Sold OutHow it works & interactions with other cards

Exile and Evidence

When you cast Sold Out, you choose a target creature to be removed from the game. Unlike destruction effects, exile prevents creatures from triggering 'when this creature dies' abilities and stops them from being recurred from the graveyard. The spell then checks a specific condition: has the creature been dealt damage this turn? If the answer is yes, you create a Clue token.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, Sold Out targets a creature. Upon resolution, that creature is moved directly to the exile zone. Immediately after the creature leaves the battlefield, the game checks its history for the current turn. If any amount of damage was marked on it—whether from combat, another spell, or an ability—you create one Clue token. This token is an artifact that can be sacrificed later for two mana to draw a card.

Common Mistakes and Clarifications

A key distinction to remember is that Sold Out creates a Clue token, but it does not technically 'Investigate.' While the resulting token is identical, any triggered abilities that specifically look for the keyword 'Investigate' will not trigger. Additionally, the damage must have happened before Sold Out resolves; the act of exiling itself does not count as dealing damage.

When to Play Sold Out

This spell is most effective during the post-combat main phase or during combat after blockers have been declared. If your opponent's creature survives a trade or a block, Sold Out can finish it off permanently and grant you a Clue. It is also an excellent response to indestructible creatures that have been pinged by damage, as exile bypasses the indestructible keyword entirely.

Interaction examples

Exile Comparison

Deadly Rollick

While both spells exile a creature, Deadly Rollick offers a conditional mana discount if you control a commander. Sold Out, however, offers a different bonus: card draw potential. If the target was damaged, Sold Out leaves you with a Clue, whereas Deadly Rollick simply removes the threat.

Choosing the Right Removal

Fell the Profane // Fell Mire

If your opponent controls a creature with 'Indestructible,' Fell the Profane will fail to remove it because it attempts to 'destroy' the target. In this scenario, playing Sold Out is the superior choice because it exiles the target. Furthermore, if you had previously dealt damage to that indestructible creature, Sold Out still gives you a Clue token, turning a stalled combat into a resource advantage.

Generating a Clue

Clue

Imagine your 1/1 creature blocks an opponent's 4/4 creature. After combat damage is dealt, the 4/4 has 1 damage marked on it. You cast Sold Out targeting the 4/4. The creature is exiled, and because it was dealt damage earlier in the turn, you create a Clue token. You can then pay {2} at any time you have priority to sacrifice that Clue and draw a card.