Aven Mindcensor is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Flash Flying If an opponent would search a library, that player searches the top four cards of that library instead.
Complete guide
Aven Mindcensor is a classic disruptive creature that restricts your opponents' access to their own resources. By limiting their search range to just the top four cards, it turns reliable tutors into risky gambles. This Bird Wizard is a staple for players who want to enforce fair play and punish greedy library manipulation.
Restricting the Search
Aven Mindcensor features a powerful static ability that creates a replacement effect. Whenever an opponent is instructed to search a library, they are restricted to looking at only the top four cards of that library. They cannot look at any other cards, and for the purposes of that search, the rest of the library effectively does not exist. This applies to any search effect, whether it targets their own library or yours.
Resolution Step-by-Step
When an opponent's search effect begins to resolve while Aven Mindcensor is on the battlefield, the player identifies the top four cards of the library. If the effect allows them to find multiple cards, they must find them all from within those specific four cards; finding one card does not 'reveal' the fifth card for the next search. Once they have chosen their cards (or failed to find any), the entire library is shuffled as instructed by the original effect.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is assuming that searching only four cards doesn't count as 'searching the library' for other card triggers. Official rulings clarify that this still counts as a full library search. Additionally, remember that Aven Mindcensor has Flash. You can cast it in response to an opponent's search spell or ability to surprise them after they have already paid the costs for their search.
When to Deploy
Because of Flash, Aven Mindcensor is best played when a search ability is already on the stack. This ensures the opponent has committed their mana or sacrificed a permanent before they realize their search will be severely limited. It is particularly effective against 'fetch' lands or ramp spells that rely on finding specific basic land types.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf an opponent plays Solemn Simulacrum and its 'enters' ability triggers, you can cast Aven Mindcensor in response. When the Simulacrum's ability resolves, the opponent may only look at the top four cards of their library for a basic land. If no basic land is among those four cards, they find nothing, though they still shuffle their library afterward.
Roaming ThroneIf an opponent controls Roaming Throne with 'Golem' chosen and plays Solemn Simulacrum, the search ability triggers twice. With Aven Mindcensor on the battlefield, the opponent will search the top four cards for the first trigger, shuffle, and then search the top four cards (which may be different due to the shuffle) for the second trigger. Aven Mindcensor applies to every individual search an opponent attempts.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Aven Mindcensor
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Each search works exactly the same as normal except that the opponent doing the searching sees only the top four cards of that library. They can't look at the other cards in that library at all. Cards not in the top four cards of the library can't be found in the search, even if they're identifiable in some manner.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
For effects that check whether a player searched a library or may search a library, searching the top four cards of that library counts as searching that library.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect uses the word "search" once but allows an opponent to search for multiple cards, the top four cards remain the same throughout the entire search. Finding one card won't cause the fifth card to become included in the search.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
After the search is complete, the entire library is shuffled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Aven Mindcensor
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.