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Arcane Heist

Blue

3 printings listed in our catalog, from newest to oldest.

Arcane Heist, Secret Lair Drop printing
Secret Lair Drop SLD · No. 2567 2026-08-17

Card text

{2}{U}{U}
Sorcery
You may cast target instant or sorcery card from an opponent's graveyard without paying its mana cost. If that spell would be put into their graveyard, exile it instead. Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)
Keywords: Cipher
EDHREC rank #5128 Rare Not on the Reserved List
Seen in store
Nobody lists it in Quebec right now.

Run a comparison: we query the stores live, it may have arrived this morning.

The 3 printings

All, with their prices ↓

Standard ∅ Not legal
Pioneer ∅ Not legal
Modern ∅ Not legal
Legacy ✓ Legal
Vintage ✓ Legal
Pauper ∅ Not legal
Commander ✓ Legal
Oathbreaker ✓ Legal
Brawl ∅ Not legal
Historic ∅ Not legal
Timeless ∅ Not legal
Alchemy ∅ Not legal
Explorer ∅ Not legal
Gladiator ∅ Not legal
Penny ∅ Not legal
Duel ✓ Legal

Official rulings

14 rulings · in English, source Scryfall

The exiled card with cipher grants a triggered ability to the creature it’s encoded on. If that creature loses that ability and subsequently deals combat damage to a player, the triggered ability won’t trigger. However, the exiled card will continue to be encoded on that creature.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

If the spell you cast has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

You cast the copy of the card with cipher during the resolution of the triggered ability. Ignore timing restrictions based on the card’s type.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

If you cast a spell “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, those must be paid to cast the spell.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

If another player gains control of the creature, that player will control the triggered ability. That player will create a copy of the encoded card and may cast it.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

The spell with cipher is encoded on the creature as part of that spell’s resolution, just after the spell’s other effects. That card goes directly from the stack to exile. It never goes to the graveyard.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

If the creature leaves the battlefield, the exiled card will no longer be encoded on any creature. It will stay exiled.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

If you choose not to cast the copy, or you can’t cast it (perhaps because there are no legal targets available), the copy will cease to exist the next time state-based actions are performed. You won’t get a chance to cast the copy at a later time.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

You choose whether to cast the target instant or sorcery card as Arcane Heist resolves. If you do, you do so as part of the resolution of Arcane Heist. You can’t wait to cast it later in the turn. Timing restrictions based on the card’s types are ignored.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

You choose the creature as the spell resolves. The cipher ability doesn’t target that creature.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

If a creature with an encoded card deals combat damage to more than one player simultaneously (perhaps because some of the combat damage was redirected), the triggered ability will trigger once for each player it deals combat damage to. Each ability will create a copy of the exiled card and allow you to cast it.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

The copy of the card with cipher is created in and cast from exile.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

If the spell with cipher doesn’t resolve, none of its effects will happen, including cipher. The card will go to its owner’s graveyard and won’t be encoded on a creature.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

You can choose only a creature to encode the card onto.

2024-04-12 · Wizards of the Coast

All printings

Arcane Heist, Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander printing
Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander
OTC · #13
Rare
Tapt's Canadian calculation. How to read these prices
Black Rose Hobbies
Arcane Heist, Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander printing
Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander
OTC · #49
Rare
Tapt's Canadian calculation. How to read these prices
Black Knight Games