Steam Augury

Steam Augury was originally printed in the 2013 Magic: The Gathering set Theros, designed as a blue-red hybrid instant that explores the concept of 'Izzet' mechanics by forcing a player to split their library into two piles. This iteration appears in the 2014 Duel Decks: Speed vs. Cunning, which sought to highlight the contrasting playstyles of aggressive combat versus tactical manipulation. The card features art by Dan Scott, whose dramatic, high-contrast illustration emphasizes the volatile nature of Izzet research and the thematic obsession with discovery through destruction.

Within the context of the game, the card is often cited for its complex decision-making process, as it presents an opponent with the choice of what to give the caster. While it is rarely seen in competitive formats, it remains a notable example of the card-advantage mechanics frequently explored in the blue-red color pair. The Duel Deck release provided players with a consistent, accessible version of the card, integrating it into a narrative set that focused on the friction between swift strikes and calculated gambits.