Mindscour Dragon MTG Card


Mindscour Dragon - Fate Reforged
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Dragon
Abilities Flying,Mill
Released2015-01-23
Set symbol
Set nameFate Reforged
Set codeFRF
Power 4
Toughness 4
Number41
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byWesley Burt

Key Takeaways

  1. Mindscour Dragon excels in spellslinging decks, offering significant card advantage and resource acceleration.
  2. Despite its versatility, the requirement to discard and specific mana cost can hinder its effectiveness.
  3. Its potential for abuse in graveyard-centric strategies makes it a meta-relevant card in slower decks.

Text of card

Flying Whenever Mindscour Dragon deals combat damage to an opponent, target player puts the top four cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

"The bells may one day ring as an anthem of our own end." —Kyu, Sage-Eye mystic


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mindscour Dragon gives you the potential to sift through the top four cards of your library and then draw a card every time you target it with a spell, ensuring a steady flow of options.

Resource Acceleration: This card synergizes well with decks built around spellslinging, effectively turning each instance of targeting it into an opportunity to delve into your library faster, thus accelerating your access to crucial resources.

Instant Speed: While Mindscour Dragon itself isn’t an instant, its ability to benefit from instant-speed spells targeting it during either player’s turn is a tactical advantage, adapting to the ebb and flow of the game for optimal timing.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Mindscour Dragon necessitates a card discard for its ability to take effect, which can be detrimental if your hand is already depleted or if you’re trying to maintain card advantage against your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Mindscour Dragon requires both blue and generic mana, potentially restricting its integration into multi-colored decks that might not consistently produce the necessary mana types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost needing six mana, this Dragon may hit the battlefield later than other creatures, potentially delaying your game plan especially in faster-paced matches where tempo is crucial.


Reasons to Include Mindscour Dragon in Your Collection

Versatility: Mindscour Dragon is adaptable to various gameplay strategies. Its flying ability ensures it slots nicely into decks that prioritize evasive creatures, and its mill feature adds another layer of utility, integrating well with strategies that capitalize on graveyard mechanics.

Combo Potential: Boasting the potential to mill four cards whenever it deals combat damage to a player, Mindscour Dragon synergizes with decks that profit from opponents’ graveyard fill. Combining this dragon with other cards can set up powerful plays, disrupt opponents’ strategies, and pave the way for graveyard-based win conditions.

Meta-Relevance: If the current competitive scene leans towards slower, control-oriented decks, Mindscour Dragon can serve as an excellent foil. Not only can it apply pressure through direct damage, but it also incrementally manipulates the opponent’s deck, disrupting carefully crafted game plans and enabling strategic advantages over the course of a match.


How to Beat Mindscour Dragon

Mindscour Dragon is a formidable flyer that you might encounter in MTG. This dragon presents a unique challenge, not only due to its aerial prowess but also because it mills four cards from a player’s library whenever it deals combat damage to a player. Overcoming such threats requires a well-thought strategy.

To gain an upper hand against Mindscour Dragon, control decks that incorporate counterspells are highly effective. Spells like Negate or Dissipate can prevent the dragon from ever hitting the battlefield. Should the creature manage to slip through, removal spells are your next line of defense, with options like Doom Blade or Path to Exile offering a swift and cost-efficient solution. Additionally, enhancing your deck with graveyard shuffle effects such as the Eldrazi titans—Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, or Kozilek, Butcher of Truth—can mitigate the potential card loss from its milling ability.

By integrating these countermeasures, you can shield your game from the impact of Mindscour Dragon and maintain dominance over the skies. Fine-tuning your deck to handle such high-threat creatures is pivotal for anyone looking to excel in the MTG arena.


Cards like Mindscour Dragon

Mindscour Dragon is an intriguing creature card in MTG that offers players a unique advantage through its ability to mill the opponent. A close relative in this category would be Jace’s Mindseeker, another flying creature that not only mills but also allows you to cast an instant or sorcery card from among those put into the graveyard. While Mindscour Dragon requires you to connect with an opponent in combat, Jace’s Mindseeker has the benefit of triggering its effect when it enters the battlefield.

Looking at creatures with similar mill effects, we can also compare Phenax, God of Deception. Although not a dragon, Phenax offers a consistent mill effect without the need for combat, but it’s dependent on creature toughness and requires a devotion to blue and black to be a creature itself. Mindscour Dragon’s requirement to deal combat damage for its effect aligns more closely with aggressive strategies.

Each card offers a different approach to milling, a tactic that can be vital in certain MTG strategies. As a flying creature with mill potential, Mindscour Dragon occupies a specific niche that, when paired with the right deck, can be a formidable force in the game.

Jace's Mindseeker - MTG Card versions
Phenax, God of Deception - MTG Card versions
Jace's Mindseeker - Magic 2014 (M14)
Phenax, God of Deception - Born of the Gods (BNG)

Cards similar to Mindscour Dragon by color, type and mana cost

Sea Serpent - MTG Card versions
Sibilant Spirit - MTG Card versions
Drifting Djinn - MTG Card versions
King Crab - MTG Card versions
Sea Monster - MTG Card versions
Sun Quan, Lord of Wu - MTG Card versions
Sliptide Serpent - MTG Card versions
Mahamoti Djinn - MTG Card versions
Deepfathom Skulker - MTG Card versions
Shoreline Ranger - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Dismisser - MTG Card versions
Novijen Sages - MTG Card versions
Draining Whelk - MTG Card versions
Arcanis the Omnipotent - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Dragon - MTG Card versions
Frost Titan - MTG Card versions
Deadeye Navigator - MTG Card versions
Harbor Serpent - MTG Card versions
Skyline Predator - MTG Card versions
Isperia's Skywatch - MTG Card versions
Sea Serpent - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Sibilant Spirit - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Drifting Djinn - Urza's Saga (USG)
King Crab - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Sea Monster - Tenth Edition (10E)
Sun Quan, Lord of Wu - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Sliptide Serpent - Nemesis (NEM)
Mahamoti Djinn - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Deepfathom Skulker - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Shoreline Ranger - Scourge (SCG)
Vedalken Dismisser - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Novijen Sages - Dissension (DIS)
Draining Whelk - Time Spiral (TSP)
Arcanis the Omnipotent - Commander 2017 (C17)
Quicksilver Dragon - Duel Decks: Jace vs. Chandra (DD2)
Frost Titan - Magic 2012 (M12)
Deadeye Navigator - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Harbor Serpent - Magic 2013 (M13)
Skyline Predator - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Isperia's Skywatch - Return to Ravnica (RTR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mindscour Dragon MTG card by a specific set like Fate Reforged, 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 Mindscour Dragon and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mindscour Dragon has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

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