Curiosity

Curiosity Lite Guide

Eighth Edition Uncommon
Mana Cost: {U}
Type: Enchantment — Aura
Curiosity Text:
Enchant creature Whenever enchanted creature deals damage to an opponent, you may draw a card.
Flavor:
"You know that secret? The one that wakes you up at night in a cold sweat? The one you think no one else in the world knows? Well, guess what."
Artist: Jim Nelson
Collector Number: 72
Release Date: 2003-07-28
Art crop

Strategy Guide

Last updated 2025-06-30
TL;DR Summary

Curiosity: A Card of Unparalleled Draw Power

Curiosity is a versatile enchantment that offers exceptional draw potential in Commander decks. Its simple and elegant design enables it to shine in various contexts.

  • Draw Mechanic: Whenever Curiosity's enchanted creature deals damage, you can draw a card. This ability makes it an excellent addition to decks featuring creatures with high power or trample.
  • Aura Ability: As an aura enchantment, Curiosity can be cast and attached to any creature, making it compatible with a wide range of Commander staples.

Typical Uses:

  • In aggressive decks focused on dealing damage quickly, Curiosity can help accelerate draw in response to early-game threats.
  • Complementing high-powder creatures like Ajani's Pridemate or Savanna Hawks, Curiosity boosts the value of your draws by enabling you to capitalize on your opponents' life totals.

Impact:

  • In combination with cards that generate card advantage, such as Bazaar of Baghdad, Curiosity can create explosive draw potential.
  • The enchantment's low mana cost (1 U) and relatively low price point make it an affordable addition to many Commander decks.

Overall, Curiosity is a reliable, easy-to-play card that rewards players for developing aggressive strategies and leveraging their creatures' power.

Card Mechanics & Interactions

Curiosity: A Card of Constant Wonder

As a Commander staple, Curiosity is a straightforward yet tantalizing enabler that rewards you for dealing damage to opponents. Its enchant creature ability makes it easy to apply, and the draw trigger provides a steady stream of cards.

Enchant Creature Ability

  • Enchant creature: This is a classic aura mechanic that allows Curiosity to attach itself to any creature on the battlefield.
  • Attached to creatures with power: Unlike some other auras, Curiosity doesn't care about a creature's toughness or ability to block. As long as it has power, Curiosity will stick.

Trigger: Whenever enchanted creature deals damage to an opponent

  • Trigger condition: The enchantment must be attached to a creature that actually hits an opponent for damage.
  • Card drawing: Upon triggering, you get to draw a card from your deck.
Strategic Applications

Curiosity is a versatile enchantment that can fit into various Commander archetypes, particularly those centered around card draw and creature interaction. Its ability to trigger whenever the enchanted creature deals damage makes it an attractive option for decks that value disrupting opponents while also generating card advantage.

Common Archetypes:

  • Mill decks: By enchanting a creature like Estrid's Invocation or Vraska, Greatship, Curiosity can help generate card draw and accelerate the milling process.
  • Sneak Attack-style decks: Partnering with creatures that deal significant damage, such as Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient, can allow for consistent trigger activations and substantial card advantage.

Battlefield Role:

As an aura, Curiosity will typically be cast on a more aggressive creature to take advantage of its potential damage output. By doing so, it enables the player to draw cards while still developing their board presence with the enchanted creature. This dual purpose allows for a flexible and adaptive gameplay experience.

Decks or Strategies that Benefit Most:

In general, Curiosity excels in midrange to control-oriented Commander decks where consistent card advantage is valuable. Its ability to generate card draw from creature-based triggers makes it a compelling addition to various blue-centric archetypes.

Advanced Techniques

Curiosity: A Hidden Gem in Enchantments

This enchantment is often overlooked due to its simplicity, but it packs a punch when combined with the right cards. Curiosity's ability to draw a card whenever an enchanted creature deals damage can be leveraged to create a powerful and consistent draw engine.

Synergies with Token Generators

Cards like Blossoming Defence or Thalia's Lieutenant can generate tokens that, when combined with Curiosity, provide a significant draw advantage. When these tokens deal combat damage, the enchantment triggers, allowing you to draw additional cards and maintain a steady card flow.

Combining with Lifegain Enchantments

Curiosity pairs well with lifegain enchantments like Luminarch Ascension or Ajani's Pridemate, which provide a source of life gain. When these enchantments trigger, the life total increases, and Curiosity can draw an additional card due to the increased damage output.

Countering Disruptive Spells

Enchanting a creature with Curiosity also makes it more resilient against spells like Vraska's Contempt or Supreme Verdict, as these cards' effects are mitigated by the enchantment. When combined with other protective measures, such as Curiosity itself providing an additional layer of protection, this can create a formidable defense.

Example Decklist

A sample deck featuring Curiosity could be built around token generation and lifegain:

This combination can provide a consistent draw engine while also offering protection and life gain.

Common Mistakes

Curiosity: Timing and Synergy Misplays

In Commander, players often misjudge the timing of Curiosity's ability, leading to missed opportunities. A common mistake is enchanting a creature that won't deal damage to an opponent anytime soon. For instance, enchanting a defensive creature like Dawn Charm or Vinesnap means you'll have to wait for it to be sacrificed or attacked by another creature before triggering Curiosity's ability.

Another misstep involves misunderstanding the rules regarding triggered abilities. When a creature enchanted with Curiosity deals damage to an opponent, you may draw a card as long as the enchantment remains attached. However, if the enchanted creature is destroyed or exiled, its triggered ability will resolve and you'll get to draw a card, but then the enchantment itself will be gone.

Curiosity's synergy potential is often underutilized due to players not combining it with cards that consistently deal damage to opponents. For example, enchanting Vandalblast-sacrificed creatures or pairing Curiosity with Phantasmal Conjur can lead to a steady stream of card draws.

Some specific examples of misplays include:

  • Enchanting a creature that's already tapped, making it impossible for them to deal damage.
  • Waiting too long to enchant a creature that could be attacking an opponent immediately.
  • Failing to consider the timing and potential triggers of other cards in your deck when deciding whether to enchant with Curiosity.

Players should prioritize finding creatures with built-in triggers or consistently dealing damage, such as Fog Elemental or Vandalblast, to maximize Curiosity's potential.

Conclusion

Curiosity is a versatile enchantment that shines in Commander decks focused on card draw and interaction. Its ability to grant the player a chance to draw a card whenever the enchanted creature deals damage makes it an attractive inclusion.

One scenario where Curiosity excels is in combo-oriented decks featuring cards like Elixir of Life or Mystical Tutor. These cards can help accelerate the game plan, allowing players to consistently trigger Curiosity's ability and ramp up their card draw.

Curiosity also finds a home in aggro-focused Commander decks that utilize creatures with high power and trample. Cards like Chandra, Torch of Defiance or Atraxa, Praetors' Voice, which can generate significant damage output, pair well with Curiosity to create explosive draw possibilities.

While its mana cost is low, Curiosity's effectiveness may be limited in slower, more controlling decks where card advantage from other sources outweighs the need for immediate draw. In these cases, cards like Ajani's Pridemate or Elvish Mystic, which offer more direct value, might take precedence.

In terms of price, Curiosity is relatively affordable at around 0.49 USD, making it a valuable addition to many Commander decks.

Overall, Curiosity is an excellent choice for players seeking to incorporate more interaction and card draw into their deck. When paired with the right cards and strategies, its ability can create a significant advantage, making it a worthwhile inclusion in any Commander deck focused on card advantage.