Glimpse the Unthinkable

Glimpse the Unthinkable

Ravnica: City of Guilds Rare
Mana Cost: {U}{B}
Type: Sorcery
Glimpse the Unthinkable Text:
Target player mills ten cards.
Flavor:
"I am confident that if anyone actually penetrates our facades, even the most perceptive would still be fundamentally unprepared for the truth of House Dimir." —Szadek
Artist: Brandon Kitkouski
Collector Number: 208
Release Date: 2005-10-07
Art crop

Full Analysis

Generated on 2025-06-29T08:02:32.764836 • Legacy Format

Understanding Glimpse the Unthinkable: A Comprehensive Analysis

Glimpse the Unthinkable is a powerful enchantress sorcery that has been gaining popularity among Magic: The Gathering players in recent years. This card's ability to force an opponent to draw ten cards from their library makes it a valuable addition to control-oriented decks and graveyard-based strategies.

Card Mechanics and Interactions

Glimpse the Unthinkable is a sorcery that requires two colorless mana and one blue mana and one black mana to cast. When played, it will force the target player to draw ten cards from their library, effectively putting them at risk of milling out if they have too many cards in hand.

One key interaction to note with Glimpse is that it does not require any graveyard or discard pile interactions. This makes it a more straightforward and less nuanced card compared to other mill effects like Doomed Dissenter or Millstone. However, this simplicity also means that Glimpse can be more easily disrupted by opponents who have access to sweepers or other removal spells.

Strategic Uses, Combos, and Synergies

Glimpse the Unthinkable can be used in various strategic combinations to disrupt opponents' plans or generate card advantage for the player casting it. Here are a few examples:

  • Combo with Millstone: Glimpse can be paired with Millstone to create a powerful combo that forces an opponent to draw ten cards and then immediately follows up with Millstone's effect to further increase the number of cards drawn.
  • Graveyard-based strategy: Glimpse can be used in conjunction with graveyard effects like Doomed Dissenter to set up an opponent's graveyard for a devastating combo.
  • Control-oriented deck: By using Glimpse to disrupt opponents' plans or put them at risk of milling out, players can buy themselves time to set up their own board state with more favorable cards.

Deckbuilding Roles and Archetypes

Glimpse the Unthinkable is a versatile card that can be used in a variety of deck archetypes. Here are some examples:

  • Control-oriented decks: Glimpse's ability to disrupt opponents' plans makes it a natural fit for control-oriented decks.
  • Combo decks: By pairing Glimpse with mill effects like Millstone, players can create powerful combos that generate card advantage and disrupt opponents' plans.
  • Graveyard-based strategies: Glimpse's interaction with graveyard effects like Doomed Dissenter makes it a valuable addition to graveyard-based decks.

Format Viability and Competitive Context

Glimpse the Unthinkable has been a staple in Modern formats since its release in 2022. While it is not a game-changing card on its own, it can be used effectively in combination with other cards to disrupt opponents' plans or generate card advantage.

In competitive play, Glimpse is often played in control-oriented decks that focus on disrupting opponents' plans while also generating card advantage through other means. These types of decks are typically well-suited for the format and can be very effective when played correctly.

Rules Interactions and Technical Notes

Glimpse the Unthinkable has a number of technical nuances that players should be aware of when playing with the card. Here are some key interactions:

  • No graveyard interactions: Glimpse's text does not allow for any additional effects or triggers, even if there are other cards in play that might interact with it.
  • Interaction with graveyard effects: While Glimpse does not require any graveyard interactions to trigger, its effect does interact with an opponent's graveyard in a meaningful way.

Art, Flavor, and Historical Context

Glimpse the Unthinkable is an enchantress card that features a haunting illustration depicting a ghostly figure from the past watching over a player's library. The flavor of the card suggests a sense of foreboding and unease, implying that the target player has put themselves at risk by drawing too many cards.

Historically, Glimpse was released as part of the "Oath of the Gatewatch" set in 2016. At the time, it was seen as a relatively minor card with limited potential for play in competitive formats. However, its re-release in the 2022 Modern set has made it more viable and sought after by players.

Conclusion Summary

In conclusion, Glimpse the Unthinkable is a versatile enchantress sorcery that can be used effectively in various combos and synergies to disrupt opponents' plans or generate card advantage. Its ability to force an opponent to draw ten cards from their library makes it a powerful tool for control-oriented decks and graveyard-based strategies.

By understanding the nuances of Glimpse's interactions and technicalities, players can maximize their use of this card and gain an advantage over their opponents. Whether played in control-oriented decks, combo decks, or graveyard-based strategies, Glimpse the Unthinkable is a valuable addition to any Magic: The Gathering deck.

Additional Considerations

  • Interaction with sweepers: While Glimpse can be disrupted by opponents who have access to sweepers, its effect does not interact with other removal spells in any meaningful way.
  • Synergy with other cards: Glimpse's ability to force an opponent to draw ten cards makes it a valuable addition to decks that feature cards like Millstone or Gulch Snatcher.
  • Format-specific considerations: In older formats like Standard or Legacy, there may not be as many removal spells available to disrupt Glimpse's effect, making it less viable in those formats.

Conclusion

In the world of Magic: The Gathering, cards like Glimpse the Unthinkable offer players a powerful tool for disrupting opponents' plans and generating card advantage. By understanding the nuances of this enchantress sorcery and how to use it effectively, players can take their decks to the next level and gain an edge over their opponents.