Root Out MTG Card


Root Out provides crucial card advantage while disrupting opponent strategies with targeted removal. Instant speed allows flexibility and strategic responses during critical phases of the game. Despite limitations like specific mana costs, its versatility makes it a sideboard staple.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Investigate

Text of card

Destroy target artifact or enchantment. Investigate. (Put a colorless Clue artifact token onto the battlefield with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.")


Cards like Root Out

Root Out is an interesting tool among artifact and enchantment removal options in Magic: The Gathering. It shares common ground with cards like Naturalize, which straightforwardly destroys an artifact or enchantment at the same mana cost. What sets Root Out apart is its Investigate mechanic, granting a Clue token that can be later sacrificed to draw a card, providing an edge in card advantage.

Another comparable card is Return to Nature. Costing the same amount of mana, this spell offers more versatility by not only dealing with artifacts and enchantments but also providing the option to exile cards from the graveyard. A useful trait in a meta filled with graveyard-based strategies. Yet, it lacks the Investigate mechanic of Root Out, which can be critical for drawing into more options.

In essence, Root Out holds its own within the scope of removal spells in Magic: The Gathering, due to its dual function of eliminating threats while also enhancing the card draw potential—an edge that can often tip the scales in a close match.

Naturalize - MTG Card versions
Return to Nature - MTG Card versions
Naturalize - MTG Card versions
Return to Nature - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Root Out by color, type and mana cost

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Ice Storm - MTG Card versions
Tranquility - MTG Card versions
Renewal - MTG Card versions
Seeds of Innocence - MTG Card versions
Fallow Earth - MTG Card versions
Untamed Wilds - MTG Card versions
Wing Snare - MTG Card versions
Squall - MTG Card versions
Deep Reconnaissance - MTG Card versions
Far Wanderings - MTG Card versions
Long Rest - MTG Card versions
Rosethorn Acolyte // Seasonal Ritual - MTG Card versions
Cultivate - MTG Card versions
Lovestruck Beast // Heart's Desire - MTG Card versions
Nissa's Pilgrimage - MTG Card versions
Recollect - MTG Card versions
Deconstruct - MTG Card versions
Kodama's Reach - MTG Card versions
Stomp and Howl - MTG Card versions
Thermokarst - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Root Out gives players the strategic benefit of revealing and removing key Artifacts or Enchantments, potentially disrupting an opponent’s game plan. By drawing a card after the destruction of a nonland permanent, Root Out ensures that you do not lose momentum, maintaining parity or even advancing in terms of card advantage on the field.

Resource Acceleration: While Root Out does not directly provide resource acceleration, the ability to stifle your opponent’s acceleration by targeting mana-producing or cost-reducing artifacts can indirectly maintain or accelerate your own resource advantage. It’s a way to keep the scales of resource management tipping in your favor.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Root Out offers flexibility during gameplay, allowing players to act in response to an opponent’s threats or actions. Whether it’s interrupting a combo in progress, preemptively dealing with an impending threat, or simply using mana efficiently before the next turn begins, the speed at which this spell can be cast is integral to its strategic value. It aligns perfectly with the fast-paced decision-making that characterizes skilled MTG play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Root Out card demands the sacrifice of a clue, which represents an additional resource investment which may not always be advantageous if your resources are spread thin.

Specific Mana Cost: It requires two generic and one green mana, necessitating a dedication towards green mana resources. This might restrict its integration into multicolor decks or those with a tight mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana total, might be considered steep for its artifact and enchantment removal effect, when other cards in the game might provide similar outcomes for less or no mana at all, particularly in green’s abundant suite of cheaper naturalize effects.


Reasons to Include Root Out in Your Collection

Versatility: Root Out can be a useful addition to decks that need enchantment and artifact control. It’s sideboard-worthy for handling problematic non-creature permanents across various formats.

Combo Potential: In decks that capitalize on Clue tokens or sacrifice mechanics, Root Out not only disrupts opponents but also turns into card advantage or fuels other aspects of your strategy.

Meta-Relevance: Given a meta with heavy artifact or enchantment presence, including Root Out ensures you’re prepared to dismantle key components of your opponent’s game plan, maintaining competitive edge.


How to beat

Root Out is an intriguing utility spell that finds its place in the sideboards of green decks in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to destroy an artifact or enchantment and investigate can be a game-changer in the right matchup. To effectively counter Root Out, consider the timing of your plays. Avoid over-committing artifacts or enchantments to the board if you suspect your opponent has Root Out in hand. Instead, bait it out with less critical permanents or wait until you can protect your key pieces with counterspells or hexproof granting abilities.

Another strategy to outmaneuver Root Out is to prioritize permanents that provide immediate value or have indestructible, as these are less susceptible to disruptive spells. Playing around Root Out may also involve keeping an eye on your opponent’s mana availability, as this instant spell requires three mana, including one green. By forcing them to hold up mana for Root Out, you effectively slow them down, affording you the advantage of developing your board or holding up your countermeasures at a more relaxed pace.

Ultimately, though Root Out offers both removal and card advantage, smart play and strategic deck building can neutralize its impact, letting you maintain the upper hand in your MTG encounters.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the art of disruption and card draw in MTG can be critical to your success as a player. With the strategic insight gained from Root Out’s flexible destruction and card advantage mechanics, players can safeguard their gameplay from a broad spectrum of threats. If you’re keen to optimize your deck’s performance and gain the upper hand against enchantment-heavy or artifact-driven opponents, diving deeper into our resources could significantly boost your win rates. Explore the multifaceted uses of Root Out and similar spells with us, heighten your strategic plays, and maintain the advantage in your MTG battles. Learn more with BurnMana.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Root Out MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Mystery Booster, 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 Root Out and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Root Out Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2023-04-21. Illustrated by Daniel Ljunggren.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 2242015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 13172015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
32020-09-26The ListPLST SOI-2242015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
42023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 3112015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Root Out has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2016-04-08 If you sacrifice a Clue for another card's cost or effect, such as that of Angelic Purge or Tamiyo's Journal, you can't also pay and sacrifice it to draw a card.
2016-04-08 The token is named Clue Token and has the artifact subtype Clue. Clue isn't a creature type.
2016-04-08 The tokens are normal artifacts. For example, they can be sacrificed to cast Angelic Purge or targeted by Root Out.
2016-04-08 You can't cast a spell without choosing legal targets. If all of those targets become illegal, the spell doesn't resolve and you won't investigate.