Research // Development
Instant // Instant
Shuffle up to four cards you own from outside the game into your library.
- CMC
- 7
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- GRU
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Dissension
- Price
- $0.52
- EDHREC rank
- #28421
Research // Development gives you a flexible double-faced spell: Research exiles a permanent you control to draw cards equal to its mana value, while Development reshuffles your graveyard and draws three. The split card format means you're paying for two distinct effects on one card slot, but neither half is efficient enough to compete with dedicated draw spells at the same cost.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Research // Development occupies an awkward middle ground — the Research half scales with permanent mana value, which is theoretically powerful in decks running expensive permanents, but the exile cost is steep and sorcery speed kills most blowout scenarios. Development is a three-card draw at sorcery speed that also loops the graveyard, which is niche but occasionally relevant in recursion-heavy builds. In Legacy and Vintage, neither half comes close to the efficiency bar — Ancestral Recall, Brainstorm, and Treasure Cruise all do more for less. Research // Development is a Commander-only consideration, and even there it's a fringe role-player rather than a staple.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.52 bulk tier
At $0.52, Research // Development is bulk — you're not paying a premium for it and shouldn't expect that to change. The price reflects its limited competitive demand; pick it up if a specific deck calls for it, but don't hold it as a value piece.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.