Thought Hemorrhage 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
Choose a nonland card name. Target player reveals their hand. Thought Hemorrhage deals 3 damage to that player for each card with the chosen name revealed this way. Search that player's graveyard, hand, and library for all cards with that name and exile them. Then that player shuffles.
Complete guide
Thought Hemorrhage is a powerful Rakdos sorcery that combines hand disruption with direct damage and library depletion. It allows you to surgically remove a specific threat from your opponent's entire game while punishing them for holding onto it. This card is a versatile tool for proactive decks looking to dismantle combo or control strategies before they can develop.
Naming Your Prey
When Thought Hemorrhage resolves, you choose a nonland card name. It is important to note that you do not choose the name when you cast the spell; the choice is made as part of the resolution. Once you name a card, the rest of the effect happens immediately, and no player can respond between you naming the card and the damage or exile effects taking place.
The Extraction Process
First, the target player reveals their hand. Thought Hemorrhage deals 3 damage to them for each card with the chosen name found there. Next, you search that player's graveyard, hand, and library for all cards with that name and exile them. While finding cards in the graveyard is mandatory because it is a public zone, finding them in the hand or library is technically optional, even though the hand was just revealed.
Timing and Tactical Deployment
Because Thought Hemorrhage costs four mana and is a sorcery, it is best played when you have information about your opponent's deck or hand. It does not affect cards already on the battlefield, so your goal is to cast it before your opponent's key pieces are played. Since the damage is dealt as one single instance, it is particularly effective at bypassing multiple small damage prevention shields, though a single 'prevent next damage' effect will stop the total sum.
Interaction examples
Toxic DelugeIf you suspect your opponent is holding a Toxic Deluge to clear your board, you cast Thought Hemorrhage targeting them. Upon resolution, you name Toxic Deluge. The opponent reveals their hand; if they have two copies, they take 6 damage. You then exile those two copies from their hand and search their library and graveyard for any remaining copies to exile them forever.
Jeska's WillIn a Commander game, if an opponent is known for explosive turns using Jeska's Will, you can use Thought Hemorrhage to strip it from their deck. Even if they don't have it in their hand at that moment (resulting in 0 damage), you still search their library and exile every copy, ensuring they can never use that specific ritual for the rest of the game.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Thought Hemorrhage
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If you target yourself with this spell, you must reveal your entire hand to the other players just as any other player would.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The card is named as Thought Hemorrhage resolves. Spells and abilities can’t be cast or activated between the time a card is named and the time that Thought Hemorrhage has the rest of its effect.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If the targeted player has multiple cards with the chosen name in their hand, the damage dealt by Thought Hemorrhage is all considered to be the same instance of damage. A single effect that prevents “the next time a source would deal damage,” for example, will prevent all of it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Thought Hemorrhage has no effect on cards on the battlefield that have the same name as the named card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
The cards you’re searching for must be found if they’re in the graveyard, because that’s a zone everyone can see. Finding those cards in the hand and library is optional, though. This is true even though the targeted player has revealed their hand.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Thought Hemorrhage
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.