Forensic Researcher 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
: Untap another target permanent you control.
Complete guide
Forensic Researcher is a versatile Merfolk Detective that offers both utility and crowd control for your blue decks. Whether you are ramping up your resources or locking down an opponent's threats, this creature is a master of gathering clues on the battlefield.
Dual-Purpose Detective
Forensic Researcher has two distinct activated abilities. The first allows you to tap it to untap another permanent you control, which can provide extra mana from lands or reuse powerful artifact effects. The second ability lets you tap it and 'Collect evidence 3' to tap down an opponent's creature, effectively removing a blocker or preventing an attack.
How Evidence Works
To activate the second ability, you must pay the costs of tapping the Researcher and collecting evidence. To collect evidence 3, you exile any number of cards from your graveyard with a total mana value of 3 or greater. If you cannot reach the total mana value of 3, you cannot activate this ability. Note that once you start the activation process, your opponent cannot respond by removing cards from your graveyard to stop you.
Strategic Timing
Because both abilities require tapping Forensic Researcher, you must choose which one serves you best each turn cycle. You might untap a land on your own turn to cast a bigger spell, or wait until your opponent's beginning of combat step to tap down their most dangerous attacker by collecting evidence.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumAfter you play Solemn Simulacrum and search for a basic land that enters tapped, you can tap Forensic Researcher to untap that land immediately. This allows you to use the mana from that land on the same turn it was played.
Roaming ThroneIf you have Roaming Throne in your graveyard, it has a mana value of 4. Since 4 is greater than 3, you can exile just this one card to satisfy the cost for Forensic Researcher's second ability to tap an opponent's creature. Note that Roaming Throne's triggered ability replacement does not affect Forensic Researcher's activated abilities.
You can use Forensic Researcher to untap a mana-producing artifact like a Sol Ring. First, tap Sol Ring for two mana, then tap Forensic Researcher to untap Sol Ring, allowing you to tap the ring again for a total of four colorless mana.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Forensic Researcher
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If you can't exile enough cards to meet or exceed the required mana value, you can't choose to collect evidence at all.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Once you've announced that you're casting a spell, players can't take actions until you've finished doing so. Notably, opponents can't try to remove cards from your graveyard to stop you from collecting evidence.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Ioreth of the Healing House + Forensic Researcher
- 1If Forensic Researcher is not your Ring-bearer, use the card that causes the Ring to tempt you to cause Forensic Researcher to become your Ring-bearer, thus making it legendary.
- 2Activate Ioreth's second ability by tapping it, untapping Forensic Researcher and another legendary creature.
- 3Activate Forensic Researcher by tapping it, untapping Ioreth.
- 4Repeat from step 2.
Unctus, Grand Metatect + Vizier of Tumbling Sands + Forensic Researcher
- 1Activate Forensic Researcher by tapping it, targeting Vizier of Tumbling Sands.
- 2Forensic Researcher triggers, causing you to loot.
- 3Resolve the Forensic Researcher ability, untapping Vizier of Tumbling Sands.
- 4Activate Vizier of Tumbling Sands by tapping it, targeting Forensic Researcher.
- 5Vizier of Tumbling Sands triggers, causing you to loot.
- 6Resolve the Vizier of Tumbling Sands ability, untapping Forensic Researcher.
- 7Repeat.
Unctus, Grand Metatect + Ioreth of the Healing House + Forensic Researcher
- 1Activate Forensic Researcher by tapping it, targeting Ioreth of the Healing House.
- 2Forensic Researcher triggers, causing you to loot.
- 3Resolve the Forensic Researcher ability, untapping Ioreth of the Healing House.
- 4Activate Ioreth of the Healing House by tapping it, targeting Forensic Researcher.
- 5Ioreth of the Healing House triggers, causing you to loot.
- 6Resolve the Ioreth of the Healing House ability, untapping Forensic Researcher.
- 7Repeat.
Deeproot Pilgrimage + Kiora's Follower + Forensic Researcher
- 1Activate either of the creatures by tapping it, targeting the other creature.
- 2If the tapped creature was a Merfolk, Deeproot Pilgrimage triggers, creating a 1/1 Merfolk creature token.
- 3Resolve the ability from step 1, untapping the targeted creature.
- 4Repeat.
Unctus, Grand Metatect + Kelpie Guide + Forensic Researcher
- 1Activate Forensic Researcher by tapping it, targeting Kelpie Guide.
- 2Forensic Researcher triggers, causing you to loot.
- 3Resolve the Forensic Researcher ability, untapping Kelpie Guide.
- 4Activate Kelpie Guide by tapping it, targeting Forensic Researcher.
- 5Kelpie Guide triggers, causing you to loot.
- 6Resolve the Kelpie Guide ability, untapping Forensic Researcher.
- 7Repeat.
Unctus, Grand Metatect + Fatestitcher + Forensic Researcher
- 1Activate Fatestitcher by tapping it, targeting Forensic Researcher.
- 2Fatestitcher triggers, causing you to loot.
- 3Resolve the Fatestitcher ability, untapping Forensic Researcher.
- 4Activate Forensic Researcher by tapping it, targeting Fatestitcher.
- 5Forensic Researcher triggers, causing you to loot.
- 6Resolve the Forensic Researcher ability, untapping Fatestitcher.
- 7Repeat.
High Tide + Freed from the Real + Forensic Researcher
- 1Cast High Tide by paying
. - 2Activate an Island by tapping it, adding .
- 3High Tide triggers, adding .
- 4Activate Forensic Researcher by tapping it, untapping the Island.
- 5Activate Freed from the Real by paying , untapping Forensic Researcher.
- 6Repeat from step 2
Unctus, Grand Metatect + Clever Conjurer + Forensic Researcher
- 1Activate Clever Conjurer by tapping it, targeting Forensic Researcher.
- 2Clever Conjurer triggers, causing you to loot.
- 3Resolve the Clever Conjurer ability, untapping Forensic Researcher.
- 4Activate Forensic Researcher by tapping it, targeting Clever Conjurer.
- 5Forensic Researcher triggers, causing you to loot.
- 6Resolve the Forensic Researcher ability, untapping Clever Conjurer.
- 7Repeat.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Forensic Researcher
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