Mystic Remora
Enchantment
Cumulative upkeep 
(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.)
Whenever an opponent casts a noncreature spell, you may draw a card unless that player pays 
.
Why is this card good?
early to deny you a card. In a four-player game, that "tax" effect is hard to navigate — opponents either feed you cards or warp their turns around it. Cast on turn one, Remora often draws 4-8 cards before cumulative upkeep makes it untenable, then you simply let it die.
Wants it: any blue deck, full stop — control, combo, tempo, stax. It's a staple in cEDH where noncreature spell density is highest.
When to skip it: dedicated creature/aristocrats decks where opponents cast few noncreature spells, or grindy battlecruiser tables where people happily pay . It's also a nonbo with slow decks that can't capitalize on early card surplus, but those are rare exceptions — just play it.Related cards
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Printings (7)
Played by these commanders
Rulings (2)
- 2025-10-02
Paying cumulative upkeep is always optional. If it's not paid, the permanent with cumulative upkeep is sacrificed. Partial payments of the total cumulative upkeep cost can't be made. For example, if Mystic Remora has three age counters on it when its cumulative upkeep ability triggers, it gets another age counter and then its controller chooses to either pay
or sacrifice it. - 2025-10-02
Cumulative upkeep is a triggered ability that imposes an increasing cost on a permanent. "Cumulative upkeep [cost]" means "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent is on the battlefield, put an age counter on this permanent. Then you may pay [cost] for each age counter on it. If you don't, sacrifice it."