Diabolic Intent 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
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a creature. Search your library for a card, put that card into your hand, then shuffle.
Complete guide
Diabolic Intent is a powerful tutor that offers a high-impact effect for a low mana cost, provided you have a creature to spare. It serves as a spiritual successor to Demonic Tutor, trading away the life of a minion for the exact resource you need to win the game.
What It Does
Diabolic Intent is a sorcery that costs two mana and the sacrifice of a creature. In exchange, it allows you to search your entire library for any single card, put it into your hand, and then shuffle your deck.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, you announce the spell and pay the mana cost plus the additional cost of sacrificing a creature. Because the sacrifice is an additional cost, it happens immediately; players cannot respond to the sacrifice to 'kill' the creature before it is gone. Second, if the spell resolves, you look through your library and choose any card. Finally, you move that card to your hand and shuffle your library.
Common Mistakes
A common error is trying to cast this spell when you have no creatures on the board; you cannot bypass the sacrifice cost. Additionally, remember that you must sacrifice exactly one creature. You cannot sacrifice extra creatures to search for more cards, nor can you choose not to sacrifice one if you want to cast the spell.
When to Play It
This card shines in decks with expendable tokens or creatures with 'enter the battlefield' or 'death' triggers. It is best used when you are ready to find a combo piece or a silver bullet that answers your opponent's current board state.
Interaction examples
Demonic TutorWhile Demonic Tutor is simpler to cast, Diabolic Intent provides a second copy of this powerful effect in Commander or Eternal formats. By sacrificing a small creature, Diabolic Intent functions identically to Demonic Tutor, letting you find the win condition you need.
ReanimateYou can sacrifice a high-cost creature to Diabolic Intent to search your library for Reanimate. Once Diabolic Intent resolves, the creature you sacrificed is in the graveyard and Reanimate is in your hand, allowing you to bring that same creature back for just one black mana.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Diabolic Intent
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell; you cannot cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you cannot sacrifice additional creatures.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Players can only respond once this spell has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting this spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell; you cannot cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you cannot sacrifice additional creatures.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Players can only respond once this spell has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting this spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
You must choose a card if there are any in your library.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Diabolic Intent
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.