Magic: The Gathering

Desperate Research

Invasion 100 • rare

Set: Invasion
Collector number: 100
Rarity: Rare
Mana cost: 1 generic mana black mana
Type: Sorcery
Colors: Black
Artist: Ron Spencer
Market price: $0.53

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Market

What it's worth

$0.53market price via TCGplayer · Aug 19, 2026$0.51 – $0.57 over the tracked period

Estimate for a typical copy of Desperate Research; condition, printing, and grading move the real number.

Lore

Why it matters

This rare sorcery card is a notable inclusion for collectors, distinguished by the evocative visual style of the artist. Its status as a rare item within the set makes it a significant piece for those focused on documenting the history of this card series.

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Card face

What it does

Choose a card name other than a basic land card name. Reveal the top seven cards of your library and put all of them with that name into your hand. Exile the rest.

Formats

Where you can play it

StandardNot legal
PioneerNot legal
ModernNot legal
LegacyLegal
VintageLegal
CommanderLegal
PauperNot legal
BrawlNot legal
HistoricNot legal
TimelessNot legal
Penny DreadfulNot legal
OathbreakerLegal

Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.

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Provenance

Where it came from

Desperate Research was released in October 2000 as part of the Invasion expansion for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. Developed by Wizards of the Coast, the set marked a shift toward multicolor themes and complex mechanics, focusing on a narrative conflict between the forces of Phyrexia and the allied nations of Dominaria. As a rare sorcery, the card was designed to reflect the chaotic, high-stakes nature of the conflict, allowing players to exchange card advantage for a degree of randomness.

The artwork was provided by Ron Spencer, a prolific illustrator known for his visceral, distorted, and highly expressive style during the game's formative years. Spencer’s work on Desperate Research depicts a frenzied scholar lost in forbidden knowledge, utilizing his signature jagged lines and intense palette to convey the desperation implied by the card's name. The piece remains a quintessential example of Spencer's contribution to the dark, high-fantasy aesthetic that defined the Invasion era.

Generated by Pi, the collecto.rs collecting companion

Collectors

Who's collecting this

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About

About Desperate Research

Desperate Research is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Invasion 100 • rare. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.

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Where does the Desperate Research catalog entry come from?

The catalog entry for Desperate Research is sourced from Scryfall. Catalog-level facts stay consistent across every collector; your own data (condition, edition, acquisition notes) is yours.