Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is a game filled with strategic complexity, and the difference between victory and defeat often comes down to accessing the right cards at the right time. Among the most powerful tools available to players are tutor cards—cards that allow you to search your deck for specific game pieces. When enchantments form the core of a strategy, an MTG enchantment tutor becomes a key asset for consistency and power.
In this guide, we explore the top enchantment tutor cards in MTG history and how to use them effectively across various formats, including Commander (EDH), Legacy, Pioneer, and Modern.
What Is an Enchantment Tutor in Magic: The Gathering?
An enchantment tutor in MTG is a card that allows you to search your library for an enchantment card. Depending on the specific tutor, you may:
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Put the enchantment into your hand
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Place it on top of your library
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Put it directly onto the battlefield
The term “tutor” originated with cards like Demonic Tutor, which allows you to search your library for any card. Enchantment tutors, however, are more focused—they specifically search for enchantment cards, making them indispensable in enchantment-heavy decks such as Bogles, Pillow Fort, Enchantress, and many Commander/EDH builds.
Why Are Enchantment Tutors Essential?
In formats and strategies that rely heavily on synergy and key cards, enchantments often serve as engines or win conditions. Cards like Smothering Tithe, Phyrexian Arena, or Necropotence can dominate the game when played early.
Using enchantment tutors helps you:
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Ensure consistency by always having access to critical enchantments
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Respond to different board states with the perfect enchantment
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Maximize resource efficiency during the mid-to-late game
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Enable combos in singleton formats like Commander
Top-Rated MTG Enchantment Tutor Cards
Here are some of the best enchantment tutor cards in Magic: The Gathering and why they are staples in enchantment-focused strategies:
1. Idyllic Tutor
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Mana Cost: 2W
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Effect: Search your library for an enchantment card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle.
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Why It’s Great: This card is straightforward, effective, and legal in formats like Commander and Pioneer. With its low cost and reliable effect, it’s a staple in enchantment-heavy decks.
2. Enlightened Tutor
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Mana Cost: W
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Effect: At instant speed, search your library for an artifact or enchantment card and place it on top of your deck.
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Why It’s Great: For just one mana, you can grab your win condition or combo piece, perfectly timed with your draw step. Ideal for fast-paced or reactive strategies.
3. Academy Rector
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Mana Cost: 3W
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Effect: When Academy Rector dies, you may exile it. If you do, search your library for an enchantment card and put it directly onto the battlefield.
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Why It’s Great: Bypasses your hand entirely, allowing you to cheat powerful enchantments into play. Works well with sacrifice outlets and board wipes.
4. Plea for Guidance
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Mana Cost: 5W
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Effect: Search your library for up to two enchantment cards and put them into your hand.
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Why It’s Great: Excellent for late-game plays or Commander decks with access to plenty of mana. Offers high value and strategic flexibility.
5. Sterling Grove
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Mana Cost: GW
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Effect: Enchantments you control have shroud. You may sacrifice Sterling Grove to search for an enchantment card and put it on top of your library.
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Why It’s Great: Offers dual functionality—protection and tutoring. Perfect for Enchantress and Pillow Fort decks.
Strategic Tips for Using MTG Enchantment Tutors
To maximize the effectiveness of enchantment tutors, timing and deck synergy are critical. Here’s how to use them wisely:
A. Know Your Win Conditions
Before using a tutor, identify your deck’s key paths to victory. Are you searching for:
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Ramp cards like Smothering Tithe?
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Card draw engines such as Sylvan Library or Phyrexian Arena?
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Lock pieces like Stasis or Ghostly Prison?
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Combo pieces such as Solemnity + Decree of Silence?
Select tutor targets that match your game state and strategic needs.
B. Build Around Enchantment Tutors
For tutors to be effective, your deck should include 6–10 strong enchantment targets. Consider building around:
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Pillow Fort: Sphere of Safety, Ghostly Prison
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Aura strategies: Ethereal Armor, Rancor
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Control/Lockdown: Rule of Law, Stasis
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Combo Engines: Omniscience, Necropotence
C. Combine with Recursion and Draw
Enchantments can be recurred using cards like:
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Replenish
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Open the Vaults
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Sun Titan
When combined with enchantment tutors, you can create powerful, repeatable loops for sustained advantage.
Best Commanders for Enchantment Tutors
In Commander/EDH, enchantment tutors shine due to the singleton nature of the format. Here are top commanders that benefit greatly from enchantment tutoring:
1. Tuvasa the Sunlit
Grows stronger with every enchantment played and draws cards upon casting enchantments. Tutors help you grab key enchantments to maintain pressure and card advantage.
2. Sythis, Harvest’s Hand
Thrives on cheap enchantments. Tutors like Idyllic Tutor or Enlightened Tutor allow you to fetch efficient low-cost enchantments to fuel Sythis’s draw engine.
3. Zur the Enchanter
Zur acts as a built-in enchantment tutor. When he attacks, you can search for an enchantment with mana value 3 or less and put it directly onto the battlefield.
4. Estrid, the Masked
Specializes in auras and enchantment-based protection. Tutors help assemble powerful combos using cards like Shielded by Faith or Helm of the Gods.
Enchantment Tutors in MTG Formats
Commander (EDH)
The most common and effective format for enchantment tutors. Tutors reduce variance and increase deck consistency.
Modern
Not widely used but may appear in niche enchantment-based combo or control decks. Cards like Sterling Grove or Idyllic Tutor can be considered.
Pioneer
Idyllic Tutor is legal and synergizes well with enchantment-based strategies like Selesnya Auras, making tutors relevant in certain meta environments.
Legacy
Legacy enchantment combos often feature Academy Rector and Enlightened Tutor to fetch powerful enchantments or combo pieces.
Budget-Friendly Enchantment Tutor Alternatives
Not all players want to invest in expensive cards. Here are some affordable enchantment tutor options:
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Moon-Blessed Cleric (2W): A 1/2 creature that tutors an enchantment to the top of your deck.
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Heliod’s Pilgrim (2W): Searches your deck for an Aura and puts it into your hand. Great for Voltron and Bogles.
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Setessan Harvesthand: Looks for Auras and has synergy with constellation-based decks.
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Open the Armory: Though it only fetches Auras and equipment, it’s great in Aura-centric builds.
Final Thoughts: Should You Include Enchantment Tutors?
If enchantments play a major role in your MTG deck strategy, then yes—enchantment tutors are essential. They add:
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Consistency in gameplay
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Strategic flexibility
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Access to game-winning enchantments
Whether you’re building a competitive Commander deck, a Legacy combo engine, or a casual Enchantress brew, enchantment tutors help ensure that your best spells show up exactly when you need them.