Fraying Sanity MTG Card


Fraying Sanity enhances mill strategies by doubling the cards milled from opponents’ libraries. The enchantment excels with spells like Glimpse the Unthinkable, magnifying their mill impact. To mitigate Fraying Sanity’s threat, use enchantment removal or graveyard-shuffling cards.
Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment — Aura Curse
Abilities Enchant,Mill

Text of card

Enchant player At the beginning of each end step, enchanted player puts the top X cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard, where X is the number of cards put into that graveyard from anywhere this turn.

Those wound tightest are first to unravel.


Cards like Fraying Sanity

Fraying Sanity is an intriguing enchantment that delves into the dynamics of mill strategies within Magic: The Gathering. It can be likened to other mill-centric cards such as Mind Funeral, which also targets a player’s library, potentially milling a significant number of cards. However, Fraying Sanity presents a unique approach by applying a continuous effect that doubles the number of cards put into the graveyard from a player’s library each turn, unlike the one-time effect of Mind Funeral.

Another card worth comparing is Traumatize, which instantly halves a player’s library, rounding down. While Traumatize’s effect is immediate and substantial, Fraying Sanity adds incremental pressure and can lead to devastating results over time, especially when combined with other milling actions within a turn. Conversely, we see Glimpse the Unthinkable, a powerful option for mill decks that removes ten cards from a player’s library for only two mana. While Glimpse the Unthinkable offers an efficient burst of milling, Fraying Sanity has the potential to surpass it through cumulative effects throughout a game.

Evaluating the power and potential of Fraying Sanity in dedicated mill decks, its unique ability to compound milling effects gives it a stand-out role, especially when it comes to orchestrating a strategy that relentlessly whittles down an opponent’s resources over the course of a match.

Mind Funeral - MTG Card versions
Traumatize - MTG Card versions
Glimpse the Unthinkable - MTG Card versions
Mind Funeral - MTG Card versions
Traumatize - MTG Card versions
Glimpse the Unthinkable - MTG Card versions

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Decks using this card

MTG decks using Fraying Sanity. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Dimir MillDimir Mill Vintage2023 NA Vintage Champs
Mono-Blue MillMono-Blue Mill PioneerMono-Blue ControlSun. 10AM Pioneer 10k Open 8-Slot RCQ - DreamHack Atlanta 2023
Esper MillEsper Mill ModernMillModern League 2024-02-05
Lotus Field ComboLotus Field Combo PioneerHidden Strings#10 Last Chance Qualifier: Pioneer
Izzet MillIzzet Mill PioneerIzzet MillPioneer Preliminary 2023-12-05 (1)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Fraying Sanity can drastically amplify the number of cards put into an opponent’s graveyard from their library. This translates into a significant advantage, particularly in mill strategies where depleting the opponent’s deck directly leads to winning the game.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly affecting mana resources, the passive enchantment works as a form of acceleration for mill decks. By effectively doubling the results of any card that forces a library discard, it accelerates the path to victory by halving the time it would normally take to deplete an opponent’s library.

Instant Speed: Though Fraying Sanity is not an instant itself, its ability syncs harmoniously with instant-speed mill spells played on the opponent’s turn. After such a spell resolves, Fraying Sanity ensures that the milling effect is compounded at the end of the turn, making it an unexpectedly efficient tool in a strategist’s arsenal.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Fraying Sanity requires you to have a graveyard setup to be effective. If you’re unable to discard or mill cards into your or your opponent’s graveyard consistently, its impact can be minimal.

Specific Mana Cost: Fraying Sanity has a blue-specific mana cost, which necessitates a dedicated or splashable blue mana base. This requirement can be restrictive for some deck builds that might not align with blue strategies or mana resources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana, Fraying Sanity might come off as steep when compared to other enchantments that can provide immediate board presence or effects. Since it’s more of a setup card for future turns, the mana investment doesn’t translate to an instant benefit on the battlefield.


Reasons to Include Fraying Sanity in Your Collection

Versatility: Fraying Sanity isn’t just for mill decks. This enchantment can enhance various strategies by leveraging the graveyard, a common resource in many games. It fits well in strategies needing to reach a critical mass of cards in an opponent’s graveyard quickly.

Combo Potential: Particularly useful with mill cards or effects that put a high number of cards into a graveyard at once, Fraying Sanity can double the impact of a single action. It’s excellent in combination with spells like Glimpse the Unthinkable or traumatize for a devastating effect.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where strategies involving graveyard manipulation are dominant, Fraying Sanity can be an asset. It serves as a powerful deterrent, potentially neutralizing strategies that repeatedly utilize resources from the graveyard.


How to beat

Fraying Sanity is a unique enchantment in the realm of Magic: The Gathering that can turn the tide if left unchecked. This card has the distinct ability to double the number of cards put into an opponent’s graveyard from their library; it presents a formidable endgame for mill strategies. To counteract this insidious enchantment, savvy players employ a two-pronged tactic: disposal and disruption.Aiming for cancellation and enchantment removal, you might look to staples such as Disenchant or Naturalize to swiftly dismantle Fraying Sanity before its effect can compound. Altering your play-style to prioritize such answers when facing a potential mill strategy is essential. For disruption, you can utilize cards that shuffle your graveyard back into your library, like Elixir of Immortality, as a defensive maneuver.While Fraying Sanity has the capacity to secure victory from the vast depth of your deck, understanding your deck’s architecture as well as your opponent’s strategies is key. Always be prepared to adapt, bringing in spells to negate or remove troublesome enchantments to maintain control of the match.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving deep into the strategic play of Magic: The Gathering often uncovers gems like Fraying Sanity, which can be a game-changer in mill decks. Its unique ability to escalate the milling process challenges players to think creatively about graveyard mechanics. For those looking to enhance their strategies and construct decks with a twist, incorporating Fraying Sanity could prove to be a valuable move. Curious to discover more ways this card could revolutionize your gameplay or seeking further insights into MTG strategies, combos, and more? Explore with us, embrace the depth of the game, and enrich your MTG experience with every draw.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Fraying Sanity MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation and Hour of Devastation Promos, 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 Fraying Sanity and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Fraying Sanity Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2017-07-14 and 2024-03-08. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-07-14Hour of DevastationHOU 352015NormalBlackRyan Alexander Lee
22017-07-15Hour of Devastation PromosPHOU 35s2015NormalBlackRyan Alexander Lee
32023-09-08Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting TalesWOT 192015NormalBorderlessMeel Tamphanon
42024-03-08FalloutPIP 9872015NormalBlackJason Kang
52024-03-08FalloutPIP 4592015NormalBlackJason Kang
62024-03-08FalloutPIP 1752015NormalBlackJason Kang
72024-03-08FalloutPIP 7032015NormalBlackJason Kang

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Fraying Sanity 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 Fraying Sanity card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2017-07-14 Fraying Sanity’s triggered ability counts the number of cards that were put into the enchanted player’s graveyard during the turn, even if Fraying Sanity wasn’t on the battlefield at the time those cards were put there, and even if those cards have left that graveyard.
2017-07-14 The value of X is determined only as Fraying Sanity’s triggered ability resolves. For example, if three Fraying Sanity Auras are attached to one player who had four cards put into their graveyard this turn, X will be four for the first ability to resolve, eight for the second, and sixteen for the third.