Voltaic Key + Sensie's Divining Top

[dahcmai]

Ok, so if you tap to draw a card off the top and then in response tap Key to untap top, and then again, tap top to draw a card you get two cards when this all resolves correct?

Just seems wrong considering I was thinking to use this in a mono-U with Grim. That's too easy, but I can't find a fault in it. It looks like you just do as much of the ability as you can, which is getting both cards and ending up with the top on the top of the deck.

Did I miss something or am I right?

[dorsch]

If you do as you described, you will have a tapped sensei's top on the battlefield. On the stack you have two times "Draw a card, then put Sensei's Divining Top on top of its owner's library."

When the first ability resolves youl draw a card and put sensei's top on top of your library. Then the second ability resolves, you draw a card (which most likely happens to be senseis top) and do nothing more.

[heroicraptor]

No, you're right. Let me dig up the rule quote for it.

609.3. If an effect attempts to do something impossible, it does only as much as possible.

[sunshine]

You're right that you draw two cards - as dorsch said it's highly likely that one of those cards will be the Top itself (unless you crack a fetch or something). Mind Over Matter + Top gets used in EDH to continually cycle through your hand with a similar interaction.

[majikal]

You are absolutely correct sir. This was/is actually used as a secondary draw engine in some Tezz decks in Vintage, as well.

[Enigma]

If you don't want to draw top, you just need to add its first ability on the stack:

1. Tap top with its second ability
2. In response, Use top first ability by tapping 1 colorless
3. In response, Untap it with Voltaic Key
4. In response, Tap top with its second ability

It resolves, you tap, draw, untap, check the top 3, draw.

P-M

[RexFTW]

If you don't want to draw top, you just need to add its first ability on the stack:

1. Tap top with its second ability
2. In response, Use top first ability by tapping 1 colorless
3. In response, Untap it with Voltaic Key
4. In response, Tap top with its second ability

It resolves, you tap, draw, untap, check the top 3, draw.

P-M
the general idea here is right, minor correction

If you don't want to draw top, you just need to add its first ability on the stack:

1. Tap top with its second ability
2. In response, Use top first ability by tapping 1 colorless
3. In response, Untap it with Voltaic Key
3.5 Let untap resolve
4. with spin still on the stack, Tap top with its second ability

It resolves, you draw, put top on top, check the top 3, draw again.

This lets you put top on top and draw 2 new cards. If you just tap, untap, tap you end up with a new card and top in your hand.

[dahcmai]

Hmm, well, I'm glad it works. It's a nice trick. I'll be adding this to my big blue deck it seems.

I just wanted to double check since it seemed really good and no one's using this trick at all for some reason. Granted a lot of that had to be the lack of another use behind Key, but there's one now.