Primary Research
Enchantment
When this enchantment enters, return target nonland permanent card with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.
At the beginning of your end step, if a card left your graveyard this turn, draw a card.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Secrets of Strixhaven
- Price
- $0.24
- EDHREC rank
- #14926
Primary Research draws you cards equal to the number of card types among permanents you control — in the right deck, that's five or six cards for five mana at instant speed. Quintorius, History Chaser is the natural home: he accumulates lore counters across multiple types, and Primary Research cashes in the board state he's been building.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Quintorius, History Chaser
Quintorius, History Chaser routinely puts artifacts, enchantments, creatures, and planeswalkers into play simultaneously, which means Primary Research regularly draws four to six cards off a single cast — making it one of the most efficient draw spells in the 99.
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 |
Primary Research is a Commander card through and through — the payoff scales with board complexity, and 100-card singleton games naturally accumulate the permanent-type diversity it rewards. In 1v1 formats like Legacy, Modern, or Pioneer, you rarely control more than two or three permanent types at once, which makes it a five-mana sorcery-speed draw-three at best and a waste of a slot at worst. Competitive constructed decks simply have faster, unconditional draw at lower mana values. Stick to Commander, where the card shines.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.24 bulk tier
At $0.24, Primary Research is deep bulk — pick it up without a second thought if the deck calls for it. Bulk rares with niche applications rarely climb unless a breakout commander pushes demand, so don't expect appreciation, but there's no reason to hesitate at this price.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.