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Chains of Mephistopheles
Enchantment
rare
If a player would draw a card except the first one they draw in each of their draw steps, that player discards a card instead. If the player discards a card this way, they draw a card. If the player doesn't discard a card this way, they mill a card.
Semantic Tags
A spell that replaces itself by drawing a card as part of its resolution.
Puts additional cards into your hand. Includes direct draw, 'look/reveal and put into hand' effects, and conditional draw triggers.
A keyword ability that lets a card be discarded and replaced with a new card. See rule 702.29, “Cycling.”
A permanent or ability that lets you discard cards for value or at will.
Forces opponents to discard cards from their hand. Targeted discard, mass discard, and discard-or-pay effects.
Draw-then-discard or discard-then-draw effects that improve hand quality without net card advantage.
Draw-then-discard or discard-then-draw effects that improve hand quality without net card advantage.
To mill a number of cards, a player puts that many cards from the top of their library into their graveyard. See rule 701.17.
To mill a number of cards, a player puts that many cards from the top of their library into their graveyard. See rule 701.17.
Monarch mechanic — becoming and keeping the monarch for card advantage.
A card or token on the battlefield. See rule 110, “Permanents.”
An effect that puts cards from your own library into your graveyard for value.
Makes all players discard their hand and draw a new one. Named after Wheel of Fortune.
Format Legality
Price history
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Printings (3)
| Set | Rarity | TCGplayer | Card Kingdom | Cardmarket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Online Promos#65646 | rare | · | · | · |
| Masters Edition#63 | rare | · | · | · |
| Legends#91 | rare | · | · | · |
Related Concepts
Related Rules
If an ability would produce one or more mana of an undefined type, it produces no mana instead.
Some abilities produce mana based on the type of mana another permanent or permanents “could produce.” The type of mana a permanent could produce at any time includes any type of mana that an ability of that permanent would produce if the ability were to resolve at that time, taking into account any applicable replacement effects in any possible order. Ignore whether any costs of the ability could or could not be paid. If that permanent wouldn’t produce any mana under these conditions, or no type of mana can be defined this way, there’s no type of mana it could produce.
To “tap [a permanent] for mana” is to activate a mana ability of that permanent that includes the {T} symbol in its activation cost. See rule 605, “Mana Abilities.”
An ability that triggers whenever a permanent “is tapped for mana” or is tapped for mana of a specified type triggers whenever such a mana ability resolves and produces mana or the specified type of mana.
A replacement effect that applies if a permanent “is tapped for mana” or tapped for mana of a specific type and/or amount modifies the mana production event while such an ability is resolving and producing mana or the specified type and/or amount of mana.
If an object’s enters-the-battlefield triggered ability or replacement effect refers to X, and the spell that became that object as it resolved had a value of X chosen for any of its costs, the value of X for that ability is the same as the value of X for that spell, although the value of X for that permanent is 0. This is an exception to rule 107.3i.
The tap symbol is {T}. The tap symbol in an activation cost means “Tap this permanent.” A permanent that’s already tapped can’t be tapped again to pay the cost. A creature’s activated ability with the tap symbol in its activation cost can’t be activated unless the creature has been under its controller’s control continuously since their most recent turn began. See rule 302.6.
The untap symbol is {Q}. The untap symbol in an activation cost means “Untap this permanent.” A permanent that’s already untapped can’t be untapped again to pay the cost. A creature’s activated ability with the untap symbol in its activation cost can’t be activated unless the creature has been under its controller’s control continuously since their most recent turn began. See rule 302.6.
Rulings
Cards which are drawn as a cost are affected by this card because replacement effects can alter the payment of costs.
The effect is cumulative. If there are two of these on the battlefield, each of them will modify each draw (after the first one if during the draw step), and will cause the player to discard or to “mill” a card from their library. As they resolve in order, the player must discard if possible. Once the player fails to discard and instead “mills” a card, all further effects of additional Chains of Mephistopheles will not do anything. This is because the “mill” also replaces the draw effect and the player is no longer drawing a card. You handle them in order. Each one makes you discard first and then continue or else mill a card and lose the draw.
A player’s normal card draw on their turn is exempt from this effect. All other draws will be affected.
If a spell or ability would cause a player to draw multiple cards, this is treated as a number of individual “draw one card” actions. Apply the effect of Chains of Mephistopheles to each one.
Here’s what happens when Chains of Mephistopheles replaces a player’s draw: — If that player has at least one card in their hand, they discard a card and then draws a card. — If that player’s hand is empty, they put the top card of their library into their graveyard. The player doesn’t draw a card at all.