Skeletal Scrying

Skeletal Scrying was introduced in the Commander 2017 set, a release designed specifically for the popular multiplayer Commander format of Magic: The Gathering. This card, originally printed in the 'Vampiric Bloodline' deck, was crafted to provide black-aligned decks with a scalable method for card advantage by allowing players to exile cards from their graveyard to draw an equivalent number of cards. The set itself was themed around tribal synergies, focusing on vampires, dragons, wizards, and cats, serving as a platform for Wizards of the Coast to expand the mechanical depth of the format.

The card features an illustration by Nils Hamm, a frequent contributor to Magic: The Gathering known for his moody, ethereal, and often atmospheric art style. Hamm's depiction of the act of scrying through skeletal remains captures the macabre nature of black magic, utilizing a muted, unsettling color palette that aligns with the card's function of digging into the past—represented by the graveyard—to fuel future power. Upon its release, the card was received as a reliable, if situational, utility spell, particularly appreciated by players looking for efficient ways to convert graveyard resources into direct hand replenishment.