Scroll of GriselbrandHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Scroll of Griselbrand is an artifact that costs one generic mana to cast. For an additional one generic mana and the cost of sacrificing the artifact itself, you force a target opponent to discard a card from their hand. If you happen to control a creature with the Demon subtype when this ability resolves, that opponent also loses 3 life, making it a potent tool for aggression.

How It Resolves Step by Step

First, you activate the ability by paying one generic mana and sacrificing the Scroll of Griselbrand, choosing a target opponent. When the ability begins to resolve, the targeted opponent must choose and discard a card from their hand. Immediately after the discard, the game checks if you control a Demon; if you do, the opponent loses 3 life. Note that the check for the Demon happens during resolution, not when you activate the ability.

Common Mistakes

A frequent error is assuming you need a Demon on the battlefield when you sacrifice the scroll. In reality, you can respond to the ability by putting a Demon onto the battlefield before it resolves to ensure the 3 life loss occurs. Conversely, if your only Demon is removed from the battlefield in response to the activation, you will not get the life loss bonus.

When to Play It

Early game, it is an excellent way to peek at or reduce an opponent's resources. In the late game, especially in a deck featuring high-cost Demons, it becomes a reach tool that can bypass blockers to deal those final points of damage directly to an opponent's life total.

Interaction examples

Fast Mana Deployment

Sol Ring

With a Sol Ring on the battlefield, you can tap it to add two colorless mana. You use one mana to cast Scroll of Griselbrand and the remaining mana to immediately activate its ability. This allows you to force a discard as early as turn one without using any colored mana sources.

Color Fixing for Activation

Arcane Signet

If you are playing a multi-color Demon deck, you can use Arcane Signet to produce the generic mana required for the Scroll's activation cost. This ensures that even if your lands are tied up casting big creatures, your mana rocks can finish the job by triggering the Scroll's life loss effect once your Demon hits the table.