Hostile Investigator
Creature — Ogre Rogue Detective
When this creature enters, target opponent discards a card.
Whenever one or more players discard one or more cards, investigate. This ability triggers only once each turn. (Create a Clue token. It's an artifact with "
, Sacrifice this token: Draw a card.")
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- mythic
- Set
- The Big Score
- Price
- $1.91
- EDHREC rank
- #12876
Hostile Investigator makes every opponent discard a card the turn it enters, then keeps the engine running by creating Clues whenever opponents discard — all on a 3/2 body for three mana. In discard-matters decks, particularly Tinybones, Bauble Burglar builds, that immediate ETB trigger plus the self-feeding loop makes it a genuine engine piece, not just a rattlesnake.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Tinybones, Bauble Burglar
Tinybones, Bauble Burglar triggers off every discard, so Hostile Investigator's ETB plus its Clue-generating loop feeds the commander directly — every Clue cracked is gas, and every discard is another Tinybones trigger.
Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal
Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal cares about opponents having empty hands, and Hostile Investigator accelerates that condition from the moment it lands while producing Clues to keep your own hand full.
Tinybones, Trinket Thief
Tinybones, Trinket Thief rewards you with card draw whenever an opponent discards on their turn, so Hostile Investigator's ETB trigger guarantees at least one free card on the spot and the Clue loop extends that advantage across the game.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Hostile Investigator hits three opponents on ETB and then rewards any discard payoffs you're already running — it's a three-mana card that reads like five mana worth of effect at a full pod. In Modern and Pioneer, dedicated discard shells exist, but a 3/2 for three without evasion has to earn its slot against faster clocks, and the Clue generation is too slow to matter before the game ends. Legacy plays discard at a level where a three-drop grinding value doesn't fit the tempo equation. Standard is where Hostile Investigator has room to breathe outside of its obvious Commander home, slotting into any midrange discard strategy that can sequence it on curve.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$1.91 cheap tier
At $1.91, Hostile Investigator sits in impulse-buy territory — cheap enough to pick up for any discard build without a second thought. It's a niche card with a loyal home in dedicated discard Commander decks, so the price is likely to stay flat rather than climb unless a major new discard commander spikes demand.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Tinybones, Bauble Burglar
- Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal
- Tinybones, Trinket Thief
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.