, potentially accelerating your victory by drawing strategic cards.
  2. Its instant-speed activation offers tactical responses, fitting well into high-skill and reactive playstyles.
  3. Using the Witch requires a card discard, which might compromise hand advantage in crucial moments.

Text of card

o1o B, oc T, Discard a card from your hand: Name a card. Remove the top six cards of your library from the game. Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal the named card, then put that card into your hand. Remove all other cards revealed this way from the game.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Divining Witch offers the strategic advantage of streamlining your deck mid-game by essentially searching for a specific card. This can significantly improve your chances of drawing into key pieces of your strategy, giving you an edge over opponents by maintaining a qualitative card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing mana, Divining Witch can be an asset in accelerating your game plan. By selectively discarding a card to then search for another, you’re effectively expediting access to your vital resources and can potentially fast-track your win condition.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of Divining Witch’s ability being activated at instant speed allows savvy players to respond to opponents’ actions or end of their turns. This instantaneous utility makes your game play less predictable and more reactive, offering a tactical advantage often seen in higher-tier play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Using Divining Witch requires players to discard a card, potentially depleting valuable hand resources. This can be particularly detrimental in gameplay where maintaining card advantage is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Divining Witch demands both black mana and generic mana, which means it’s not as flexible as cards with generic mana costs alone. Its color-specific requirement can restrict its inclusion to decks that can consistently produce black mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana and an activation cost that also requires one black mana, Divining Witch has a relatively high cost for its ability. Players might opt for alternative cards that provide similar effects without the same financial burden on their mana pool.


Reasons to Include Divining Witch in Your Collection

Versatility: Divining Witch offers a flexible means to sift through your deck, finding key cards and adapting your strategy on the fly to meet changing game conditions.

Combo Potential: This card can be an essential piece in various combo decks, working in concert with graveyard mechanics or setting up predictable draws that can lead to game-winning turns.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where having control over your deck’s consistency is paramount, Divining Witch shines by disrupting opponents’ expectations and enabling precise play sequences.


How to beat

Divining Witch is a unique card in the MTG universe, providing players with a specific and controlled method of sifting through their deck. The Witch’s ability to combine deck manipulation with a potentially game-altering effect through the Nightmare mechanic is both a boon and a challenge. Notably, it’s a card that demands a strategy to overcome when faced across the table.

Countering Divining Witch begins with understanding the rhythm and timing of its activation. Since using the Witch’s ability is not without cost, players can exploit moments when activation could be detrimental to the opponent. Employing instant-speed removal or graveyard disruption when the Witch’s ability is on the stack can effectively neutralize the threat. Furthermore, since Divining Witch’s effectiveness is heavily reliant on the graveyard, cards that exile or shuffle the graveyard back into the library can dismantle the engine it tries to create.

In essence, a proactive approach to managing threats and well-timed disruption can turn the tides against Divining Witch. Thoughtful play and selection of countermeasures are essential for those looking to minimize its impact and keep the advantage on their side of the battlefield.


Cards like Divining Witch

Divining Witch offers Magic: The Gathering players a unique spin on the concept of card selection. In the realm of comparison, Demonic Consultation springs to mind, both having the potential to exile a multitude of cards to get to a desired one. But unlike Demonic Consultation, Divining Witch allows you to manipulate the next draw through its activated ability but at a potential cost of exiling precious cards from your deck.

Similarly, we see Infernal Tutor holding a parallel in demanding deck knowledge and manipulation. Although Infernal Tutor locks you into revealing a card from your hand, it guarantees the drawn card, whereas Divining Witch involves the risk of losing essential pieces by activating its ability. Another interesting counterpart is Doomsday, which also strategizes around the concept of deck manipulation. Doomsday constructs a tailor-made pile of cards but requires a more intricate and precise game plan as compared to the more flexible Divining Witch.

Assessing these alternatives, it’s evident that while Divining Witch might not offer the direct access of Infernal Tutor or the game-ending potential of Doomsday, it provides a versatile tool for sculpting the perfect draw, making it a card that thrives on foresight and strategic risk-taking within Magic: The Gathering.

Demonic Consultation - MTG Card versions
Infernal Tutor - MTG Card versions
Doomsday - MTG Card versions
Demonic Consultation - Ice Age (ICE)
Infernal Tutor - Dissension (DIS)
Doomsday - Weatherlight (WTH)

Cards similar to Divining Witch by color, type and mana cost

Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Erg Raiders - MTG Card versions
Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
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Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Skullsnatcher - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Stromgald Crusader - MTG Card versions
Scarred Vinebreeder - MTG Card versions
Drudge Skeletons - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Erg Raiders - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Cuombajj Witches - Chronicles (CHR)
Order of the Ebon Hand - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Bog Imp - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Wall of Corpses - Mirage (MIR)
Rabid Rats - Stronghold (STH)
Dakmor Bat - Portal Second Age (P02)
Ravenous Rats - Invasion (INV)
Flesh Reaver - Urza's Saga (USG)
Bloodcurdler - Odyssey (ODY)
Nantuko Shade - Commander 2014 (C14)
Piper of the Swarm - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Undead Augur - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Shepherd of Rot - Onslaught (ONS)
Swarm of Rats - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Skullsnatcher - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Nezumi Cutthroat - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Stromgald Crusader - Coldsnap (CSP)
Scarred Vinebreeder - Lorwyn (LRW)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Divining Witch MTG card by a specific set like Nemesis and The List, 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 Divining Witch and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Divining Witch Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2000-02-14 and 2000-02-14. Illustrated by Donato Giancola.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12000-02-14NemesisNEM 571997normalblackDonato Giancola
22020-09-26The ListPLST NEM-571997normalblackDonato Giancola

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Divining Witch has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 You name a card during resolution of the ability.

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