Dichotomancy 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
For each tapped nonland permanent target opponent controls, search that player's library for a card with the same name as that permanent. Put those cards onto the battlefield under your control, then that player shuffles. Suspend 3—(Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay
Complete guide
Dichotomancy is a high-stakes sorcery that turns your opponent's own resources against them by scouring their library for duplicates of their tapped permanents. Whether you pay its hefty nine-mana cost or utilize the suspend mechanic to wait it out, it promises to swing the momentum of any game. Mastering this card requires careful timing to ensure your opponent's most powerful pieces are tapped when the spell finally resolves.
A Mirror Image from the Library
Dichotomancy targets a single opponent and checks the state of their battlefield at the moment of resolution. It looks specifically for nonland permanents that are currently tapped. For every eligible permanent, you search that opponent's library for a card with the same name and put it directly onto the battlefield under your control. This makes it particularly effective against decks that rely on attacking with creatures or using activated abilities of artifacts and enchantments.
The Suspension System
Because this spell costs nine mana, the Suspend 3 ability is often your best friend. For just three mana, you can exile Dichotomancy with three time counters. During each of your upkeeps, you remove a counter. When the last one is gone, a trigger goes on the stack allowing you to cast it for free. Note that you choose the target opponent only when the spell is finally cast from exile, not when you first suspend it. If you choose not to cast it when the last counter is removed, it remains in exile forever.
Resolution and Auras
All permanents you find in the library enter the battlefield simultaneously. This creates a specific interaction with Aura cards: if you find an Aura, it must be able to attach to a permanent already on the battlefield. It cannot be attached to another permanent that is entering the battlefield at the same time via the same Dichotomancy. If there is no legal permanent to attach an Aura to, that Aura card simply stays in your opponent's library.
Common Pitfalls
Remember that Dichotomancy ignores lands, so even if your opponent's lands are tapped, you cannot search for them. Additionally, if the opponent has a tapped token, you can still search their library for a card with that token's name. However, if the token doesn't share a name with a physical card in their deck (which is common), you simply won't find anything for that specific permanent. Finally, if the spell is countered or the second suspend trigger is countered, the card stays in exile and is no longer considered 'suspended'.
Interaction examples
Aminatou's AuguryIf you use Aminatou's Augury and reveal Dichotomancy, you can cast it for free immediately since it is a sorcery. This bypasses the three-turn wait of Suspend and the nine-mana cost, allowing you to suddenly double your opponent's tapped board state mid-game.
Treasure CruiseSuppose your opponent has a tapped creature and several untapped ones. You cast Dichotomancy. In response, your opponent casts Treasure Cruise to draw cards. If they do not tap their other creatures to pay for costs or abilities, Dichotomancy will only find a copy of the creature that was already tapped when it resolves. The state of the board is checked only upon resolution, so any permanents tapped after the spell is cast but before it resolves will be counted.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Dichotomancy
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The mana value of a spell cast without paying its mana cost is determined by its mana cost, even though that cost wasn't paid.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Suspend is a keyword that represents three abilities. The first is a static ability that allows you to exile the card from your hand with the specified number of time counters (the number before the dash) on it by paying its suspend cost (listed after the dash). The second is a triggered ability that removes a time counter from the suspended card at the beginning of each of your upkeeps. The third is a triggered ability that gives you the option to cast the card when the last time counter is removed.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You can exile a card in your hand using suspend any time you could cast that card. Consider its card type, any effects that modify when you could cast it (such as flash) and any other effects that stop you from casting it (such as from Meddling Mage's ability) to determine if and when you can do this. Whether you could actually complete all steps in casting the card is irrelevant. For example, you can exile a card with suspend that has no mana cost or that requires a target even if no legal targets are available at that time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Cards exiled with suspend are exiled face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Exiling a card with suspend isn't casting that card. This action doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell requires any targets, those targets are chosen when the spell is finally cast, not when it's exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect refers to a "suspended card," that means a card that (1) has suspend, (2) is in exile, and (3) has one or more time counters on it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If the first triggered ability of suspend (the one that removes time counters) is countered, no time counter is removed. The ability will trigger again at the beginning of the card's owner's next upkeep.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
When the last time counter is removed, the second triggered ability of suspend (the one that lets you cast the card) triggers. It doesn't matter why the last time counter was removed or what effect removed it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
If the second triggered ability is countered, the card can't be cast. It remains exiled with no time counters on it, and it's no longer suspended.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
Due to a recent rules change to suspend, you are no longer required to cast the suspended card as the second triggered ability of suspend resolves. Instead, as the second triggered ability resolves, you may cast the card. Timing permissions based on the card's type are ignored. If you don't cast the card, it remains exiled with no time counters on it, and it's no longer suspended.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a card "without paying its mana cost," such as with suspend, you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those if you want to cast the card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
If the card has
in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
The cards all enter simultaneously. If one of the cards that's entering is an Aura, it must enter attached to a permanent already on the battlefield. It can't enter attached to another permanent entering via Dichotomancy. If an Aura can't enter this way, it remains in the opponent's library.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Dichotomancy
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.