Chart a Course

Strategy & Gameplay

Chart a Course is a versatile blue sorcery from the Bloomburrow set that offers efficient card draw at an incredibly efficient mana cost of just one blue and one generic mana. The card's mechanics are deceptively simple yet strategically nuanced: you draw two cards, but you're forced to discard one card unless you attacked with a creature during that same turn. This conditional discard clause creates interesting deckbuilding opportunities and encourages players to construct aggressive strategies that align with the card's incentive structure. The effect particularly synergizes with aggressive blue shells, creature-based tempo decks, and any strategy built around the attacking mechanic, making it an excellent fit for tempo, prowess-based decks, and flying-focused archetypes that plan to attack early and often. For players running creature-heavy lists, Chart a Course essentially functions as a two-mana draw spell with minimal downside, as attacking is already part of the game plan. The card's exceptional format legality across Standard, Modern, Pioneer, Legacy, Vintage, and Commander formats makes it accessible to players across multiple competitive and casual environments. In Commander specifically, it slides seamlessly into Azorius or Izzet control shells, tempo decks led by commanders like Talrand or Baral, and any aggressive blue strategies. The card represents an excellent value engine for decks looking to maintain card advantage while advancing their combat-focused game plans, making it a staple consideration for deck builders working with blue in nearly any format.