Parting Thoughts
Sorcery
Destroy target creature. You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of counters on that creature.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Commander 2016
- Price
- $0.30
- EDHREC rank
- #19844
Parting Thoughts draws cards equal to the number of counters on a creature you sacrifice, then makes an opponent draw the same amount — the symmetry is the cost. In decks that load counters aggressively or sacrifice on demand, the net draw is substantial enough to ignore the downside entirely.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Parting Thoughts is a Commander card through and through — the +1/+1 counter synergies, aristocrats payoffs, and sacrifice outlets that make it shine are endemic to that format's long games and multiplayer dynamics. In Legacy and Vintage it's legal but irrelevant; no competitive shell wants a three-mana sorcery with conditional draw that hands cards to opponents. Oathbreaker can support it in the same counter-heavy shells that Commander does, though the tighter 58-card construction and lower life totals make the opponent's draw more punishing.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.30 bulk tier
At $0.30, Parting Thoughts sits firmly in bulk territory — easy to pick up in trade binders or as a throw-in. Bulk rares in niche roles tend to stay cheap unless a breakout commander pushes demand, so don't expect the price to move.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.