Read the Runes in slaver

[Thunderclease]

the prolific mana base of slaver obviously makes a draw x spell attractive, and read the runes fills the graveyard with welder targets at the same time. it is an instant, and it only gives 1 mana drain mana if they happen to get it. the only con i can even think of is finding space for it, or perhaps the fact that at levels of mana it is strictly worse than thirst for knowledge, but there is some redundancy in most builds that could easily be replaced with a draw engine of this power level. it seems to be an ideal way of refueling if you happen to run out of gas at the middle stage of the game, filling a niche very similar to that of the draw 7 with the bonus of being an instant (and not being restricted), but with a higher power level at this stage of the game than thirst for knowledge.

[Jacob Orlove]

Two points:

1. X is zero, except when the spell is on the stack. They'll drain for the full cost.
2. Basic "what about card X in deck Y?" threads go in newbie. If you'd had testing results, this would have stayed in open.

[the Luke]

I presume you're meaning non-Intuition Slaver, because there's absolutely no room for more draw in the Intuition version.

Read the Runes might dig, but it's actually card disadvantage.  You don't want to be discarding any more cards than necessary, and there are generally not many permanents you want to sacrifice.  Artifacts you want to weld for Slaver, and I find I always want mana.

A much stronger card in this slot is Deep Analysis (credit to one MixingMike), which has great synergy with Thirst, and actually draws cards.  The deck doesn't have to dig very deep, because of the plethora of tutors it runs.  It certainly doesn't need to sacrifice card advantage to dig.

-Luke

[Mixing Mike]

Thanks Luke.

Anyways, Read the Runes gives you -1 CA at best.  For that I'd rather just play Vamp to get something broken and win.  Saccing lands is NOT cool, nor is losing Welders.  It's like giving them Time Walks when you're saccing your lands for them.

You've got about 4 to 6 artifacts you really like in your yard depending on your build.  Is that worth digging with Read the Runes to hopefully hit them?

[The M.E.T.H.O.D]

Think about it this way:

Suppose you read the runes for 3, your paying 4 mana to draw 3 cards and discard 3 cards (unless your sac perms)

If you cast thirst for knowledge, your paying 3 mana to draw 3 cards, discarding 1 (potentially 2)

As you can see, TFK fits the bill pretty well and you can also see that running read the runes is uneeded to suplement an already good draw system.

[ELD]

Read the Runes is a weak card.  It is damn near garbage.  It costs 3 times what careful study would when X=2.  Hell, frantic search does the same thing, but is FREE, or even PRODUCES MANA.  The results of all those cards is card disadvantage.  Slaver needs card advantage to win, not weak cards.  

With the result of X<3 already taken care of by much more cost effective cards, Read the Runes would have to be intended to be played for X>2.  If you're going to be packing cards that cost 4 or more, they have better be game breaking.  Read the Runes is not game breaking in a good way.  

The cost effective cards that produce the same resultsa are not up to par for Slaver.  I have no idea why Read the Runes would ever be a candidate.