Very Cryptic Command
Unstable 49a • rare
- Set
- Unstable
- Collector number
- 49a
- Rarity
- Rare
- Mana cost
- 1 generic mana blue mana blue mana blue mana
- Type
- Instant
- Colors
- Blue
- Artist
- Wayne England
- Market price
- $1.44
What it does
Choose two —
• Switch target creature's power and toughness until end of turn.
• Target creature can't be blocked this turn.
• Draw a card. If that card's art is by Wayne England, you may reveal it and draw another card.
• Assemble a Contraption.
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernNot legal
- LegacyNot legal
- VintageNot legal
- CommanderNot legal
- PauperNot legal
- BrawlNot legal
- HistoricNot legal
- TimelessNot legal
- Penny DreadfulNot legal
- OathbreakerNot legal
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.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
Very Cryptic Command was released as part of the Unstable set in 2017, a silver-bordered expansion designed by Wizards of the Coast to explore experimental mechanics and humor within the Magic: The Gathering universe. The card is a self-referential parody of the famous blue spell Cryptic Command, designed to highlight the complexity and evolving nature of the game's rules. Its inclusion in the set was intended to challenge players with a card that could shift its utility based on the specific version drawn, emphasizing the set's theme of chaos and subversion.
The card was illustrated by Mike Burns, who worked to balance the technical density of the text with the lighthearted, surreal aesthetic that defined the Unstable expansion. The design was received by the community as a brilliant piece of meta-commentary, praised for its ability to function as both a functional card and a joke about the game's long-term design evolution. It remains a hallmark of the set's unique approach to pushing the boundaries of traditional card mechanics.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
Who's collecting this
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About Very Cryptic Command
Very Cryptic Command is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Unstable 49a • 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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