Glimpse the Unthinkable MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeSorcery
Abilities Mill

Key Takeaways

  1. Glimpse the Unthinkable catalyzes mill strategies, efficiently thinning opponent’s decks and hastening victory.
  2. Demands specific mana but strengthens Dimir decks with its impactful, singular milling action.
  3. Despite mana cost considerations, it remains a formidable tool to deplete key resources in gameplay.

Text of card

Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

"I am confident that if anyone actually penetrates our facades, even the most perceptive would still be fundamentally unprepared for the truth of House Dimir." —Szadek


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Glimpse the Unthinkable, you can drastically thin out your opponent’s library, effectively giving you a significant advantage as they inch closer to running out of cards.

Resource Acceleration: This card fits seamlessly into mill decks aiming for a quick victory through deck depletion rather than traditional damage, thereby accelerating your path to your win condition.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant, its one-time high impact usage makes up for the lack of speed by potentially removing a large number of resources from your opponent in one go, disrupting their strategy considerably.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Glimpse the Unthinkable doesn’t have a direct discard requirement, its primary function reduces your deck’s contents significantly. This could potentially lead to self-mill, especially if you’re facing an opponent who can take advantage of your filled graveyard.

Specific Mana Cost: Glimpse the Unthinkable comes with a stringent mana requirement—one blue and one black. This specific cost demands a commitment to a Dimir-colored deck or at least heavy mana fixing to support a multicolor deck that wants to harness this card’s power.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although two mana might not seem steep, in fast-paced games, spending two mana on a non-creature spell that doesn’t immediately affect the board can be a setback. Moreover, there are other mill cards and strategies that may offer more flexibility or additional benefits for the mana spent.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Glimpse the Unthinkable offers a powerful option for decks focusing on milling opponents. It’s an ideal fit for any strategy that aims to deplete the enemy’s library, either as a primary plan or as a secondary tactic to exhaust their resources.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes with numerous mill-themed cards and interactions. Integrating Glimpse the Unthinkable with effects that trigger upon a card entering a graveyard from a library can dismantle opponents quickly and efficiently.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where long games dominate, deploying Glimpse the Unthinkable can rapidly accelerate the endgame. It’s particularly impactful when games hinge on key cards, as it increases the chances those cards end up in the graveyard before they can be utilized.


How to beat

Glimpse the Unthinkable is a powerful card that slots into mill decks, aiming to deplete an opponent’s library. The immediate impact of sending ten cards from a deck into the graveyard can be a devastating move, bringing your adversary significantly closer to losing the game. Yet, there are strategies to counter this potent card.

To safeguard your deck against such a threat, including cards that disrupt mill strategies or that benefit from having a filled graveyard is wise. Cards like Leyline of Sanctity provide hexproof, preventing targeted spells like Glimpse the Unthinkable from affecting you directly. Additionally, employing the use of Eldrazi titans such as Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, which shuffle back the entire graveyard into the library when they hit the graveyard, can nullify the mill effects.

Building your resilience through flexible sideboard choices or integrating specific cards into your main deck that counter mill strategies will significantly diminish the impact of Glimpse the Unthinkable. Mindful deck construction and anticipation of mill strategies can turn the tables, making Glimpse the Unthinkable much less threatening.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving into the MTG realm, every card selection can change the tide of battle. Glimpse the Unthinkable is a prime asset for mill deck enthusiasts, pushing opponents to the brink as their libraries dwindle. While embracing its power, be aware of its limitations and build your deck wisely to mitigate potential drawbacks. Looking to sharpen your strategy and become a formidable force at your next match? Explore the depths of your deck-building creativity and challenge the meta. Perfecting your playstyle and mastering the art of milling require both skill and knowledge. Join us for more insights and make your next game a testament to strategic mastery.


Cards like Glimpse the Unthinkable

Glimpse the Unthinkable has carved its niche in Magic the Gathering as a powerhouse for mill strategies. It shares its milling prowess with cards like Mind Sculpt, which also targets an opponent to put several cards from their library into their graveyard. Yet Glimpse the Unthinkable leads in efficiency, banishing ten cards with a single cast, whereas Mind Sculpt manages only seven.

Another cousin in the mill family is Archive Trap, which can particularly be a game-changer given the right conditions. If an opponent searches their library, Archive Trap may be cast for free and mills significantly more at a staggering thirteen cards. However, outside of that specific condition, it’s less mana-efficient than Glimpse the Unthinkable. Breaking // Entering is a more versatile spell, offering not just a mill option but also the potential for a reanimation effect. Yet, when focusing strictly on the milling aspect, it falls short, milling only eight cards, compared to Glimpse the Unthinkable’s ten.

Examining the options side by side, it’s clear that Glimpse the Unthinkable stands tall among its contemporaries, providing a straightforward and hard-hitting approach to the mill strategy for players in Magic the Gathering.

Mind Sculpt - MTG Card versions
Archive Trap - MTG Card versions
Breaking // Entering - MTG Card versions
Mind Sculpt - Magic 2013 (M13)
Archive Trap - Zendikar (ZEN)
Breaking // Entering - Dragon's Maze Promos (PDGM)

Cards similar to Glimpse the Unthinkable by color, type and mana cost

Diabolic Vision - MTG Card versions
Sealed Fate - MTG Card versions
Psychic Drain - MTG Card versions
Scarscale Ritual - MTG Card versions
Mind Grind - MTG Card versions
Paranoid Delusions - MTG Card versions
Thought Erasure - MTG Card versions
Extract Brain - MTG Card versions
Cruel Somnophage // Can't Wake Up - MTG Card versions
Wail of the Forgotten - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Vision - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Sealed Fate - Mirage (MIR)
Psychic Drain - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Scarscale Ritual - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Mind Grind - Gatecrash (GTC)
Paranoid Delusions - Gatecrash (GTC)
Thought Erasure - The List (PLST)
Extract Brain - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
Cruel Somnophage // Can't Wake Up - Wilds of Eldraine (WOE)
Wail of the Forgotten - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Promos (PLCI)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Glimpse the Unthinkable MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Glimpse the Unthinkable and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Glimpse the Unthinkable Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2022-07-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 1022972015normalblackDrew Tucker
22005-10-07Ravnica: City of GuildsRAV 2082003normalblackBrandon Kitkouski
32017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 2002015normalblackBrandon Kitkouski
42018-11-02GRN Guild KitGK1 152015normalblackBrandon Kitkouski
52022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 5002015normalblackBrandon Kitkouski
62022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 3782015normalborderlessDrew Tucker
72022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 2182015normalblackBrandon Kitkouski
82022-07-28Historic Anthology 6HA6 82015normalblackBrandon Kitkouski

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Glimpse the Unthinkable has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
GladiatorLegal
TimelessLegal

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