Forbidden Alchemy 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
Look at the top four cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard. Flashback(You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Complete guide
Forbidden Alchemy is a versatile blue instant that excels at digging for answers while filling your graveyard. Whether you are looking for a specific combo piece or a way to use your mana on an opponent's turn, this card provides excellent selection and long-term value thanks to its flashback ability.
What Forbidden Alchemy Does
Forbidden Alchemy allows you to look at the top four cards of your library. You choose one to put into your hand, ensuring you get the most relevant card for your current situation, while the remaining three cards are sent to your graveyard. This makes it particularly powerful in decks that treat the graveyard as a second hand.
Step-by-Step Resolution
When you cast Forbidden Alchemy, you first look at the top four cards of your library. If you have fewer than four cards, you simply look at all of them. You then select one card to move to your hand. Finally, you move all other cards seen this way to your graveyard. If you cast it using its Flashback cost of {6}{B}, the card is exiled immediately upon leaving the stack, regardless of whether it resolved or was countered.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Players often forget that the mana value of Forbidden Alchemy remains 3, even when paying the {6}{B} flashback cost. Additionally, keep in mind that the cards not chosen are 'put' into the graveyard, which does not count as discarding. Lastly, remember that once you cast it for its flashback cost, the spell will be exiled no matter what happens to it on the stack.
When to Play It
As an instant, the best time to cast Forbidden Alchemy is usually at the end of your opponent's turn. This allows you to keep your mana open for reactive plays. Because it has Flashback, you can aggressively use it early to find land or early-game interaction, knowing you can cast it again later in the game for late-game card advantage.
Interaction examples
CounterspellIf you cast Forbidden Alchemy from your hand and your opponent casts Counterspell, Forbidden Alchemy is put into your graveyard. From there, you still have the option to cast it later using its Flashback cost. However, if you were already casting it via Flashback and it gets countered, the card is exiled instead of returning to the graveyard.
Arcane DenialSuppose you cast Forbidden Alchemy and your opponent responds with Arcane Denial. Forbidden Alchemy is countered and exiled (if cast via Flashback) or put in the graveyard (if cast from hand). In either case, the replacement effects of Arcane Denial will trigger, allowing you to draw cards at the beginning of the next upkeep, helping you recover from the lost spell.
During your opponent's end step, you cast Forbidden Alchemy. You look at the top four cards: two lands, a creature, and a removal spell. You put the removal spell into your hand to prepare for your next turn and put the other three cards into your graveyard, potentially fueling other graveyard-based mechanics in your deck.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Forbidden Alchemy
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a flashback cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
"Flashback [cost]" means "You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions, including those based on the card's type. For instance, you can cast a sorcery using flashback only when you could normally cast a sorcery.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If a card with flashback is put into your graveyard during your turn, you can cast it if it's legal to do so before any other player can take any actions.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in some other way.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
You can cast a spell using flashback even if it was somehow put into your graveyard without having been cast.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If you have fewer than four cards in your library, you'll look at all the cards there and put one into your hand and the rest into your graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Forbidden Alchemy
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.