Second Thoughts
Instant
Exile target attacking creature.
Draw a card.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Eternal Masters
- Price
- $0.12
- EDHREC rank
- #27045
Second Thoughts exiles an attacking creature — a clean, permanent answer — but demanding that the creature be attacking limits your windows severely. Five mana at instant speed is a real cost for conditional removal, and in most white shells cheaper options exist.
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 | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Second Thoughts occupies an awkward slot: white has access to Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, and Generous Gift at a fraction of the mana, making the attacking restriction hard to justify. Pauper is the format where Second Thoughts sees its most legitimate consideration, since the removal pool is shallower and unconditional exile is rarer at common. In Legacy and Vintage it's strictly outclassed and won't see play. The card is legal in Oathbreaker but faces the same Commander-style problem — five mana for a conditional removal spell is too slow when the format rewards efficiency.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.12 bulk tier
At $0.12, Second Thoughts is deep bulk — you're paying for cardboard and nothing else. Don't expect that to change; the card sees no competitive play in any format, and demand will stay flat indefinitely.
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Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.