Peer into the Abyss 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
Target player draws cards equal to half the number of cards in their library and loses half their life. Round up each time.
Complete guide
Peer into the Abyss is a high-stakes black sorcery that offers a massive surge of resources at a steep physical price. It is often used as a finisher or a way to find a winning combo instantly, depending on whether you target yourself or your opponent.
Understanding the Math
When Peer into the Abyss resolves, the target player counts the cards in their library and their current life total. They draw half that many cards and lose half that much life. The most critical rule to remember is that you 'round up' for both effects. If a player has 15 life, half is 7.5, so they lose 8 life. If they have 31 cards in their library, half is 15.5, so they draw 16 cards.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, identify the target player as the spell is cast. Upon resolution, calculate the number of cards to be drawn based on the current library size. The player then draws those cards all at once (though for effects that trigger 'whenever you draw a card,' they trigger for each card individually). Simultaneously, calculate the life loss based on the player's current life total and subtract it. Both events happen as part of the spell's resolution.
Strategic Timing
Because this spell costs seven mana and three of it is black, it is typically a late-game play. If you target yourself, ensure you have a way to utilize the massive hand size or prevent yourself from dying to the life loss. If you target an opponent, it is usually to set them up for a finishing blow or to force them to draw their entire library if they have few cards left.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is rounding down or rounding the 'remaining' total. You always round up the amount being lost or drawn. Also, remember that drawing half your library can lead to losing the game by 'decking' if you are forced to draw more cards than you currently have available. If the player is required to draw more cards than are in their library, they lose the game the next time state-based actions are checked.
Interaction examples
If you target a player with 11 life and 45 cards in their library, they lose 6 life (half of 11 is 5.5, rounded up to 6) and draw 23 cards (half of 45 is 22.5, rounded up to 23). They are left with 5 life.
If an opponent has 40 cards in their library and you cast this targeting them, they draw 20 cards. If they already had 7 cards in hand, they now have 27. This makes them vulnerable to effects that punish large hand sizes or force further draws.
By targeting yourself when you have 60 cards in your library, you draw 30 cards instantly. While you lose half your life, you likely draw into your win conditions or fast mana to finish the game on the same turn.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Peer into the Abyss
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The life lost is rounded up, not the remaining life total. For example, if the target player has 7 life, they lose 4 life and end up with 3. Similarly, the number of cards drawn is rounded up, not the number of cards remaining in the library.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
To draw the cards, first the player determines how many cards to draw, then draws them. This event may be modified so that a different number of cards are actually drawn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Sheoldred, the Apocalypse + Peer into the Abyss
- 1Cast Peer into the Abyss by paying
, causing an opponent to draw cards equal to half their library size and lose half their life total, rounded up. - 2Sheoldred's second ability triggers for each card drawn this way.
- 3Resolve the first Sheoldred trigger, causing the opponent to lose 2 life.
- 4Repeat step 3 until the opponent loses the game due to having zero or less life.
Orcish Bowmasters + Peer into the Abyss
- 1Cast Peer into the Abyss by paying , targeting an opponent whose library size is larger than or equal to their life total.
- 2Resolve Peer into the Abyss, causing that opponent to draw cards equal to half their library size and causing them to lose half their life total, rounded up.
- 3Orcish Bowmasters triggers for each card drawn, dealing 1 damage to the opponent for each card drawn this way and putting that many +1/+1 counters on an Army you control.
- 4The opponent loses the game due to having zero or less life.
Peer into the Abyss + Underworld Dreams
- 1Cast Peer Into the Abyss targeting an opponent.
- 2That player loses half their life and draws half their library.
- 3They are then dealt damage by Underworld Dreams equal to the amount of cards they drew.
- 4That player loses the game.
Psychosis Crawler + Peer into the Abyss
- 1Cast Peer into the Abyss by paying , causing you to draw half your library and lose half your life total, rounding up each time.
- 2Psychosis Crawler triggers for each card you drew, causing each opponent to lose life equal to the number of cards you drew.
Razorkin Needlehead + Peer into the Abyss
- 1Cast Peer into the Abyss by paying , causing an opponent to draw cards equal to half their library and causing them to lose half their life total, rounded up.
- 2Razorkin Needlehead triggers for each card drawn this way.
- 3Resolve the first trigger, dealing 1 damage to the opponent.
- 4If the opponent has 0 or less life, the opponent loses the game due to having zero or less life.
- 5Repeat from step 3 for each remaining trigger and/or until the opponent loses the game.
Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Peer into the Abyss
- 1Cast Peer into the Abyss by paying , causing an opponent to draw cards equal to half their library and causing them to lose half their life total, rounded up.
- 2Nekusar triggers for each card drawn this way.
- 3Resolve the first trigger, dealing 1 damage to the opponent.
- 4If the opponent has 0 or less life, the opponent loses the game due to having zero or less life.
- 5Repeat from step 3 for each remaining trigger and/or until the opponent loses the game.
Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted + Peer into the Abyss
- 1With Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted on the battlefield, cast Peer into the Abyss targeting an opponent.
- 2Peer into the Abyss would resolve (with card draw and life loss rounded up in instances of odd number of cards or life), and then the static ability on Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted dealing damage for each card drawn.
Peer into the Abyss + Bloodletter of Aclazotz
- 1Cast Peer into the Abyss by paying , causing target opponent to draw cards equal to half their deck size, rounded up, and lose at least their entire life total due to Bloodletter of Aclazotz.
- 2The opponent loses the game due to having 0 or less life.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Peer into the Abyss
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.