Bitter Revelation MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Bitter Revelation provides card advantage by revealing top four cards, granting players strategic hand flexibility.
  2. The sorcery demands a tough choice; discarding two cards can be a significant drawback in play.
  3. Its unique depth makes it a strategic asset, suitable for decks needing specific combos or meta relevance.

Text of card

Look at the top four cards of your library. Put two of them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard. You lose 2 life.

"Here you lie then, Ugin. The corpses of worlds will join you in the tomb." —Sorin Markov


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Diving into the depths of your library, Bitter Revelation offers the ability to sift through the top four cards, ultimately adding two of your choice to your hand. This strategic selection harnesses card advantage, keeping your options flexible and your hand full.

Resource Acceleration: While Bitter Revelation doesn’t directly ramp your mana, it propels your strategic plays. By filtering the top four cards and selecting key pieces for your game plan, you effectively streamline your draw to access the resources you need sooner.

Instant Speed: Despite Bitter Revelation playing at sorcery speed, its inclusion in your strategy means you can plan around your main phases wisely. It lets you allocate mana efficiently during your turn, enabling you to make the most informed decisions with a freshly bolstered hand.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In the realm where hand size equates to options, Bitter Revelation demands a tough decision post-resolution. It necessitates the discard of two cards from the four revealed. When you’re clinging onto key cards for victory, this can severely disrupt your strategy, forcing hard decisions that could alter the course of the game.

Specific Mana Cost: The inflexibility of Bitter Revelation’s mana cost cannot be overstated. Costing two generic and two black mana means it is inherently limited to decks that can comfortably support a double black mana requirement, thus narrowing its compatibility and potentially straining mana resources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When considering card advantage tools, efficiency is key. Bitter Revelation sits at a four mana price point — a significant investment for the effect provided. In the landscape of Magic, where tempo can dictate the winner, the cost of this spell may be too steep, especially when alternative cards can offer similar or better advantages for less mana investment.


Reasons to Include Bitter Revelation in Your Collection

Versatility: Bitter Revelation offers a valuable peek into your deck, allowing you to select from among four cards and giving you the flexibility to shape your hand according to the current game state. This makes it suitable for various deck strategies, particularly those that require specific combo pieces or answers.

Combo Potential: This card allows you to dig deeper into your deck, thereby increasing the chance of finding synergistic elements or key components for your combos. Additionally, it feeds the graveyard, which could be pivotal for strategies revolving around recursion or threshold mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where knowledge and card selection often dictate the victor, Bitter Revelation stands as a meta-relevant choice. It tailors your resources to better combat prevalent strategies, making it an astute addition if the environment hinges on sustained hand advantage and strategic plays.


How to beat

Bitter Revelation is a black sorcery spell that delves deep into your deck, allowing you to look at the top four cards, select two of them to add to your hand, and then lose 2 life. The trade-off between card selection and life reduction is a strategic decision point for players. It grants an edge in options but at the cost of making them potentially more vulnerable to aggressive strategies.

When facing an opponent who uses Bitter Revelation, the key is to keep the pressure high. Aggressive and fast-paced decks can capitalize on the life loss, outpacing any card advantage gained. Additionally, deploying cards that restrict or punish card draw, such as Narset, Parter of Veils or Notion Thief, can nullify the benefit of Bitter Revelation, leaving your opponent at a net loss. After all, the advantage gained from this spell is mitigated if you can maintain a swifter and more damaging board presence than the card advantage can repair.

Understanding the give-and-take nature of Bitter Revelation is crucial. Applying consistent pressure and tactical disruption to your adversary’s card draw mechanics will position you to overcome the potential card advantage they derive from this dark revelation. Prioritize swift, impactful plays that can overwhelm the slower, strategic depth Bitter Revelation provides.


Cards like Bitter Revelation

Bitter Revelation stands out in the array of card advantage options available in Magic: The Gathering. It provides a deep look into your deck, revealing the top four cards and allowing you to choose two to keep. This functionality echoes that of other black spells like Sign in Blood, with the key difference that Bitter Revelation digs deeper, albeit at a higher mana cost and with an extra point of life loss.

Another comparable card is Night’s Whisper, which offers a straightforward draw for less mana but less selection, revealing only the top two cards of your deck. Bitter Revelation’s selection process provides a strategic advantage, giving you more control over the cards that end up in your hand. Read the Bones is also a relative card, sharing the scry ability before drawing cards, which is akin to Bitter Revelation’s approach in filtering out unwanted cards, albeit it doesn’t allow you to see as many cards upfront.

Assessing the comparative aspects of each card, Bitter Revelation is a valuable asset for decks that can afford to pay four mana and the two life for the potential of a high reward in finding the right pieces for the game’s current scenario.

Sign in Blood - MTG Card versions
Night's Whisper - MTG Card versions
Read the Bones - MTG Card versions
Sign in Blood - Magic 2010 (M10)
Night's Whisper - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Read the Bones - Theros (THS)

Cards similar to Bitter Revelation by color, type and mana cost

Stench of Evil - MTG Card versions
Fatal Lore - MTG Card versions
Mind Warp - MTG Card versions
Final Strike - MTG Card versions
Persecute - MTG Card versions
Ancient Craving - MTG Card versions
Unmask - MTG Card versions
Reprocess - MTG Card versions
Befoul - MTG Card versions
Mutilate - MTG Card versions
Extinction Event - MTG Card versions
Terisiare's Devastation - MTG Card versions
Zombify - MTG Card versions
Cranial Extraction - MTG Card versions
Aphetto Dredging - MTG Card versions
Agonizing Memories - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Memoricide - MTG Card versions
Massacre - MTG Card versions
All Hallow's Eve - MTG Card versions
Stench of Evil - Ice Age (ICE)
Fatal Lore - Alliances (ALL)
Mind Warp - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Final Strike - Portal (POR)
Persecute - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Ancient Craving - Crimson Vow Commander (VOC)
Unmask - From the Vault: Lore (V16)
Reprocess - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Befoul - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Mutilate - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Extinction Event - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Terisiare's Devastation - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Zombify - Masters 25 (A25)
Cranial Extraction - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Aphetto Dredging - Premium Deck Series: Slivers (H09)
Agonizing Memories - Tenth Edition (10E)
Diabolic Tutor - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Memoricide - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Massacre - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
All Hallow's Eve - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bitter Revelation MTG card by a specific set like Khans of Tarkir 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 Bitter Revelation and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bitter Revelation Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2014-09-26 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Viktor Titov.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 652015normalblackViktor Titov
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 5722015normalblackViktor Titov
32020-09-26The ListPLST KTK-652015normalblackViktor Titov
42020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 1092015normalblackViktor Titov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bitter Revelation has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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