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Novice Inspector, art by Fajareka Setiawan
Art by Fajareka Setiawan · ™ & © Wizards of the Coast · image via Scryfall
Selected printing · USD
$0.28
checked Jun 14, 2026 · Scryfall
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Novice Inspector

{W} · Creature — Human Detective

When this creature enters, investigate. (Create a Clue token. It's an artifact with "{2}, Sacrifice this token: Draw a card.")

Rulings (5)

Feb 2, 2024 · You can't sacrifice a Clue to pay multiple costs. For example, you can't sacrifice a Clue token to activate its own ability and also to activate Alquist Proft, Master Sleuth's ability.

Feb 2, 2024 · Some spells and abilities that investigate may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't create any Clue tokens.

Feb 2, 2024 · Clue is an artifact type. Even though it appears on some cards with other permanent types, it's never a creature type, a land type, or anything but an artifact type.

Feb 2, 2024 · Some abilities trigger "whenever you sacrifice a Clue". Those abilities trigger whenever you sacrifice a Clue for any reason, not just to activate a Clue's activated ability.

Feb 2, 2024 · If an effect refers to a Clue, it means any Clue artifact, not just a Clue artifact token. For example, you can sacrifice Wrench to pay for Alquist Proft, Master Sleuth's activated ability.

LegacyLegal
VintageLegal
ModernLegal
PioneerLegal
StandardLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernNot legal
cEDHLegal

Where it’s played now

Inclusion by archetype · Pauper

% of archetype's lists running it · last 30 days · n=61 decks
ArchetypeFormatInclusionCopiesDecks (n)
Azorius FaeriesPauper100%4
Mono White MidrangePauper100%3
Boros SynthesizerPauper100%3–4×2
Esper MidrangePauper100%1
White AggroPauper97.1%1–4×35
BurnPauper66.7%3
Orzhov MidrangePauper30.8%2–4×13
Data as of Jun 14, 2026 · MTGO + papercasthaven.com

Price

Novice Inspector — price trend

Daily cheapest printing · USD · last 90 days · n=2 snapshots
Data as of Jun 14, 2026 · Scryfallcasthaven.com

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