Jace's Scrutiny
Instant
Target creature gets -4/-0 until end of turn.
Investigate. (Create a Clue token. It's an artifact with "
, Sacrifice this token: Draw a card.")
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Shadows over Innistrad
- Price
- $0.14
- EDHREC rank
- #21903
Jace's Scrutiny is a one-mana instant that makes a creature unable to block this turn and replaces itself with a scry 2 — the card disadvantage argument evaporates when you're filtering that aggressively at instant speed. It's a combat trick for decks that want to push damage through, not a staple, but it earns its slot anywhere that needs cheap evasion with upside.
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 |
Jace's Scrutiny is legal in Commander, Legacy, Modern, Pioneer, Vintage, Pauper, and Oathbreaker, but Commander is the only format where it's likely to see real play. In Pauper it competes with cleaner tempo pieces at the same cost, and in Modern or Legacy the power bar is high enough that a conditional can't-block effect doesn't clear it. In Commander, aggressive decks built around combat damage — particularly those with commanders that reward connecting, like infect or Voltron strategies — can justify it as a one-mana cantrip that doubles as a blocker-clearing tool on a critical swing.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.14 bulk tier
At $0.14, Jace's Scrutiny sits firmly in bulk territory — you're picking it out of a dollar box, not tracking it on a buylist. Bulk commons with narrow applications don't appreciate, so treat it as a free include if you need the effect and move on.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.