Abstract Performance

Abstract Performance card image

Abstract Performance: Sorcery, Secrets of Strixhaven Commander. MTG card printings, market prices, rulings, and format legality on Mana Grove.

Mana cost
{5}{U}
Mana value
6
Type
Sorcery
Colour identity
Blue (U)
Rarity
Rare
Set
Secrets of Strixhaven Commander (SOC)
Released
2026-04-24
Collector number
17
Artist
Alessandra Pisano
Commander rank
12,099 (by how often it appears in Commander decks)

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About Abstract Performance

Abstract Performance is a Magic: The Gathering card, a rare blue sorcery from Secrets of Strixhaven Commander (SOC), a Commander product released in April 2026. It is collector number 17 in that set, with art by Alessandra Pisano. It costs {5}{U} (five generic and one blue mana) to cast, for a mana value of 6. Its colour identity is blue. It is legal in Legacy, Vintage, Commander, Duel Commander and Oathbreaker. Secrets of Strixhaven Commander is its only printing so far. The latest aggregated market price for this printing is $0.28 (normal finish, as of 2026-11-12).

Card text

Exile the top four cards of your library in a face-down pile, then exile the top four cards of your library in a face-up pile. An opponent chooses one of those piles. Put that pile into your graveyard. Look at the cards in the other pile. You may cast a spell from among them without paying its mana cost. Put the rest into your hand.

Market price

Latest aggregated market price for the normal finish of this printing: $0.28 (as of 2026-11-12).

The figure covers this printing only; other printings carry their own price on their own page.

Format legality

Legality of Abstract Performance by format. Formats in which it is not legal are not listed.

LegacyLegal
VintageLegal
CommanderLegal
Duel CommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal

Other printings of Abstract Performance

The other printings are listed newest first, with the rarity and release year of each.

PrintingRarityYear
Secrets of Strixhaven Commander (SOC) #67Rare2026

Official rulings

Six official rulings apply to Abstract Performance, newest first.

  • If the spell has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.
  • If you cast a spell "without paying its mana cost," you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast the spell.
  • You cast the spell while Abstract Performance is resolving and still on the stack. You can't wait to cast it later in the turn. Timing restrictions based on its types are ignored.
  • You can't look at the cards in the face-down pile until you're instructed to do so or until they're moved to the graveyard (at which point they'll be face up).
  • If you have fewer than eight cards in your library, the second pile will be smaller than the first. If you have fewer than five cards in your library, only the face-down pile will have cards in it at all, and the second pile will be empty. In that case, your opponent will probably choose to put the pile with cards in it into your graveyard.
  • You choose which opponent chooses the pile while resolving Abstract Performance.

Similar cards

Other sorcery cards with a blue colour identity, ranked by how often they appear in Commander decks.

In these precons

Abstract Performance is in the decklist of these preconstructed Commander decks.

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