Compulsive Research MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 13 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Gain card advantage by drawing three cards and shaping strategic options during gameplay.
  2. Discard flexibility with lands enhances resource acceleration and hand maintenance.
  3. Strategic instant-speed setups can follow Compulsive Research’s sorcery application.

Text of card

Target player draws three cards. Then that player discards two cards unless he or she discards a land card.

"Four parts molten bronze, yes . . . one part frozen mercury, yes, yes . . . but then what?"


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Compulsive Research, you can dive deep into your deck by drawing three cards, significantly increasing your options and giving you the upper hand over opponents by broadening your strategic choices during play.

Resource Acceleration: This spell allows you to maximize your plays by discarding a land card instead of two cards if you choose, effectively turning a single card into multiple resources and keeping a fuller hand for future turns.

Instant Speed: Although Compulsive Research is a sorcery, its strategic use can set you up for a following turn where instant-speed spells become more effective. By ensuring you draw into more interactions, you maintain the rapid pace and flexibility essential for responding to threats or opportunities on the fly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Compulsive Research demands a player to discard a card upon casting unless they target themselves and discard a land card instead. This can present a challenge, especially when holding a hand full of key cards with no lands to spare, potentially disrupting strategic plays.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost includes a blue mana requirement, which might not synergize well with decks that are not centered around blue mana or those with a strict mana base, thus limiting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of three mana, including one blue, Compulsive Research may come across as a costly investment when measured against other draw spells in the format. Players prizing efficiency might opt for lower-cost alternatives that allow for maintaining tempo.


Reasons to Include Compulsive Research in Your Collection

Versatility: Compulsive Research serves as a potent tool in decks that capitalize on card draw and strategic discarding. With the ability to either accelerate your game plan or disrupt an opponent’s, it fits seamlessly into a range of blue-based strategies.

Combo Potential: Harnessing its power, players can sculpt the perfect hand or graveyard setup for various combo finishes. It’s particularly adept at facilitating reanimator strategies or enabling synergies with cards that profit from discard effects.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where card advantage is king, Compulsive Research shines by providing a significant draw effect. Its utility in adapting to an ever-shifting meta and its ease of integration into established archetypes make it a go-to for savvy collectors and competitive players alike.


How to beat

Compulsive Research is a well-known card drawing option for Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts. It stands out for allowing a player to draw three cards at the relatively modest cost of one blue and two colorless mana. What sets it apart is the caveat after the draw: you either discard two cards from your hand or discard a land card. It’s an engaging choice because it can serve as both a hand refiner and a land drop accelerator.

To effectively counteract the benefits of Compulsive Research, direct interference with the player’s graveyard could be the key. The likes of Tormod’s Crypt or Leyline of the Void can disrupt their plans. Additionally, proactive counterspells like Negate or Dovin’s Veto can prevent Compulsive Research from resolving altogether. Finally, hand disruption tactics, utilizing cards like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek, can strip this potent sorcery from the opponent’s hand before it can be cast, diminishing their ability to sculpt their hand and maintain card advantage.

Therefore, in a competitive game where every card play matters, understanding the intricacies of how to counter specific threats such as Compulsive Research can lead to strategic victories through foresight and disruption.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the art of MTG involves not just deck building but also understanding each card’s nuances. Compulsive Research is a classic example, offering substantial rewards for those who capitalize on its card advantage and strategic flexibility. It’s a quintessential piece in many blue-based arsenals, often tipping the scales toward victory. If you’re intrigued by the depth this card can bring to your gameplay or want to discover other sleeper hits that might enhance your collection, we’re here to guide you. Expand your strategic horizons and optimize your deck’s performance with our insights—step into a world of informed plays and calculated risks to outmaneuver the competition in every match.


Cards like Compulsive Research

Compulsive Research is a noteworthy card in the realm of card draw spells within Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to other draw spells like Concentrate, which allows the drawing of three cards without any additional requirements. Compulsive Research offers a nuanced twist with its potential for card selection, allowing you to discard either a land card or two cards if the draw isn’t what you need strategically.

Alongside, Thirst for Knowledge presents another compelling comparison. While it pulls three cards into your hand, much like Compulsive Research, it demands the discard of an artifact card or two cards if an artifact can’t be discarded. This provides a strategic depth that Compulsive Research also fits into, though Compulsive Research specifically focuses on land card filtration. Another card worth mentioning is Frantic Search, which, while drawing two cards and then discarding two, uniquely untaps three lands, potentially leaving you with mana to play the cards you’ve just drawn.

Delving into the analysis of card advantages and choices, Compulsive Research emerges as a versatile contender, empowering players with the ability to shape their hands and plan out future moves effectively in the landscape of MTG card draw spells.

Concentrate - MTG Card versions
Thirst for Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Frantic Search - MTG Card versions
Concentrate - Odyssey (ODY)
Thirst for Knowledge - Mirrodin (MRD)
Frantic Search - Urza's Legacy (ULG)

Cards similar to Compulsive Research by color, type and mana cost

Volcanic Eruption - MTG Card versions
Timetwister - MTG Card versions
Baleful Stare - MTG Card versions
Déjà Vu - MTG Card versions
Exhaustion - MTG Card versions
Political Trickery - MTG Card versions
Time Ebb - MTG Card versions
Dream Cache - MTG Card versions
Tinker - MTG Card versions
Sage's Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Undo - MTG Card versions
Ingenious Mastery - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Tasha's Hideous Laughter - MTG Card versions
Reminisce - MTG Card versions
Fabricate - MTG Card versions
Counsel of the Soratami - MTG Card versions
Vacuumelt - MTG Card versions
Wistful Thinking - MTG Card versions
Volcanic Eruption - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Timetwister - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Baleful Stare - Portal (POR)
Déjà Vu - Portal (POR)
Exhaustion - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Political Trickery - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Time Ebb - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Dream Cache - Tempest (TMP)
Tinker - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Sage's Knowledge - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Undo - Starter 1999 (S99)
Ingenious Mastery - Strixhaven: School of Mages (STX)
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Tasha's Hideous Laughter - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Reminisce - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Fabricate - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Counsel of the Soratami - Tenth Edition (10E)
Vacuumelt - Guildpact (GPT)
Wistful Thinking - Planar Chaos (PLC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Compulsive Research MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds and Magic Online Theme Decks, 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 Compulsive Research and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Compulsive Research Magic the Gathering card was released in 11 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12005-10-07Ravnica: City of GuildsRAV 402003normalblackMichael Sutfin
22010-11-08Magic Online Theme DecksTD0 A192003normalblackMichael Sutfin
32014-06-06ConspiracyCNS 932003normalblackMichael Sutfin
42014-11-07Commander 2014C14 1022015normalblackMichael Sutfin
52015-11-18Legendary Cube Prize PackPZ1 212015normalblackMichael Sutfin
62017-03-17Modern Masters 2017MM3 332015normalblackSara Winters
72017-06-16Archenemy: Nicol BolasE01 232015normalblackSara Winters
82020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 3942015normalblackSara Winters
92021-04-23Strixhaven Mystical ArchiveSTA 142015normalborderlessKristina Collantes
102021-04-23Strixhaven Mystical ArchiveSTA 772015normalborderlessTomohito
112022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 7152015normalblackSara Winters
122024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 3111997normalblackMichael Sutfin
132024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 382015normalblackMichael Sutfin

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Compulsive Research has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-03-14 The target player can discard either one land card or two cards which may or may not be lands. The player can discard one land and one other card or two land cards if they choose.

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