Burning Inquiry + Grave Scrabbler + Random Creature

[Agent Orange]

It goes like this:

I have access to plenty of mana and I have an empty graveyard. I play a Burning Inquiry, and have no cards in my hand. Burning Inquiry resolves: I draw a Grave Scrabbler, a Gathan Raiders and a Mountain and discard all of them. If I'd pay the madness cost of 1B for the Grave Scrabblers, would I be able to return the Gathan Raiders from my graveyard to my hand? I'd say yes, but the discussion at the table meant I had to thouroughly explain how this could happen, which I fail at completely.

Anyone can explain to me how this actually works? Any help is greatly appreciated. :laugh:

[cdr]

Burning Inquiry R
Sorcery
Each player draws three cards, then discards three cards at random.


Grave Scrabbler 3B
Creature - Zombie
Madness {1}{B} (If you discard this card, you may cast it for its madness cost instead of putting it into your graveyard.)
When Grave Scrabbler enters the battlefield, if its madness cost was paid, you may return target creature card in a graveyard to its owner's hand.
2/2


702.32a. Madness is a keyword that represents two abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the card with madness is in a player's hand. The second is a triggered ability that functions when the first ability is applied. "Madness [cost]" means "If a player would discard this card, that player discards it, but may exile it instead of putting it into his or her graveyard" and "When this card is exiled this way, its owner may cast it by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost. If that player doesn't, he or she puts this card into his or her graveyard."

You draw three and discard three. You opt to exile the Grave Scrabbler instead of putting it into your graveyard. The madness trigger triggers and resolves, you choose to pay the madness cost. Scrabbler resolves and you target Gathan Raiders with its ETB trigger.

[Agent Orange]

Thank you very much cdr! This is what I was looking for. I know how the game techniques work, I'm just very bad at the terms of it (I'm Dutch you know). :tongue: With your description I could explain myself a bit better next time.

In Pauper, topdecking a Burning Inquiry with no hards in hand in a madness/flashback/hellbent-deck is very powerful... the Scrabblers are really quite tech in the above situation. Thanks again for the help!