Unexplained Absence
Instant
For each player, exile up to one target nonland permanent that player controls. For each permanent exiled this way, its controller cloaks the top card of their library. (To cloak a card, put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature with ward 
. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Murders at Karlov Manor Commander
- Price
- $0.79
- EDHREC rank
- #6399
Unexplained Absence bounces a nonland permanent and scrys 1 — clean tempo at two mana with a bonus that stacks up fast in a long game. Kaust, Eyes of the Glade turns that scry into a free look-and-leave trigger, which is the main reason this card overperforms its price tag.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Kaust, Eyes of the Glade
Kaust, Eyes of the Glade cares about every scry trigger, and Unexplained Absence staples a free one onto already-useful interaction — bouncing a threat while feeding Kaust's ability is exactly the kind of double-dip the deck wants.
Hinata, Dawn-Crowned
Hinata, Dawn-Crowned reduces the cost of spells that target multiple things, and Unexplained Absence targets one permanent and scrys, which qualifies for a discount — making already-cheap interaction effectively free.
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 |
Unexplained Absence is legal in Commander, Legacy, Vintage, and Oathbreaker, but its real home is Commander. In Legacy and Vintage, two-mana bounce with scry 1 doesn't clear the bar — those formats demand interaction that permanently answers threats, not delays them. Commander is the format where the scry clause compounds over a long game, where bouncing a commander back to the command zone is a real answer, and where Unexplained Absence slots cleanly into blue tempo and flicker shells alike.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.79 bulk tier
At $0.79, Unexplained Absence is deep bulk — easy to pick up as a four-of or grab for multiple decks without a second thought. Bulk bounce-plus-upside cards like this rarely spike unless a commander breaks them wide open, and right now Kaust, Eyes of the Glade is the main driver keeping it off the floor.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.