ProsperityHow it works & interactions with other cards

What Prosperity Does

Prosperity is a sorcery with a scalable mana cost of {X}{U}. When it resolves, every player in the game draws X cards simultaneously. Because it affects all players, it is often used in political multiplayer decks or 'Group Hug' strategies, but it can also be used offensively to force opponents into drawing from an empty library.

Resolving the Spell Step by Step

First, you choose a value for X as you cast the spell and pay the mana cost. Once Prosperity begins to resolve, all players draw X cards at the same time. Unlike effects that happen in sequence, these draws are considered simultaneous. If the total number of cards drawn would cause multiple players to lose the game because their libraries are empty, the game ends in a draw according to official rulings.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A common error is forgetting that you, the caster, must also draw the cards. If you set X to a value higher than the number of cards remaining in your own library, you will lose the game when state-based actions are checked. Additionally, remember that drawing cards does not immediately trigger 'when you draw' effects for each card individually; rather, all cards are drawn, and then those triggers are put on the stack.

Strategic Timing

Since Prosperity is a sorcery, you generally cast it during your main phase. It is best used when you have ways to benefit from a large hand size or when you have excess mana to outdraw your opponents' answers. Be wary of giving your opponents fresh resources before you can use your own.

Interaction examples

Digging for Answers

Ponder

If you have used Ponder to organize the top of your library but realize you need more than one of those cards immediately, you can cast Prosperity with X=3. This allows you to draw all the cards you just saw with Ponder, bypassing the need to wait for multiple turns.

Setting Up the Perfect Draw

Preordain

You can cast Preordain first to Scry 2, ensuring that the bottom-most cards of your library stay away while your best cards remain on top. Afterward, casting Prosperity for a large X value ensures that the cards you curated with Preordain end up in your hand instantly.

The Empty Library Stalemate

In a two-player game, if both you and your opponent have only 5 cards left in your libraries and you cast Prosperity where X is 6, both players will attempt to draw more cards than are available. Because this happens simultaneously during the resolution of the spell, both players lose at the same time, resulting in a draw.