64 Best MTG Blue Card Draw Cards in Magic: the Gathering

Synonymous with knowledge and manipulation, blue's philosophy in MTG revolves around control, card advantage, and disrupting opponents' strategies. Blue card draw spells stand at the core of this philosophy, offering players the tools to maintain a steady flow of resources and gain the upper hand. From iconic spells that have shaped the game's history, *cough* Ancestral Recall *cough*, to innovative new additions like Lórien Revealed, the power of blue card draw is undeniable in nearly every format.

Understanding how to effectively strategize your card draw in blue decks is integral to success. Fortunately blue does not lack for draw. Blue planeswalkers, for instance, weave card advantage into their powerful abilities, while artifacts commonly associated with blue provide alternative avenues to draw cards. Whether you're disrupting your opponent's land with Spreading Seas or sizing up your hand with Preordain, cantrips like these can help blue out-think and outmaneuver its opponents.

Key Takeaways

• Blue card draw spells offer strategic control and card advantage in gameplay.
• Blue is extremely effective at drawing as an instant, a sorcery, or from creature abilities.
• Utilizing blue planeswalkers and artifacts can enhance your card draw capabilities.

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Blue's Philosophy as a Color of Magic

Blue is affectionately referred to as the color of nope. You want to cast what now? Nope. You're attacking me with what? Nope. When it comes to control decks, blue stands out with some of the best cards in the game. See Cyclonic Rift in the Commander format. 

Mono blue frequently empowers combo decks, such as Urza, Lord High Artificer whose commander deck power level can creep into CEDH.

Blue is also very reactionary, not known as an aggressor. When you need to have an answer to anything thrown at you, the best way is to draw a lot of cards before then. Fortunately blue excels at this and will refill all your nopes and dig up your combo pieces with ease.

3 Things Blue Excels At

Counterspells

Blue is synonymous with control, and counterspells are its bread and butter. Casting something like Counterspell means you're denying your opponent's actions, essentially declaring “Not on my watch!” when they attempt to cast a crucial spell.

Bouncing Permanents

Next up, blue’s capability to alter the battlefield by bouncing permanents back to their owner's hand shouldn’t be underestimated. I mentioned Cyclonic Rift earlier, which demonstrates blue's tactical retreat philosophy – sometimes the best move is to reset and force your opponent to rethink their strategy.

Drawing Cards

Finally, when it comes to drawing cards, blue is king. This allows you to keep your options open and your hand full. Cards like Brainstorm not only give you more fuel but also enable the sculpting of your perfect hand, ensuring you're always prepared for what’s ahead.

Iconic Blue Card Draw Spells

In a game where drawing cards can often mean the difference between victory and defeat, blue perfectly encapsulates the power of knowledge by offering some of the most potent spell-based, creature, and ability card draw options.

These blue spells are legendary for keeping your hand filled with responses and control.

Ancestral Recall

Ancestral Recall is not just an iconic blue card draw spell; it's a symbol of raw power. For a single blue mana, it lets you draw three cards, unparalleled in draw power. It's part of the famed Power Nine and is renowned for its simple yet game-breaking effect. Due to its strength, it's banned in most formats, but it remains the best blue card draw in the game of Magic.

Timetwister

Timetwister has the unique effect of shuffling both players' hands and graveyards into their libraries, then drawing seven new cards. For 1 blue and 2 colorless mana, this powerful sorcery is another member of the Power Nine and is subject to similar restrictions as Ancestral Recall in some formats. That said it's still a great deal in the right deck if you want to invest that kind of cash.

Rhystic Study

“Did you pay the one?” This question haunts many EDH players when Rhystic Study is on the field. As an enchantment, it allows you to draw a card whenever an opponent casts a spell unless they pay one extra mana. The constant threat of extra card draw for you makes Rhystic Study a staple in blue-based Commander decks, and you'll be surprised the lengths some players will go to to prevent their opponents drawing extra cards. You may see the Unstable Harmonics version from a Secret Lair drop from time to time.

Mystic Remora

Often likened to a miniature Rhystic Study, Mystic Remora has an upkeep cost that increases over time. But its initial cost-effectiveness allows you to draw cards whenever opponents cast noncreature spells, unless they pay four extra mana. This fish has hooked many players with its deceptively powerful card draw engine.

Brainstorm, Ponder, Preordain, and Serum Visions

Brainstorm, Ponder, Preordain and Serum Visions are celebrated for providing quick and affordable card draw and selection. Each only costs a single blue mana to cast.

Brainstorm draws three cards, at instant speed, then you put any two cards from your hand back on top of your library – a key feature to hide cards and set up future plays. 

Ponder lets you look at the top three cards of your library, rearrange them if you like, and then decide if you want to shuffle, after which you draw a card. You either get to set up your next few draws, or shuffle them around for later and draw a random card.

Preordain lets you scry 2 to set up your next draws, and then draw a card. it's a sorcery, but it lets you dig 2 or even 3 cards deep and set up your next draw or 2.

With Serum Visions you draw a card, and then scry your next 2, getting to put them on top in any order, or move 1 or both to the bottom of your library. Like Preordain but the draw order is reversed.

Powerful Card Draw in Various Formats

Treasure Cruise

In formats like Legacy and Modern, the delve mechanic of Treasure Cruise allows you to essentially turn your graveyard into a resource, making this card a powerhouse for drawing three cards with minimal mana investment.

Windfall

Windfall is an awesome blue wheel card. Each player discards their hand and then draws cards equal to the greatest number discarded this way. It's not just about refilling your hand; it's about resetting the table—especially effective in multiplayer formats like Commander.

Archmage Emeritus

Archmage Emeritus truly shines in spell-slinging decks. Cast a spell, draw a card—simple and effective. It's a snowball effect that any deck heavy on instants and sorceries craves.

Blue Sun's Zenith

An instant that can target any player, Blue Sun's Zenith offers flexibility in both Commander and Vintage—use it to draw yourself into victory or force an opponent to draw into defeat.

Day's Undoing

Red may have Wheel of Fortune, but you can't say blue lacks for wheel effects. Day's Undoing‘s only drawback is that it ends your turn after the effects complete.

Deep Analysis

Two hits for the price of one—Deep Analysis can be cast from the graveyard, ensuring you keep the cards flowing even from beyond the grave. Adds a little hint of black's usual draw mechanic, trading life for card advantage.

Concentrate

The blue draw card so good they had to give it to green and call it Harmonize. Concentrate is the original draw a bunch of cards for no drawback sorcery outside the power 9.

Archmage's Charm

In a format as fast as Modern, versatility is king, and Archmage's Charm offers it in spades: counter, control, or draw—choose your strategy on the fly.

Consider

A cantrip that lets you set up that next draw. Consider is definitely worth consideration if you're looking for blue draw.

Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur

This Praetor is a game-ender in Commander. Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur forces your opponents to discard down at the end of their turn, while you draw into dominance.

Loyal Drake

Loyal Drake is a menace in commander. With your commander and this drake on the board, you get to draw a card at the start of your combat phase.

Gitaxian Probe

A peek at your opponent's hand for virtually no cost and a fresh card to boot, Gitaxian Probe offers insight and advantage in formats like Legacy and Vintage.

Dig Through Time

Look seven deep, pick the best two. With Dig Through Time, the delve mechanic again provides a cost-effective way to sift for gold in formats like Pioneer and Legacy.

Time Spiral

Time Spiral is a reset button that wheels each player, but costs you nothing as your mana untaps at the end of its effects.

Mystic Confluence

Lots of options for ways to align Mystic Confluence to your current game situation. It can counter. It can act like a couple of bounce removal spells. It can even draw you a couple or 3 cards.

Standstill

Standstill​ is one of those cards that in multiplayer games like Commander or 2 Headed Giant can completely change the complexion of the game. Everyone has to weigh whether their strategy is worth everyone else getting a bunch of cards. This one almost feels like it should be white card draw with how passive it can make a few turns of a game.

Gush

By returning two islands to your hand instead of paying its mana cost, Gush represents an incredible tempo play in Vintage, giving you cards without sacrificing your turn's resources.

​Rush of Knowledge

For 5 mana Rush of Knowledge will net you cards equal to the highest mana cost among permanents you control. A great later game hand re-filler.

Coastal Piracy

Coastal Piracy​ is one of those cards I've put in and removed from a lot of my own decks. it needs the right circumstances to shine. It's definitely worth considering with the right strategy!

Distant Melody

Distant Melody is another tribal draw beauty. 4 mana to draw cards equal to permanents of a chosen creature type. Sign me up!

Chart a Course

Chart a Course is a draw 2 looting effect spell that has an option where you can keep both cards you drew if you attacked before playing it. At only 2 mana, this can produce a significant early card advantage.

Consecrated Sphinx

In multiplayer formats like Commander, Consecrated Sphinx turns each card your opponents draw into a potential boon for you.

Kindred Discovery

With multiple ways to trigger a draw based on a called tribe, Kindred Discovery may be just what your blue merfolk, wizard, bird, sphinx, pirate, kraken, etc… deck is looking for.

Betrayal

I feel like Betrayal gets overlooked more than it should. Especially in formats like Commander. You'd be surprised how much of a shutdown card it can be on a nasty creature, and how much you can draw from it when your opponent disregards it.

Lórien Revealed

At 5 mana for 3 cards Lórien Revealed is not one of blue's absolute best card draw spells. But it's also not awful either, and this has the added bonus of islandcycling!

Fact or Fiction

An oldie but goodie, Fact or Fiction gives your opponents an ultimatum where you have decided the terms. Either way, you'll get to draw some cards.

Recurring Insight

Recurring Insight is an intriguing option with its Rebound​ ability, enabling it to be used each turn until you don't want to use it again.

Reconnaissance Mission

Reconnaissance Mission cycles for 2, or casts for 4 as an enchantment. When on the board you draw a card each time a creature you control deals combat damage to a player. It's a newer, better Coastal Piracy and deserves more consideration!

Echo of Eons

Echo of Eons​ is a 6 mana cost wheel with flashback. What's better than one wheel? Wheeling again!

​Slithermuse

This 3/3 elemental has an amazing draw ability for a Commander or Team game like 2 Headed Giant. Slithermuse lets you pick an opponent and draw the difference in cards between your hand and their hand if they have more. The Evoke ability also allows you to play it simply for the draw instead the creature. The evoke is also only 1 blue mana, where casting the creature normally costs 2 blue mana, meaning if you're having trouble getting 2 blue, this card still isn't dead in your hand!

Insight

Insight​ can be very effective in multiplayer games such as EDH, where at least one player is bound to have green spells, if not more. Draw a card for each green spell cast!

Memory Deluge

Memory Deluge lets you draw X cards deep and then return all but 2 to the bottom of your library. It can also be flashed back making it usable even after being tossed for your Force of Will!

Flow of Ideas

It's 6 mana, but Flow of Ideas will refill your hand quick, fast, and in a hurry. Draw a card for each Island you control.

Chemister's Insight

At instant speed and with a replay from graveyard ability in Jump-start, Chemister's Insight is a lot more useful than you may have thought at first glance. 4 mana the first time, 4 mana and a discard the second time from graveyard.

Mulldrifter

A 2/2 flying dude and 2 cards for 5 mana is pretty good. Give Mulldrifter an Evoke ability where you can simply draw 2 cards for 3 mana and now we have excellent blue card draw options.

Behold the Multiverse

Instant speed, able to be played later with the Foretell ability, and letting you Scry 2 before drawing to set up your draw, Behold the Multiverse is an extremely versatile way to draw 2 cards for what you want to pay, when you want to pay it, and even get up 4 deep if you need to.

Hatching Plans

Extremely efficient draw if you have a way to sac permanents, Hatching Plans only costs one blue and one colorless mana to sit on the board and wait. Then it snags you 3 cards when it hits your graveyard.

Sea Gate Restoration (Sea Gate, Reborn)

A fantastic card draw option that slots in as a blue mana producing land. Sea Gate, Reborn is mana when you need it early, and Sea Gate Restoration is draw when you need it late.

Strategizing Card Draw in Blue Decks

Crafting a blue deck in MTG means ensuring you have the right card draw mechanics in place. It's not just about drawing cards; it's about doing so efficiently and synergistically to maximize your game.

Cantrip Synergies

Cantrips, like Thought Scour that when cast perform an action and then draw a card are your low-investment scouts, revealing the battlefield's secrets while replenishing your hand. Cantrips are spells that have an ability or effect, and then an additional ability or effect that makes you draw a card. Cryptic Command is another great example. Dress Down is yet another. You have to love cards that replace themselves in your hand when cast!

And as mentioned at the beginning of our write up, Spreading Seas!

Delve Strategies

Delve unlocks potent spells through the wisely timed discarding of your graveyard. Cards like Treasure Cruise become game-changers, giving you a significant card advantage at minimal resource cost. Balance your delve usage to avoid depleting your graveyard too quickly, paving the way for a mighty surge when the time is right.

Looting

Looting allows you to draw and then discard, ensuring your hand remains the optimal blend of answers and threats. You'll sift through your deck, discarding riff-raff and honing in on the cards that will clinch your victory, fueling strategies that require drawing, and those looking to fill your graveyard. Compulsive Research is a great example.

Merfolk Looter

Merfolk Looter started the looting, “end of your turn I'll draw one and discard one.” It lets you dive deeper into your deck and unearth the exact spells you need to dominate the tides. Employing this creature effectively kept many a blue player afloat for a large chunk of the game's history. There are better looting options these days, but Looter is a classic.

Compulsion

At one time the engine that spurred Madness decks to victory, Compulsion is basically a looter without any of the drawbacks of a tiny creature, and with a bonus draw ability. Its one caveat is that you have to discard a card from your hand first before you draw. But, loot as many times as you want/can for 1 blue and 1 colorless mana, since you don't need to tap this enchantment!

Card Advantage Through Blue Planeswalkers

Blue planeswalkers are synonymous with card advantage. They excel at drawing cards, providing you with valuable resources in your quest to outmaneuver opponents.

Jace, the Mind Sculptor

Jace, the Mind Sculptor is the blue planeswalker epitome of card advantage. Its Brainstorm ability lets you draw three cards and then put two from your hand back on top of your deck. This not only gives you immediate options but also sets up your draws for future turns. The rest of his abilities are top notch as well.

Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy / Jace, Telepath Unbound

Initially, Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy allows you to loot, then transforms into Jace, Telepath Unbound once you have 5 or more cards in your graveyard. Once transformed, you can utilize his -3 ability to cast instants or sorceries from your graveyard, essentially drawing from a well of past spells.

Jace Beleren

With Jace Beleren you get a Howling Mine when you want it, the ability to make an individual player draw a card, or an ultimate that mills 20 cards from target player.

Oath of Jace

While not a planeswalker itself Oath of Jace gets more potent for each planeswalker you control. Initially, a 3/2 looting effect when it comes into play, followed by a scry each turn that digs as deep as the number of planeswalkers you control.

The Role of Artifacts in Blue Card Draw

Artifacts play a pivotal role in maximizing card draw for blue decks in Magic: The Gathering. They offer alternative costs and synergistic effects that can enhance your capability to draw cards.

You can of course use some of the more common artifact draw such as Sensei's Divining Top, but lets give you a few more to work with.

Thoughtcast

With Affinity for Artifacts, Thoughtcast is a prime example of how artifacts lower the cost of drawing cards. In decks stacked with artifacts, you're looking at drawing two cards for a mere one or two mana. Thoughtcast was a huge part of the classic Arcbound Ravager artifact deck. It still shines in decks with artifact lands and low-cost artifacts.

Thought Monitor

Think of Thought Monitor as Thoughtcast's big brother, providing not only card draw but also a flying body on the battlefield. Initially more costly than Thoughtcast, Thought Monitor will require you to have more artifacts in play to really make use of its affinity. But a single card that provides a flying creature and a 2 card draw is a good reason to consider it in your artifact deck.

​Midnight Clock

Your own personal wheel when it goes off. Midnight Clock can be extremely powerful with additional support such as proliferate.

Howling Mine

Howling Mine is the perfect example of an equal-opportunity draw engine. One of the first and still a staple group hug. Everyone draws an extra card at the beginning of their draw step! You may employ a strategy to tap it once you've drawn, rendering it useless to your opponents as well.

Font of Mythos

Font of Mythos takes the principle of Howling Mine and doubles down. Every player gets to draw two additional cards, but if you're piloting a deck that churns through cards at lightning speed, you're set to benefit the most.

The One Ring

New from Universes Beyond: the Lord of the Rings , The One Ring is one of the better-drawing artifacts in recent years that can justifiably be used by any color.

Bident of Thassa

Not the Thassa card that usually gets all the hype, but Bident of Thassa is another newer way to get the Coastal Piracy effect for a mana less. This 4 mana artifact/enchantment also has a powerful activated ability that can force your opponents' attack.

Isochron Scepter

Now let's talk Isochron Scepter—the artifact that turns any 2-mana instant spell, like Counterspell, into a perennial threat. Imprint a card draw spell like Brainstorm though, and every turn becomes a chance to dig deeper into your deck and set up your next few draws.

You may also find some non-artifact colorless draw options useful.

That's a wrap. Let me know if you LOVE a blue draw spell that I missed in the comments, or if we've helped you find the missing one for your deck.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do blue card draw spells compare to other colors in terms of efficiency and advantage?

Blue card draw spells are primarily designed to outpace and outsmart opponents by granting you access to more options and responses. Blue loots and rummages, there are lots of blue cantrips, but beyond that a lot of blue draw just draws. Most other colors are either completely lacking card draw with no drawbacks or have very few options for it.

In terms of synergy, which blue creatures facilitate effective card draw strategies in MTG?

Synergizing with spells that draw cards, certain blue creatures can turn the tide of a game. Creatures like Urza, Lord High Artificer in artifact decks, and Arcanis the Omnipotent capitalize on a deep library, encouraging a deck filled with card draw mechanics to achieve a win condition. The Reality Chip is a fun option that's both an artifact creature and an equipment, but opens the next card in your library up to be used and cast.