Chains of Mephistopheles

one generic mana one black mana Enchantment

If a player would draw a card except the first one they draw in each of their draw steps, that player discards a card instead. If the player discards a card this way, they draw a card. If the player doesn't discard a card this way, they mill a card.

Add to list

Showing Legends#91

Price

1260.44 $

4 printings

Daily estimate from Scryfall, not a shop quote.

View onScryfall EDHREC

Buy this printingTCGplayer Cardmarket Cardhoarder

Chains of Mephistopheles rulings

2007-09-16
If a spell or ability would cause a player to draw multiple cards, this is treated as a number of individual “draw one card” actions. Apply the effect of Chains of Mephistopheles to each one.
2007-09-16
A player’s normal card draw on their turn is exempt from this effect. All other draws will be affected.
2007-09-16
Here’s what happens when Chains of Mephistopheles replaces a player’s draw: — If that player has at least one card in their hand, they discard a card and then draws a card. — If that player’s hand is empty, they put the top card of their library into their graveyard. The player doesn’t draw a card at all.
2004-10-04
The effect is cumulative. If there are two of these on the battlefield, each of them will modify each draw (after the first one if during the draw step), and will cause the player to discard or to “mill” a card from their library. As they resolve in order, the player must discard if possible. Once the player fails to discard and instead “mills” a card, all further effects of additional Chains of Mephistopheles will not do anything. This is because the “mill” also replaces the draw effect and the player is no longer drawing a card. You handle them in order. Each one makes you discard first and then continue or else mill a card and lose the draw.
2004-10-04
Cards which are drawn as a cost are affected by this card because replacement effects can alter the payment of costs.

Chains of Mephistopheles keyword rules

Mill Rule 701.13

For a player to mill a number of cards, that player puts that many cards from the top of their library into their graveyard.

A player can’t mill a number of cards greater than the number of cards in their library. If given the choice to do so, they can’t choose to take that action. If instructed to do so, they mill as many as possible. Similarly, the player can’t pay a cost that includes milling a number of cards greater than the number of cards in their library.

An effect that refers to a milled card can find that card in the zone it moved to from the library, as long as that zone is a public zone.

If an ability checks information about a single milled card but more than one card was milled, that ability refers to each of the milled cards. If that ability asks for any information about the milled card, such as a characteristic or mana value, it gets multiple answers. If these answers are used to determine the value of a variable, the sum of the answers is used. If that ability performs any actions on “the” card, it performs that action on each milled card. If that ability performs any actions on “a” card, the controller of the ability chooses which card is affected.