Orcish SpyHow it works & interactions with other cards

Gathering Intelligence

Orcish Spy has a simple activated ability that costs only a tap. When you activate it, you choose a target player and look at the top three cards of their library. It is important to note that you do not change the order of these cards; you simply look at them and put them back exactly as they were. This ability can be used on yourself to see what you will draw next, or on an opponent to see what threats or answers they have coming their way.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, ensure Orcish Spy does not have summoning sickness, then tap it and choose a target player. Once the ability resolves, you look at the top three cards of that library. If the library has fewer than three cards, you simply look at whatever cards are there. After viewing them, you must return them to the top of the library in the same order. Because this is an activated ability, you can use it during your opponent's end step to have the most up-to-date information before your own turn begins.

Common Pitfalls

A common mistake is assuming Orcish Spy allows you to rearrange the cards, similar to the Scry mechanic or cards like Ponder. Orcish Spy only allows you to 'look.' Additionally, remember that the information you gain is static; if a player shuffles their library or uses a fetch land after you have looked, the information you gathered is no longer reliable. The ability also targets a player, so it cannot be used on an opponent who has Hexproof.

Strategic Timing

The best time to use Orcish Spy is right before an effect that forces a player to draw or exile cards from the top of their library. By knowing what is there, you can decide whether to use an effect that shuffles a library or to proceed with an attack that might trigger a card-exile effect. It also serves as a great way to check your own draws if you have ways to shuffle away cards you don't want.

Interaction examples

Fixing Your Colors

Ornithopter of Paradise

If you are stuck on mana, use Orcish Spy to look at your own library. If you see that you won't draw a land for three turns, you know you must use Ornithopter of Paradise to produce the specific color of mana you need for your spells, rather than relying on your draws.

Calculated Pilfering

Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer

Before attacking with Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, activate Orcish Spy targeting your opponent. If the top card is a powerful spell you can cast, you can safely attack knowing exactly what Ragavan will exile. If the top card is useless to you, you might choose to use a different effect to shuffle their library first if possible.