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Enclave Cryptologist

Creature — Merfolk Wizard

Level up {1}{U} ({1}{U}: Put a level counter on this. Level up only as a sorcery.)
LEVEL 1-2
0/1
{T}: Draw a card, then discard a card.
LEVEL 3+
0/1
{T}: Draw a card.

CMC
1
Mana cost
{U}
Color identity
U
Rarity
uncommon
Set
The List
Price
$0.20
EDHREC rank
#13382
Buy on TCGplayer
Enclave Cryptologist card art
Enclave Cryptologist is a one-mana looter that scales into a repeatable draw engine — the level-up cost is real, but a 1/1 that eventually draws a card per turn without tapping is exactly what blue value decks want. In The Locust God builds especially, every draw trigger it fires creates an Insect, making the late-stage ability a soft win condition stapled to a cheap creature.

Format Analysis

Where it lives, where it can’t

FormatVerdict
commander legal
legacy legal
modern legal
pioneer not legal
standard not legal
vintage legal
pauper not legal
oathbreaker legal

In Commander, Enclave Cryptologist earns its slot in any blue deck that wants incremental card advantage — the level-up investment spreads comfortably across a long game, and the untapped draw at max level is genuinely threatening in a multiplayer context. Legacy and Vintage have faster, less interactive ways to draw cards, so it doesn't see play there despite being legal. Modern has enough cheap card selection that a three-stage level-up creature rarely competes, and the looter effect alone isn't efficient enough to justify the slot.

Key Combos

Combo lines featuring this card

Price Context

Current price

$0.20 bulk tier

At $0.20, Enclave Cryptologist sits firmly in bulk territory and is unlikely to climb without a reprint ban or sudden spike in Commander demand. It's a zero-risk inclusion — pick up a copy anytime you see it in a bulk bin.

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Sources

Mentioned

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Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.