Allure of the Unknown MTG Card


It provides card advantage by allowing you to draw five cards, potentially increasing your strategic options. The specific mana requirement of Allure of the Unknown may limit its inclusion to Rakdos decks. Its high cost and risk factor necessitate careful consideration when adding it to your collection.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Reveal the top six cards of your library. An opponent exiles a nonland card from among them, then you put the rest into your hand. That opponent may cast the exiled card without paying its mana cost.


Cards like Allure of the Unknown

Allure of the Unknown is a card in Magic: The Gathering that offers a unique twist on card advantage mechanics. A similar card that springs to mind is Dark Confidant, which provides an ongoing advantage by revealing the top card of a player’s library at the start of their turn. Both cards add a layer of risk and reward, but Dark Confidant poses a risk each turn, whereas Allure of the Unknown is a one-off event with potentially larger impact.

Another related card would be Fact or Fiction, which also delves into the potential of digging deeper into a deck to gain an edge. Where Allure of the Unknown gives an opponent the choice from among multiple cards at once, Fact or Fiction divides cards into two piles, leaving the final choice to the caster. It requires more immediate decision-making, while Allure of the Unknown’s gamble plays out over a longer stretch.

Indeed, in comparing risk-based draw cards in Magic: The Gathering, Allure of the Unknown stands out for the unparalleled potential swing it can create, harrowing as the uncertainties may be. This makes it a powerful yet unpredictable addition to decks that are built around leveraging risk for substantial reward.

Dark Confidant - MTG Card versions
Fact or Fiction - MTG Card versions
Dark Confidant - MTG Card versions
Fact or Fiction - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Allure of the Unknown is crafted to potentially set you up with a significant advantage by revealing the top six cards of your library and allowing an opponent to choose one. The trick, however, is the remaining five cards go into your hand, offering a substantial boost in resources and options for your next plays.

Resource Acceleration: While this card itself does not directly accelerate resources in the form of mana, the influx of new cards into your hand can facilitate plays that might accelerate your resources in subsequent turns. This could be particularly beneficial if the drawn cards include land drops or mana ramp spells.

Instant Speed: Though Allure of the Unknown operates at sorcery speed, it synergizes well with instant-speed spells in your deck. By drawing into multiple new cards, you increase the likelihood of having instant-speed responses ready for whatever your opponent’s next move may be, thereby maintaining a dynamic and responsive playstyle.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Allure of the Unknown necessitates that you relinquish some control over your cards. The requirement to play a card at random from the top six of your library can backfire, especially if it reveals a critical strategy element to your opponent or forces you to play a card suboptimally.

Specific Mana Cost: This card has a rigid colored mana cost with one black and one red mana, making it less flexible. This requirement restricts its inclusion to specific decks, primarily those centered around the Rakdos color combination, and may not fit smoothly into multi-color decks that can’t reliably produce both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Priced at five mana to cast, Allure of the Unknown is a considerable investment, especially for a card that could potentially benefit an opponent more than yourself. There are alternative cards at lower mana costs that could provide more consistent advantages or allow for a faster gameplay pace.


Reasons to Include Allure of the Unknown in Your Collection

Versatility: Allure of the Unknown brings a unique dynamic to any deck. It has the capacity to slot into various builds, particularly those that thrive on the surprise and risk elements it presents. It can significantly alter the course of a game and offers a wide range of strategic options.

Combo Potential: This card opens up avenues for inventive combo plays. By potentially drawing into key pieces or disrupting opponent’s expectations, Allure of the Unknown encourages players to think outside the box and craft new winning strategies.

Meta-Relevance: In a constantly shifting meta, staying one step ahead is crucial. Allure of the Unknown shakes up traditional plays and can catch unprepared opponents off guard. It adapts to various situations, challenging the norm and potentially giving you the upper hand against predictable decks.


How to beat

Allure of the Unknown is a unique card that presents both opportunity and challenge in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This powerful sorcery allows your opponent to cast one of your top six cards without paying its mana cost, but the rest go to your hand. The key to countering this spell lies in strategic deck building and timing. Ensuring that your deck has cards with an immediate impact when cast by an opponent minimizes the benefit they receive from Allure of the Unknown. Running instant-speed removal or hand disruption allows you to respond directly to the threats it presents.

Control decks shine against Allure of the Unknown, with their ability to keep mana open to react. A well-timed Thoughtseize or Negate can foil your opponent’s plans, making it difficult for them to capitalize on the card’s advantage. Furthermore, by holding back key cards with scry or draw abilities, you can mitigate the risk of giving your opponent a game-winning tool. In essence, beating Allure of the Unknown is about maintaining control over the game’s flow and being meticulous with your plays and the composition of your deck.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Allure of the Unknown MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Theros Beyond Death, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Allure of the Unknown and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Allure of the Unknown Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-01-24 and 2020-01-24. Illustrated by Seb McKinnon.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 799372015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
22020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 3322015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
32020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 207p2015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
42020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 207s2015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
52020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 2072015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Allure of the Unknown has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Allure of the Unknown card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2020-01-24 If a spell has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.
2020-01-24 If all six of the revealed cards are land cards, your opponent doesn’t exile anything. You put all six cards into your hand.
2020-01-24 If you cast a spell “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, such as that of Thrill of Possibility, those must be paid to cast the card.
2020-01-24 If your opponent wishes to cast the card, they do so as part of the resolution of Allure of the Unknown. They can’t wait to cast it later. Timing permissions based on a card’s type are ignored.