Unexpected Windfall — Magic: The Gathering card

Unexpected Windfall

{2}{R}{R}
Instant

As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.

Draw two cards and create two Treasure tokens. (They're artifacts with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")

Set Through the Omenpaths Bonus Sheet
Rarity Common
Mana Value 4
Collector # 29

Why Play Unexpected Windfall

Red decks that want both card selection and mana acceleration find this instant particularly valuable, as it effectively trades one card for net positive resources while fixing mana issues. The discard cost becomes an upside in graveyard-focused strategies or when you need to bin expensive spells for reanimation targets. Cast it during your opponent's end step to maximize the value of the Treasure tokens, giving you extra mana for your next turn's plays while maintaining card advantage.

Format Notes

Pauper sees the most competitive play for this card, where the combination of card draw and ramp at common rarity fills important gaps in red's traditional weaknesses. Commander players appreciate the instant speed and treasure generation for explosive turns, though it faces stiff competition from other value engines. Pioneer and Modern occasionally feature it in artifact-synergy decks, but faster formats generally prefer more efficient options.

Combos & Synergies

Breeches, Eager Pillager creates explosive turns by turning each Treasure into potential card advantage through impulse draw. Professional Face-Breaker doubles down on the treasure theme while providing additional card selection through combat damage. The card also enables powerful graveyard strategies when combined with flashback spells or reanimation effects, turning the discard cost into a setup tool rather than a drawback.