(At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)
.Mystic Remora gives blue decks a low-cost way to draw cards while opponents cast noncreature spells. Its four-mana payment is difficult to cover during early setup turns, so it is especially effective at tables where players rely on mana rocks, tutors, and cheap interaction.
The tradeoff is cumulative upkeep. At each of your upkeeps, Remora gains an age counter, and keeping it costs one mana for each age counter on it. The first payment is one mana, the next is two, and the requirement keeps growing. You can decline to pay and sacrifice it when the expected cards no longer justify tying up your mana.
Teferi’s Ageless Insight can turn an unpaid Remora draw into two cards, increasing the reward from each qualifying spell. Rhystic Study offers a complementary engine with no upkeep payment and a trigger that also covers creature spells. Together they can support a control or combo deck through a busy multiplayer turn cycle, but neither guarantees that opponents will decline to pay.
Timing matters more than keeping Remora alive forever. Deploy it before opponents begin their setup or when you expect a fight over an important spell. A creature-heavy table may give it fewer opportunities, and investing heavily in upkeep can delay your own development. Letting it go after a productive turn cycle is often sensible. The card is strongest when you can estimate which opponents are likely to cast several relevant spells and use the cards drawn to advance your plan.
Unofficial proxy card for casual play and testing where your group permits it.
