Why Does Threats Undetected Deviate From the Previous Two Cards?

General forum

Posted on April 7, 2023, 9:15 a.m. by DemonDragonJ

Gifts Ungiven and Realms Uncharted are both instants, but Threats Undetected is a sorcery, which is very weird, as that breaks the pattern from the first two cards, so what does everyone else say about this? Why is Threats Undetected a sorcery, rather than an instant?

Also, since the first two cards search for cards with different names, why does the third member of this group search for creatures with different powers, rather than different names, as well? Even further, why are the chosen cards with Threats Undetected shuffled into their owner's library, rather than going to their owner's graveyard? What does everyone else say about this? Why does Threats Undetected deviate from the previous two cards?

Caerwyn says... #2

I mean, it is a completely different card that functions in a different, but similar manner.

From the looks of it, they probably wanted to design a similar card that could be used in non-singleton formats, without enabling Dredge. They also did not want to enable someone holding up mana for a Counterspell, then being able to pull 3 copies of the card they needed to win at instant speed, so made it a sorcery.

Doesn’t seem all that strange to me - it is a callback card with a different set of design parameters. One would expect it to make references to what came before, but not be beholden to the patterns of something it is not trying to replicate in full.

April 7, 2023 9:41 a.m.