Augur of Bolas
Creature — Merfolk Wizard
When this creature enters, look at the top three cards of your library. You may reveal an instant or sorcery card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- War of the Spark
- Price
- $0.22
- EDHREC rank
- #11001
Augur of Bolas trades one mana and a body for a free look at the top three cards and a spell in hand — the cost is that it misses anything that isn't an instant or sorcery. In Orvar, the All-Form decks and similar spell-heavy shells, that restriction barely registers.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Orvar, the All-Form
Orvar, the All-Form runs on cheap spells that target your own permanents, and Augur of Bolas enters the battlefield triggering clone production the moment you target it — making the 1/3 body a free copy factory on top of the card selection.
River Song
River Song rewards casting spells from everywhere but your hand, and Augur of Bolas funnels instants and sorceries directly into hand to fuel that engine reliably on turn two.
Nicol Bolas, the Ravager
Nicol Bolas, the Ravager decks run dense instant and sorcery packages for disruption and hand attack, and Augur of Bolas slots in as a two-mana way to find that removal or discard spell while leaving a blocker behind.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Augur of Bolas is a staple in spell-heavy blue decks — the enter-the-battlefield trigger digs three deep on turn two, and the 1/3 body blocks early aggression while you set up. In Pauper, it has seen real play in tempo and control shells where finding a Counterspell or Lightning Bolt on curve is genuinely powerful. Modern and Pioneer have largely moved past it as those formats demand more from a two-drop, but it still shows up in budget builds. Legacy and Vintage have no interest — the competition at two mana is too stiff.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.22 bulk tier
At $0.22, Augur of Bolas is firmly bulk — easy to pick up in any trade binder or as a throw-in. The price is stable; this is a card that does its job without ever spiking.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Orvar, the All-Form
- River Song
- Nicol Bolas, the Ravager
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.