Embrace the Unknown 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
Exile the top two cards of your library. Until the end of your next turn, you may play those cards. Retrace (You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)
Complete guide
Embrace the Unknown is a powerful red sorcery that turns your extra land cards into fresh options from the top of your library. By utilizing the Retrace mechanic, this card ensures that you never run out of gas in the late game, provided you have a steady supply of earth to discard.
Unpacking the Ability
When you cast Embrace the Unknown, you exile the top two cards of your library. The key advantage here is the duration; unlike many red 'impulsive draw' effects that expire at the end of the current turn, you have until the end of your next turn to play these cards. This means you can safely cast this during your second main phase and still have your entire next turn to generate the mana needed to play what you found.
Understanding Retrace
Retrace is a static ability that functions while the card is in your graveyard. You may cast Embrace the Unknown from your graveyard by paying its mana cost and discarding a land card as an additional cost. Once the spell resolves or is countered, it returns to your graveyard, allowing you to repeat the process as long as you have lands to spare and mana to spend. Because the active player receives priority after a spell resolves, you can often re-cast it before an opponent can use graveyard removal.
Timing and Restrictions
Playing cards from exile follows all normal timing rules. If you exile a land card, you can only play it if you have an available land play for the turn and it is your main phase while the stack is empty. Similarly, if you exile a sorcery, you cannot cast it on an opponent's turn. Remember that discarding the land for Retrace is an additional cost; if the spell is countered, the land remains in the graveyard and is not returned to your hand.
Interaction examples
Wheel of FortuneIf you cast Wheel of Fortune and draw into multiple land cards that you cannot use, you can discard those lands to cast Embrace the Unknown from your graveyard using Retrace. This allows you to convert those excess lands into even more card advantage, effectively digging deeper into your deck than the initial draw allowed.
Jeska's WillImagine you control your commander and cast Jeska's Will, choosing both modes to add mana and exile cards. You can use the mana generated by Jeska's Will to cast Embrace the Unknown from your hand or graveyard. This sequence allows you to see a massive amount of your library in a single turn, providing a huge array of options to spend your temporary mana on.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Embrace the Unknown
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You pay all costs and follow all normal timing rules for cards played from exile this way. For example, if an exiled card is a land card, you may play it only during your main phase while the stack is empty.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Casting a card by using its retrace ability works just like casting any other spell, with two exceptions: You’re casting it from your graveyard rather than your hand, and you must discard a land card in addition to any other costs.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
A retrace card cast from your graveyard follows the normal timing rules for its card type.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
When a retrace spell you cast from your graveyard resolves, fails to resolve, or is countered, it’s put back into your graveyard. You may use the retrace ability to cast it again.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If the active player casts a spell that has retrace, that player may cast that card again after it resolves, before another player can remove the card from the graveyard. The active player has priority after the spell resolves, so they can immediately cast a new spell. Since casting a card with retrace from the graveyard moves that card onto the stack, no one else would have the chance to affect it while it’s still in the graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Embrace the Unknown
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.