Case of the Ransacked Lab 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
Instant and sorcery spells you cast costless to cast. To solve — You've cast four or more instant and sorcery spells this turn. (If unsolved, solve at the beginning of your end step.) Solved — Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, draw a card.
Complete guide
Case of the Ransacked Lab is a blue enchantment that rewards players who specialize in casting a high volume of spells. This Case begins by discounting your magic and evolves into a powerful card-draw engine once you meet its investigative requirements. Mastering this card requires careful tracking of your spell count and understanding the specific timing of the Case keyword.
Efficiency and Investigation
While Case of the Ransacked Lab is on the battlefield, all instant and sorcery spells you cast cost {1} generic mana less to cast. This is a static ability that applies immediately. To solve the Case, you must cast four or more instant and sorcery spells during a single turn. It is important to note that the Case doesn't have to be on the battlefield for all four spells; it only needs to be present during your end step to recognize that the condition was met earlier in the turn.
Solving the Mystery
The 'To solve' ability is a triggered ability that checks at the beginning of your end step. If you have cast four or more instant or sorcery spells that turn, the ability triggers and goes on the stack. Upon resolution, it checks the condition again. If you still meet the criteria, the Case becomes 'Solved'. Once solved, it gains a new triggered ability: whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you draw a card. Crucially, the cost reduction remains active even after the Case is solved.
Strategic Timing
Because the Case only checks its 'To solve' condition at the beginning of the end step, you cannot solve it in the middle of your main phase to start drawing cards immediately. You must wait for the end step to trigger the solved status. This means your big 'combo turn' usually happens the turn after you solve the Case. Additionally, if the Case leaves the battlefield and returns, it enters as a new, unsolved object.
Interaction examples
Rhystic StudyIf your opponent has Rhystic Study in play, they may demand you pay {1} for every spell you cast. If you are casting an instant spell that normally costs {1}{U}, Case of the Ransacked Lab reduces that cost to {U}. However, the tax from Rhystic Study is an additional cost. You would apply the reduction first, then the tax, meaning you would still pay {1}{U} total to prevent your opponent from drawing a card.
PropagandaIf you are facing a Propaganda, you must pay {2} for each creature you wish to attack with. While Case of the Ransacked Lab reduces the cost of casting your spells, it does not reduce the cost of attacking or other non-spell actions. You will still need to pay the full {2} per creature to attack, but the mana you saved by casting cheaper sorceries earlier in the turn can be used to fund these combat costs.
If you cast four sorceries during your main phase and Case of the Ransacked Lab is on the battlefield, the 'To solve' ability triggers at the start of your end step. Once it resolves, the Case is marked as solved. On your next turn, every instant or sorcery you cast will cost {1} less and will trigger a card draw, allowing you to cycle through your deck rapidly.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Case of the Ransacked Lab
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Each Case has two special keyword abilities: to solve and solved.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
"To Solve — [condition]" means "At the beginning of your end step, if [condition] and this Case is not solved, it becomes solved."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
The meaning of "solved" differs based on what type of ability follows it. "Solved — [activated ability]" means "[Activated ability]. Activate only if this Case is solved." Activated abilities contain a colon. They're generally written "[Cost]: [Effect]."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
"Solved — [Triggered ability]" means "[Triggered ability]. This ability triggers only if this Case is solved." Triggered abilities use the word "when," "whenever," or "at." They're often written as "[Trigger condition], [effect]."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
"Solved — [static ability]" means "As long as this Case is solved, [static ability]." Static abilities are written as statements, such as "Creatures you control get +1/+1" or "Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost
less to cast."No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
"To solve" abilities will check for their condition twice: once when the ability would trigger, and once when it resolves. If the condition isn't true at the beginning of your end step, the ability won't trigger at all. If the condition isn't true when the ability resolves, the Case won't become solved.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Once a Case becomes solved, it stays solved until it leaves the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Cases don't lose their other abilities when they become solved.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Being solved is not part of a permanent's copiable values. A permanent that becomes a copy of a solved Case is not solved. A solved Case that somehow becomes a copy of a different Case stays solved.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Orvar, the All-Form + Mystic Sanctuary + Dream's Grip + Aquitect's Will
- 1Cast Dream's Grip by paying
, targeting Mystic Sanctuary. - 2Orvar and Case of the Ransacked Lab trigger.
- 3Resolve the Orvar trigger, creating a token copy of Mystic Sanctuary.
- 4When the Mystic Sanctuary token enters the battlefield untapped, it triggers, putting Aquitect's Will from your graveyard onto the top of your library.
- 5Resolve the Case of the Ransacked Lab trigger, drawing Aquitect's Will from the top of your library.
- 6Resolve Dream's Grip, untapping Mystic Sanctuary.
- 7Activate Mystic Sanctuary and the Mystic Sanctuary token by tapping them, adding .
- 8Cast Aquitect's Will by paying , targeting Mystic Sanctuary.
Blazing Firesinger // Seething Song + Emiel the Blessed + Case of the Ransacked Lab
- 1Cast a copy of Seething Song from exile by paying no more than
, adding . - 2When you cast that spell, if Case of the Ransacked Lab is solved, it triggers.
- 3Holding priority, activate Emiel the Blessed by paying
, blinking Blazing Firesinger, which enters prepared. - 4Repeat any number of times.
- 5Resolve any number of triggers from Case of the Ransacked Lab, if it was solved, drawing any number of cards.
- 6If the remaining number of Case of the Ransacked Lab triggers is greater than the number of cards in your library, you must win the game or remove those triggers from the stack at instant speed to avoid losing the game from drawing from an empty library.
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker + Blazing Firesinger // Seething Song + Hematite Talisman + Case of the Ransacked Lab
- 1Activate Kiki-Jiki by tapping it, copying Blazing Firesinger. It'll enter prepared due to its effect.
- 2Cast a copy of Seething Song by paying due to Case of the Ransacked Lab.
- 3Hematite Talisman triggers, causing you to pay to untap Kiki-Jiki.
- 4Resolve Seething Song, adding .
- 5Repeat.
Haakon, Stromgald Scourge + Morophon, the Boundless + Nameless Inversion + Case of the Ransacked Lab
- 1Cast Nameless Inversion from your graveyard, as it is a Knight card, by paying
due to Case of the Ransacked Lab and Morophon, giving a creature +3/-3 until end of turn. - 2If the creature has toughness 0 or less, the creature dies as a state-based action.
- 3Repeat as desired.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Case of the Ransacked Lab
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.