Drag to the Roots 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
Delirium — This spell costsless to cast as long as there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard. Destroy target nonland permanent.
Complete guide
Drag to the Roots is a versatile removal spell from Murders at Karlov Manor that rewards players for filling their graveyards. While it starts as a standard four-mana answer to any nonland threat, its potential to become a highly efficient two-mana instant makes it a powerful inclusion in Golgari decks. Understanding how to track your card types is the key to unlocking its full potential.
What it Does
Drag to the Roots is an instant-speed removal spell that can destroy any target nonland permanent. This includes creatures, planeswalkers, enchantments, artifacts, and even battles. Its primary feature is the Delirium keyword, which reduces the mana cost by {2} if you have four or more card types among cards in your graveyard. Card types include creature, land, instant, sorcery, artifact, enchantment, planeswalker, and kindred.
How it Resolves Step by Step
First, you announce the spell and choose a target nonland permanent. Second, the game checks your graveyard to see if you have four or more card types; if you do, the cost is reduced to {B}{G}. Third, you pay the mana cost. Once the spell is cast, it stays on the stack until both players pass priority. When it resolves, it checks if the target is still legal; if it is, the permanent is destroyed and put into its owner's graveyard.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is thinking an opponent can respond to the casting of the spell to remove cards from the graveyard and increase the cost. Per official rulings, once you begin casting Drag to the Roots, players cannot take actions (like activating a Tormod's Crypt) until you have finished paying for it. Another mistake is targeting lands; unlike some other green removal, Drag to the Roots specifically says 'nonland permanent,' so it cannot hit Basic Lands or utility lands.
When to Play It
This spell is best played in decks that naturally mill themselves or use fetch lands and cheap baubles to hit the Delirium threshold early. Because it is an instant, it is an excellent tool for interrupting an opponent's combo or removing a blocker during the declare attackers step. If you lack four card types, it is often better to wait unless the target is an immediate threat to your survival.
Interaction examples
Beast WithinIf you have a creature, land, instant, and sorcery in your graveyard, Drag to the Roots costs only {B}{G} to destroy a planeswalker. In contrast, Beast Within costs {2}{G} and leaves the opponent with a 3/3 Beast token. While Drag to the Roots is cheaper with Delirium, it cannot target lands, whereas Beast Within can destroy any permanent, including a Gaea's Cradle.
Deadly RollickIn a Commander game, if you control your commander, Deadly Rollick can exile a creature for free. However, if your opponent plays a powerful enchantment like Rhystic Study, Deadly Rollick cannot target it. In this scenario, even if you have to pay {B}{G}, Drag to the Roots is the superior tool because it can destroy the enchantment, whereas Rollick is restricted to creatures.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Drag to the Roots
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Once you've announced that you're casting Drag to the Roots, players can't take any actions until you've finished doing so. Notably, opponents can't try to remove cards from your graveyard to change the cost of Drag to the Roots.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Drag to the Roots
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.