Sample Collector

two generic mana one green mana Creature — Troll DetectivePower and toughness2/3

Whenever this creature attacks, you may collect evidence 3. When you do, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. (To collect evidence 3, exile cards with total mana value 3 or greater from your graveyard.)

"Whatever broke out of here is *at least* half bear... and I'd say some lizard as well."

Add to list

Showing Murders at Karlov Manor#175

Price

0.03 $

Foil 0.04 $

8 printings

Daily estimate from Scryfall, not a shop quote.

View onScryfall EDHREC

Buy this printingTCGplayer Cardmarket Cardhoarder

Sample Collector rulings

2024-02-02
You don't choose a target for Sample Collector's ability at the time it triggers. Rather, a second "reflexive" ability triggers when you collect evidence 3 this way. You choose a target for that ability as it goes on the stack. Each player may respond to this triggered ability as normal.
2024-02-02
If you can't exile enough cards to meet or exceed the required mana value, you can't choose to collect evidence at all.
2024-02-02
Once you've announced that you're casting a spell, players can't take actions until you've finished doing so. Notably, opponents can't try to remove cards from your graveyard to stop you from collecting evidence.

Sample Collector keyword rules

Collect evidence Rule 701.57

To “collect evidence N” means to exile any number of cards from your graveyard with total mana value N or greater.

If a player is given the choice to collect evidence but is unable to exile cards with total mana value N or greater from their graveyard (usually because there aren’t enough cards to do so) they can’t choose to collect evidence.

A spell that has an ability that allows a player to collect evidence as an additional cost to cast it may have another ability that refers to whether evidence was collected. These abilities are linked. See rule , “Linked Abilities.”