Demonic Tutor

Demonic Tutor Full Guide

Revised Edition Uncommon
Mana Cost: {1}{B}
Type: Sorcery
Demonic Tutor Text:
Search your library for a card, put that card into your hand, then shuffle.
Artist: Douglas Shuler
Collector Number: 105
Release Date: 1994-04-11
Art crop

Strategy Guide

Last updated 2025-06-29
TL;DR Summary

Demonic Tutor

This sorcery is a powerful card draw spell that lets you search your library for any card, putting it directly into your hand. Its low mana cost of {1}{B} makes it an attractive option in black decks. With a CMC of 2.0, Demonic Tutor is a key card in many formats, including Commander.

Power Level: Demonic Tutor's power level is high due to its ability to find any card in your library, making it an excellent tutor spell that can pull out game-changing cards like Bolas's Citadel or Mox Opal. Its low mana cost also makes it a great addition to many black decks.

Main Use Cases: - Card draw: Demonic Tutor is primarily used as a card draw engine, helping you find the cards you need to execute your strategy. - Combo pieces: This card can be used to pull out combo pieces like Bolas's Citadel or Mox Opal, making it an excellent addition to combo decks.

Most Popular Formats: Demonic Tutor is commonly played in formats like Commander, where its low mana cost and ability to find any card make it a valuable asset. It's also playable in Modern, but its power level decreases slightly due to the more competitive metagame.

Card Mechanics & Interactions

Demonic Tutor is a versatile and powerful sorcery that allows players to search their library for a specific card, put it into their hand, and then shuffle their deck. This card is an example of the "tutor" archetype, where a single spell can find a more expensive or harder-to-get card.

When casting Demonic Tutor, resolve its effect in two steps:

  1. Search your library: The player looks through their deck for a specific card, following any relevant rules and restrictions (e.g., "can't search for a card if it's not on the stack"). They must specify which card they're searching for.
  2. Put that card into your hand: Once the desired card is located, it's placed directly into the player's hand. No other effects are triggered by this step.

Edge Cases and Unusual Interactions

  • If a player searches their library for a card that would cause an instant win condition (e.g., The Abyss) or a catastrophic situation (e.g., Wishclaw Wurm), the game state is not changed, and the player must continue with the turn.
  • If a player uses Demonic Tutor to find a card that's already in their hand, it's effectively a "do nothing" spell, as they won't gain any new cards or shuffle their deck.
  • When using Demonic Tutor in combination with another card, such as Jace, the Mind Sculptor, it can create complex situations where multiple cards are shuffled back into the library. In these cases, resolve each effect independently and keep track of which cards have been shuffled.

Commander-Specific Quirks

  • When playing Demonic Tutor in a Commander deck, consider the format's unique rules, such as the "two-tutor rule," which limits players to two tutor effects per turn.
  • As with any card that searches for specific cards, be mindful of the game's history and your opponents' likely plays. This can help you anticipate potential interactions and plan accordingly.

Keep in mind that Demonic Tutor is a powerful spell that requires careful consideration when playing it. By understanding its interaction with other cards and the game state, players can optimize their use of this versatile tutor.

Strategic Applications

Demonic Tutor is a highly valued card in many Commander decks, particularly those that run a Black color identity. Its ability to search for any card from the library allows commanders to adapt and respond to changing circumstances on the battlefield.

One of the most notable uses of Demonic Tutor is in combination with Dark Ritual. This synergistic pairing enables players to cast powerful spells like Demongorge or Bolas's Citadel, often turning the game around in their favor. The flexibility offered by Demonic Tutor makes it an excellent addition to decks focused on sacrificing creatures, as seen in Infect and Chaos archetypes.

Other decks that benefit from Demonic Tutor include those centered around Griselbrand, Liliana of the Veil, or Kardur Doomscourge. These commanders often rely on drawing specific cards to generate card advantage, and Demonic Tutor provides a valuable tool for achieving this goal. Additionally, it's commonly included in decks featuring Tatyova, Benthic Druid and Atraxa, Praetors' Voice, where its flexibility is crucial.

Demonic Tutor also finds a home in more aggressive, combo-oriented decks that rely on Ad Nauseam or Goblin Rabblemaster. By allowing players to find specific pieces of the puzzle quickly, Demonic Tutor accelerates these decks' gameplan and increases their chances of success.

Advanced Techniques

Demonic Tutor: A Masterclass in Card Advantage

Demonic Tutor is a staple in many Commander decks, and for good reason. Its ability to search your library for any card and put it into play is incredibly powerful, especially when combined with the right cards.

Synergies

  • Tutors with Tutors: Pairing Demonic Tutor with other tutors like Thirst for Knowledge, Vampiric Tutor, or Mox Opal creates a powerful engine that can search out key cards and accelerate your gameplan.
  • Millstone and Mill: Demonic Tutor is an excellent way to find millstones like Wishclaw Talisman, Eternal Witness, or Griselbrand, allowing you to create a potent mill combo.
  • Combo with Tendrils of Agony****: Find the right cards, and Demonic Tutor can help you set up a devastating Tendrils of Agony combo, dealing massive damage to your opponent.

Rules Tricks

  • Shuffling and Re-Shuffling: Use Demonic Tutor's shuffle ability to put an unfortunate card back into your library, potentially avoiding an unfavorable board state.
  • Playing with Multiple Copies: If you have multiple copies of a card in play, use Demonic Tutor to find the copy you need, allowing you to play it and create a more complex combo.

Interactions

  • Combos with Simian Spirit Guide: Pairing Demonic Tutor with Simian Spirit Guide creates an incredible tempo engine that can search out cards while generating card advantage.
  • Synergizing with Sol Ring: Use Sol Ring to accelerate your mana, then use Demonomic Tutor to find the right cards and create a powerful combo.

Strategies

  • Combo with a Control Package: Pairing Demonic Tutor with control-oriented cards like Tribal Ambition, Vines of Vastwood, or Wear // Tear creates an aggressive combo that can take down opponents quickly.
  • Accelerating with Mox Opal: Use Mox Opal to accelerate your mana, then use Demonic Tutor to find the right cards and create a complex combo.

Demonic Tutor is a powerful tool for any Commander deck. Its ability to search your library for any card creates an incredible amount of flexibility, allowing you to adapt to changing board states or find specific cards in your deck.

Common Mistakes

Common Mistakes with Demonic Tutor

Demonic Tutor is a powerful and versatile card that can be a game-changer in the right circumstances. However, its complex interactions and timing requirements can lead to mistakes that can hurt your deck's performance.

  • Incorrect Timing: One of the most common mistakes made with Demonic Tutor is playing it too late in the game. While it's true that the card can find you a key piece of removal or an essential combo piece, waiting until the late game to play it can leave you unable to capitalize on its effects.
  • Misunderstanding the Card Draw: Some players mistakenly believe that Demonic Tutor only allows them to draw one card. However, in reality, the card allows you to search your library for any card and put it directly into your hand, then shuffle your deck.
  • Poor Synergies: Another common mistake is pairing Demonic Tutor with cards that don't have a high synergy or value. For example, playing it with Llanowar Elves and Elvish Mystic might not be the best combination, as the card draw and ramp effects are not particularly impactful.
  • Overvaluing the Card: Due to its power and versatility, some players overvalue Demonic Tutor in their deck. While it's true that the card is strong, playing too many copies can lead to a lack of consistency and make your deck more vulnerable to disruption.

To avoid these mistakes, it's essential to understand the card's timing requirements and interactions with other cards. Some possible fixes include:

  • Playing it earlier in the game: Try playing Demonic Tutor on turn 1 or 2 to maximize its potential.
  • Pairing it with high-impact cards: Combine Demonic Tutor with powerful removal spells, such as Abrupt Decay or Surgical Extraction, to create a strong engine.
  • Managing deck consistency: Balance your deck's composition to ensure that you're not over-relying on a single card.

By being aware of these common mistakes and making adjustments accordingly, you can make the most of Demonic Tutor in your Commander deck.

Conclusion

Demonic Tutor is a popular and versatile card in Magic: The Gathering, particularly in Commander (EDH) decks. Its ability to search for any card from your library and put it into your hand can be game-changing.

The card has been around since the 3rd Edition set and has seen various printings over the years. Despite its reprint status being relatively low, its price remains high, with an MSRP of $55.34 USD. This makes it a challenging card for casual or budget-conscious players to acquire.

For those seeking alternatives in Commander decks, consider Ancestral Recall, Mox Opal, or Pendrell Mere. These cards offer similar effects at more affordable price points. However, keep in mind that they may not provide the same level of flexibility as Demonic Tutor.

In terms of flavor and lore, Demonic Tutor represents a dark and manipulative aspect of Magic's world-building. It embodies the idea of tempting and corrupting one's opponents, much like demonic entities themselves.

In gameplay terms, Demonic Tutor can be seen as an aggressive version of cards that allow players to search their libraries for specific cards. Its unpredictability and flexibility make it a formidable option in various deck archetypes.

Some possible deck archetypes that incorporate Demonic Tutor include control decks focused on manipulating the opponent's graveyard or those seeking to disrupt their opponent's tempo through card advantage.

Overall, Demonic Tutor is a powerful and sought-after card in Magic: The Gathering. Its versatility and unpredictability make it an attractive option for players seeking to upend their opponents' carefully laid plans.

Deckbuilding & Synergies

Demonic Tutor is a powerful and versatile card that allows you to search for any card in your library, putting it directly into your hand. This ability makes it an excellent addition to various deck archetypes.

Commanders: Demonic Tutor works well with Commanders like:

  • Tatyova, Benthic Druid: A green-blue Commander who benefits from searching for cards and can utilize Demonic Tutor's effect to find additional sources of mana or removal.
  • Kodama's Reach: A blue-green Commander that leverages the search function to find more lands or card draw effects.

Color Identities: This card thrives in the following color combinations:

  • Mono-Black: Utilize Demonic Tutor to find more removal spells, sacrifice outlets, or other dark-themed cards.
  • Azorius: Combine with blue control elements to search for countermagic, card advantage, or life-gain effects.

Themes: Demonic Tutor is well-suited for:

Engines: Some notable synergies include:

Specific Synergies:

  • Eternal Witness: Search for Eternal Witness with Demonic Tutor and use its ability to return the creature you just searched for.
  • Liliana of the Veil: Find Liliana with Demonic Tutor and use her ability to exile your opponents' creatures.
  • Doomsday: Discover Doomsday with Demonic Tutor and combine it with other cards in the graveyard to create an explosive combo.

Keep in mind that these examples are just a few of the many potential uses for Demonic Tutor. Its versatility makes it a valuable addition to various deck archetypes, allowing you to adapt and evolve your strategy as needed.

Format Roles

Demonic Tutor in Commander

In Commander, Demonic Tutor is a highly sought-after card due to its versatility and potential for explosive gameplay. With a low CMC of 2.0, it's easily playable on the first turn, allowing players to search for a key card from their library.

  • Competitive use case: Demonic Tutor pairs well with combo decks that rely on specific cards to execute their game plan. By searching for and retrieving these crucial cards, players can accelerate their combo and catch opponents off guard.
  • Casual play: While not as commonly played in casual games, Demonic Tutor can still be useful in deck-building for a more relaxed experience.

Other Formats

In addition to Commander, Demic Tutor is legal in:

  • Modern
  • Legacy
  • Pauper

However, its effectiveness may vary significantly across these formats due to the specific card pool and game dynamics.

Competitive Potential vs. Casual Play

While Demonic Tutor has a dedicated following in competitive Commander, it's essential to note that it can be a divisive card among casual players due to its potential for game-changing impact.

In casual games, opponents might feel overwhelmed by the sheer power of searching for and retrieving any card from their library. This can lead to an uneven playing experience if not balanced with other cards that mitigate the effect of Demonic Tutor.

Price Point

As an uncommon card from the 3rd Edition set, Demonic Tutor's price point is relatively high, especially considering its CMC. However, experienced players who value its potential benefits might still consider adding it to their collections.

Overall, Demonic Tutor remains a popular choice among Commander players due to its versatility and potential for explosive gameplay.

Key Scenarios

Key Scenarios & Matchups

Demonic Tutor is a powerful card that excels in certain scenarios, but falls short in others. Its ability to search for any card in your library makes it a valuable asset in various Commander decks.

Excels in:

  • Midrange and Combo Decks: In these decks, Demonic Tutor can find the necessary pieces to complete combos or accelerate mana development. With cards like Mnemosyne, Vizier of Remedies, and Estrid, the Masked, Demonic Tutor can search for key components to execute gameplan.
  • Control Decks: In control decks, Demonomic Tutor can find removal spells like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile to disrupt opponents' plans. This allows you to maintain a strong board presence and dictate the pace of the game.
  • Value Trades: When playing against aggressive decks, Demonic Tutor can search for value cards like Ragavan, Gleeful Rascal or Goblin Matron to create a favorable trade.

Fails in:

  • Aggro Decks: Against fast-paced aggro decks, Demonic Tutor's delay and lack of immediate impact make it less effective. Aggressive opponents can exploit your slow start-up time and deal damage before you establish a strong board presence.
  • Token Swarms: In token-heavy matchups, Demonic Tutor's ability to search for individual cards is less impactful. The sheer number of tokens can overwhelm the value of finding specific cards, making it difficult to make meaningful trades or execute combos.
  • Ephemeral or Transient Value: When playing against decks that rely on ephemeral or transient value (e.g., Liliana of the Veil-based combos), Demonic Tutor's ability to search for individual cards may not provide a significant advantage. These decks often require complex combinations and interactions, making it challenging to find the right pieces.

Notable Interactions:

  • Card Advantage: Cards like Doomsday, Tolaria West, or Mox Opal can create additional card advantage by allowing you to draw multiple cards from your library. Pairing these with Demonic Tutor can amplify its value and make it even more formidable.
  • Board Presence: Managing board presence is crucial in Commander games. Cards like Baneslayer Angel or Phantasmal Sphere can provide a strong presence, making it easier to utilize Demonic Tutor's ability to find key pieces.

Keep these scenarios and matchups in mind when incorporating Demonic Tutor into your Commander deck, and adjust your strategy accordingly to maximize its effectiveness.

History & Meta

Demonic Tutor has been a staple in many Black decks since its release in the 3rd Edition set. As an uncommon sorcery, it allows players to search their library for any card and put it into their hand, then shuffling.

Tournament presence: Demonic Tutor has seen play in various formats over the years, including Commander (EDH), Legacy, and Vintage. In EDHREC's rankings, it holds a moderate position of 54th among all cards, indicating its popularity but not dominance in this format.

Iconic decks: The card is often featured in popular Black-oriented decks such as Mono-Black Control and Golgari Grave-Troof, where its ability to find key cards like Golgari Findbroker or Demons can be game-changing. Its inclusion in these decks showcases its versatility and value as a late-game engine.

Notable appearances: Demonic Tutor has also appeared in notable Modern decks such as Mono-Black Aggro, where it helps accelerate the gameplan by finding aggressive creatures like Mogg Fanatic. In addition, its printings in various sets have kept its price stable, with an MSRP of $55.34 USD (as of data collection).

Reprints: Despite being reprinted several times, including in Masters Edition III and Modern Masters 2017, the card's value remains relatively consistent due to its popularity among players.

Flavor & Lore

Demonic Tutor is a sorcery from the Third Edition set that embodies the dark, manipulative essence of the Demonic presence in the plane of Magic. This card's flavor and lore are deeply connected to the idea of tempting and corrupting one's opponents, much like the demonic entities themselves.

In terms of world-building, it is said that the plane of Magic has been ravaged by wars between various factions vying for power. The Demonic Tutor represents a particularly insidious form of corruption, where an individual is tempted to give up their autonomy in exchange for dark powers or knowledge. This theme is reflected in the card's ability to grant access to any card from one's library, essentially allowing the player to "tempt" themselves with forbidden knowledge.

In gameplay terms, Demonic Tutor can be seen as a more aggressive version of cards like Ancestral Recall or Mnemonic Network, which allow players to search their libraries for specific cards. However, whereas those cards often rely on drawing into a particular set of cards, Demonic Tutor's flexibility and unpredictability make it a more formidable option.

Some possible deck archetypes that incorporate Demonic Tutor include control decks focused on manipulating the opponent's graveyard or those seeking to disrupt their opponent's tempo through card advantage. In these contexts, the Tutor serves as a key component in generating value from one's library while also exerting pressure on the opponent's resources.

Ultimately, the allure of Demonic Tutor lies in its capacity for strategic manipulation and its potential to upend an opponent's carefully laid plans. Its place within a deck is a testament to the player's willingness to engage with the darker corners of Magic's world, where even the most seemingly innocuous cards can hold hidden significance and sinister implications.

Budget/Alternatives

Budget & Accessibility

Demonic Tutor is a sought-after card, particularly in Commander decks. Its price reflects its popularity, with an MSRP of $55.34 USD.

Currency Price
EUR 34.46
USD 55.34

Its reprint status remains relatively low, which contributes to its steep price tag. In terms of budget-friendliness, Demonic Tutor is not a viable option for casual or budget-conscious players.

For those seeking alternatives in Commander decks, consider the following options:

  • Ancestral Recall: A more accessible version of the "tutor" effect, allowing you to search your library and put a card into your hand. ($5-$10)
  • Mox Opal: A more expensive option that generates colorless mana, which can be used to cast more expensive cards, including Demonic Tutor itself. ($50-$70)
  • Pendrell Mere: A less expensive version of the "tutor" effect that allows you to search for and add a card from your library to your hand. ($5-$10)

Keep in mind that these alternatives may not offer the same level of flexibility as Demonic Tutor, but they can provide similar effects at a more affordable price point.