Price$0.48 – $16.97
Buy on TCGplayerFrantic Search
Instant
LegalCard DrawRank #108
Draw two cards, then discard two cards. Untap up to three lands.
Why is this card good?
Why it's good: Frantic Search is effectively free card filtering — the three-land untap refunds its cost, so you cycle through two cards at no net mana. That "free" status is the entire point: it triggers storm count, magecraft, and prowess without slowing your turn, and it loots away dead cards.
Where it shines: This is a staple in spellslinger and storm decks led by commanders like Kess, Krark/Sakashima, or Mizzix — anything counting spells cast. It's also premium graveyard fuel for reanimator and flashback/Underworld Breach lines, since discarding two cards intentionally bins your fatties or spells you want to recur. Combo decks love it for digging toward pieces at near-zero cost.
When not to play it: Frantic Search doesn't generate card advantage — it's pure filtering, and you must pitch two cards. In grindy midrange or value decks that want raw cards, Brainstorm or actual draw spells are better. Skip it unless you're exploiting the free cast, the discard, or the spell-count payoff.
Related cards
Cephalid Coliseum
Free card draw via discard, untaps lands similarly enabling combos.
Careful Study
Cheap draw-discard to fuel graveyard and dig.
Faithless Looting
Classic looting effect to filter and enable graveyard synergies.
Thrill of Possibility
Instant-speed loot drawing two and discarding.
Chemister's Insight
Instant card advantage with jump-start recursion.
Compulsive Research
Draw three discard one/two for similar filtering.
Merchant Scroll
Blue instant-speed tutor often paired in spellslinger decks.
Brainstorm
Cheap blue instant to dig and filter cards.
Printings (16)
Show all 16 printingsShow fewer
Played by these commanders
Kalamax, the Stormsire100% of 1
Shiko and Narset, Unified100% of 1
Anhelo, the Painter100% of 1
Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor100% of 1
Combos (8)
- Fire Lord Azula + Narset's Reversal + Frantic Search
→ Infinite self-discard triggers, Infinite draw triggers, Infinite looting
- Underworld Breach + Frantic Search + Dragon's Rage Channeler
→ Near-infinite draw triggers, Near-infinite looting, Near-infinite magecraft triggers
- Frantic Search + Underworld Breach + Thousand-Year Storm
→ Infinite draw triggers, Infinite looting, Infinite self-discard triggers
- Primal Amulet // Primal Wellspring + Frantic Search + Narset's Reversal
→ Infinite draw triggers, Infinite looting, Near-infinite magecraft triggers
- Frantic Search + Underworld Breach + Bonus Round
→ Infinite draw triggers, Infinite looting, Infinite self-discard triggers
- Fire Lord Azula + Underworld Breach + Frantic Search
→ Infinite draw triggers, Infinite looting, Infinite self-discard triggers