Wild ResearchHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Wild Research offers two activated abilities: one for White mana and one for Blue mana. The first searches for an enchantment card, while the second searches for an instant card. In both cases, the card is revealed, put into your hand, and then you must immediately discard a card at random from your hand before shuffling your library.

How It Resolves Step by Step

When you activate either ability, the following happens in order: first, you search your library for the specified card type and reveal it. Second, you put that card into your hand. Third, you must discard one card from your hand chosen at random. Because the card you just searched for is now in your hand, there is a chance you will discard the very card you just tutored for. Finally, you shuffle your library.

Common Mistakes

A common error is forgetting that you can choose not to find a card during the search, as per the official rulings. Additionally, remember that the discard is random and occurs after the card is added to your hand; you cannot cast the searched card in the middle of the ability's resolution to protect it from being discarded.

When to Play It

Wild Research shines in decks that have high hand counts or recursion. Since the discard is random, having more cards in hand decreases the probability of losing the card you just searched for. It is excellent for finding silver-bullet enchantments to lock down the board.

Interaction examples

Searching for Taxing Effects

Rhystic Study

With Wild Research on the battlefield, you pay {1}{W}. You search your library for Rhystic Study and reveal it. After putting Rhystic Study into your hand, you randomly select a card from your hand to discard. If you are lucky and discard a different card, you can then cast Rhystic Study to begin drawing cards whenever opponents cast spells.

Securing Resource Advantage

Smothering Tithe

You activate Wild Research for {1}{W} to find Smothering Tithe. You reveal the card and add it to your hand. You then discard a card at random. If Smothering Tithe survives the random discard, you can play it to generate Treasure tokens whenever your opponents draw cards, potentially providing the mana needed to activate Wild Research again.