Sensei's Divining Top — Magic: The Gathering card

Sensei's Divining Top

{1}
Artifact

{1}: Look at the top three cards of your library, then put them back in any order.

{T}: Draw a card, then put this artifact on top of its owner's library.

Set Double Masters 2022
Rarity Rare
Mana Value 1
Artist Michael Sutfin
Collector # 314
Scryfall

Why Play Sensei's Divining Top

Library manipulation and card selection make this artifact essential for decks that need to find specific answers or assemble combos. The ability to look at three cards and arrange them provides incredible consistency, while the tap ability effectively turns dead draws into better options by shuffling the Top back into your deck. Control decks benefit enormously from the card selection, and combo decks use it to dig for key pieces while maintaining card advantage.

Format Notes

Banned in both Modern and Legacy due to its oppressive impact on game pace and competitive viability, Sensei's Divining Top remains legal only in Vintage and Commander. The card created notorious slow play issues in tournament Magic, as players would repeatedly activate it during opponents' turns. In Commander, it's considered a staple for competitive and optimized casual decks, providing unmatched consistency in a singleton format where finding specific cards is crucial.

Combos & Synergies

Counterbalance creates a devastating lock, using the Top's arrangement ability to counter spells by revealing cards with matching mana costs from your library's top. Fetchlands provide incredible synergy by shuffling away unwanted cards you've seen with the Top's first ability. Future Sight turns the Top into a repeatable card draw engine, since you can see and cast it from the top of your library, then immediately tap it to draw and repeat the process.

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Artifact Cantrip