Last Thoughts 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
Draw a card. Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)
Complete guide
Last Thoughts is a versatile blue sorcery from the Gatecrash set that highlights the unique Cipher mechanic. It allows you to draw a card immediately while setting up a recurring source of card advantage through your creatures. By encoding this spell onto a combatant, you turn every successful attack into a fresh surge of knowledge.
What It Does
At its core, Last Thoughts is a card-draw spell. When you cast it, you draw one card. However, its true power lies in the Cipher keyword. After the draw effect resolves, you may exile the spell card and 'encode' it onto a creature you control. This links the spell to that creature for as long as it remains on the battlefield, creating a triggered ability that lets you cast the spell again for free whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, you cast Last Thoughts by paying its mana cost. Upon resolution, you draw a card. Immediately after, you choose a creature you control to encode it on; this does not target the creature. The physical card is moved from the stack to the exile zone, 'attached' to that creature. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, a triggered ability goes on the stack. When this trigger resolves, you create a copy of Last Thoughts in exile and may cast it immediately without paying its mana cost. If you choose not to cast it or cannot due to lack of targets, the copy ceases to exist.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is trying to encode the card if the spell is countered; if Last Thoughts doesn't resolve, Cipher never happens and the card goes to the graveyard. Also, remember that if the creature leaves the battlefield, the exiled card stays in exile and cannot be moved to a new creature. Finally, note that if an opponent gains control of your encoded creature, they are the ones who will get to cast the copies when it deals combat damage, not you.
When to Play It
Last Thoughts is best utilized in decks with evasive creatures, such as those with flying or unblockable attributes. Because the Cipher trigger relies on dealing combat damage to a player, ensuring your creature can bypass blockers is key. It is also highly effective in 'Spellslinger' archetypes, as casting the copy counts as casting a spell, triggering other abilities that look for spell-casting events.
Interaction examples
FabricateIf you have already used Last Thoughts to draw into Fabricate, you can use the Cipher trigger to maintain your hand size. After your creature deals combat damage, you cast the copy of Last Thoughts to draw a card. This allows you to then cast Fabricate during your post-combat main phase to search for a specific artifact, ensuring you never run out of resources.
WindfallIf you cast Windfall and both players discard their hands, you might find yourself low on cards. By attacking with a creature encoded with Last Thoughts in the same turn, you can immediately begin rebuilding your hand by casting the free copy of the sorcery, gaining an advantage over your opponent who just lost their hand.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Last Thoughts
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The spell with cipher is encoded on the creature as part of that spell’s resolution, just after the spell’s other effects. That card goes directly from the stack to exile. It never goes to the graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
You choose the creature as the spell resolves. The cipher ability doesn’t target that creature, although the spell with cipher may target that creature (or a different creature) because of its other abilities.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell with cipher doesn’t resolve, none of its effects will happen, including cipher. The card will go to its owner’s graveyard and won’t be encoded on a creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the creature leaves the battlefield, the exiled card will no longer be encoded on any creature. It will stay exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If you want to encode the card with cipher onto a noncreature permanent such as a Keyrune that can turn into a creature, that permanent has to be a creature before the spell with cipher starts resolving. You can choose only a creature to encode the card onto.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
The copy of the card with cipher is created in and cast from exile.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
You cast the copy of the card with cipher during the resolution of the triggered ability. Ignore timing restrictions based on the card’s type.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If you choose not to cast the copy, or you can’t cast it (perhaps because there are no legal targets available), the copy will cease to exist the next time state-based actions are performed. You won’t get a chance to cast the copy at a later time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
The exiled card with cipher grants a triggered ability to the creature it’s encoded on. If that creature loses that ability and subsequently deals combat damage to a player, the triggered ability won’t trigger. However, the exiled card will continue to be encoded on that creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
If another player gains control of the creature, that player will control the triggered ability. That player will create a copy of the encoded card and may cast it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature with an encoded card deals combat damage to more than one player simultaneously (perhaps because some of the combat damage was redirected), the triggered ability will trigger once for each player it deals combat damage to. Each ability will create a copy of the exiled card and allow you to cast it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Last Thoughts
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