Raffine, Scheming Seer: A Legendary Creature's Versatility and Strategic Depth

TL;DR Summary

Raffine, Scheming Seer is a powerful and versatile legendary creature in Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to grant X cards as rewards for each nonland card discarded, it has become a staple in many decks. Raffine's flying ability and ward enchantment make it an excellent threat on the battlefield.

Detailed Card Mechanics and Interactions

Raffine's most notable ability is its connive trigger, which happens whenever attacking creatures are sent to their owners' graveyards. This triggers for each nonland card discarded from the player's hand or graveyard (in the case of a "ward" enchantment). The amount X, which equals the number of attacking creatures, determines how many cards Raffine gains and discards.

A key point to consider is that Raffine can only gain rewards when attacking, meaning it must be in a position to deal combat. However, its flying ability allows it to avoid being blocked by larger creatures, making it an excellent threat on the board. Additionally, ward enchantments like Raffine can protect itself from removal spells.

Strategic Uses, Combos, and Synergies

Raffine's abilities make it an excellent addition to combo decks focused around draw and discard effects. Players often pair Raffine with cards that create large amounts of card advantage or generate tokens on the battlefield, as this increases the chances of attacking creatures being sent to their owners' graveyards.

One such example is pairing Raffine with "Conjure Essence" (or similar "create a mana" spell) to enable more aggressive plays. Players can use cards like "Doomsday" or "Hymn to Tourachia" to create card draw opportunities that lead to attacking and reward Raffine's abilities.

Deckbuilding Roles and Archetypes

Raffine is versatile and serves many roles in deck-building, but its primary function revolves around creating an aggressive threat with strong draw potential. Players can consider building decks that focus on:

• Aggressive Combo Decks: These build around Raffine by pairing it with cards like "Conjure Essence" or "Doomsday".
• Token Generation: With its flying ability, Raffine fits well in token generation decks and can generate threats for attacking creatures.
• Disruption and Removal Control: As a legendary creature that rewards X for each nonland card discarded, Raffine is also an excellent addition to decks that use disruption spells like "Hymn to Tourachia".

Format Viability and Competitive Context

In the Modern format, where Raffine was first introduced in 2015 as part of the "Boros Legion" set, it has proven to be a very viable creature in aggressive combo decks. However, its viability can vary based on other cards available in that format.

In more recent formats like Modern and Commander, Raffine is considered a staple for any deck with a strong draw or discard mechanism. Players often use it as an "early-game" threat or as a finisher to provide card advantage.

Rules Interactions and Technical Notes

Raffine's ward enchantment makes it immune to spells that can be countered by the player who controls Raffine. However, this protection does not extend to effects that are on the stack when Raffine is cast.

Regarding its flying ability, Raffine takes advantage of its +1/+1 counters when attacking, which allows it to "dodge" larger creatures. Additionally, ward enchantments like Raffine can protect itself from removal spells.

Art, Flavor, and Historical Context

The art for Raffine depicts her as a seer with the ability to manipulate reality through her gaze. This depiction aligns perfectly with her theme of conniving rewards for attacking creatures. As a legendary creature, she embodies both cunning intelligence and the allure of ancient wisdom.

Raffine was released in 2015, during the "Boros Legion" set, where she served as an excellent card draw source for aggressive combo decks. Over time, players have continued to innovate around her abilities and pair her with a variety of cards that create an advantage on the battlefield.

Key Points Summary

• Raffine's primary ability is its connive trigger.
• The amount X granted by Raffine equals the number of attacking creatures during each turn.
• Flying ability allows it to "dodge" larger creatures and attack with impunity.
• Ward enchantment provides protection against removal spells.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Raffine, Scheming Seer is a versatile legendary creature that excels in combo decks focused on draw effects. Its unique abilities make her an excellent addition to many formats, including Commander and Modern.

Raffine's art depiction aligns perfectly with its theme of manipulating reality through her gaze. Players have found innovative ways to pair Raffine with other cards, creating powerful combinations in the game.

Overall, Raffine remains one of the most popular and versatile creatures in Magic: The Gathering, providing endless opportunities for strategic play.