---
name: "Distended Mindbender"
mana_cost: "{8}"
cmc: 8
type_line: "Creature — Eldrazi Insect"
colors: []
color_identity: ["B"]
keywords: ["Emerge"]
set: "INR"
set_name: "Innistrad Remastered"
collector_number: "3"
rarity: "rare"
artist: "Yohann Schepacz"
oracle_id: "36d32194-d547-4e2d-894f-f4bf13cf7da6"
canonical_url: "https://avascry.com/printing/distended-mindbender-inr"
legalities:
  commander: "legal"
  standard: "not_legal"
  modern: "legal"
  pioneer: "legal"
  legacy: "legal"
  vintage: "legal"
  pauper: "not_legal"
  penny: "legal"
---

# Distended Mindbender
- **Mana Cost:** `{8}` (CMC: 8)
- **Type:** Creature — Eldrazi Insect
- **Keywords:** Emerge

## Oracle Text
Emerge {5}{B}{B} (You may cast this spell by sacrificing a creature and paying the emerge cost reduced by that creature's mana value.)
When you cast this spell, target opponent reveals their hand. You choose from it a nonland card with mana value 3 or less and a card with mana value 4 or greater. That player discards those cards.

## Top 4096-Dim Neural Synergies
1. [Vexing Scuttler](/printing/vexing-scuttler-emn.md) — Creature — Eldrazi Crab
2. [Lashweed Lurker](/printing/lashweed-lurker-emn.md) — Creature — Eldrazi Horror
3. [Herigast, Erupting Nullkite](/printing/herigast-erupting-nullkite-mh3.md) — Legendary Creature — Eldrazi Dragon
4. [Elder Deep-Fiend](/printing/elder-deep-fiend-inr.md) — Creature — Eldrazi Octopus
5. [Abundant Maw](/printing/abundant-maw-inr.md) — Creature — Eldrazi Leech
6. [Mockery of Nature](/printing/mockery-of-nature-emn.md) — Creature — Eldrazi Beast

## Printing Details
- **Set:** Innistrad Remastered (INR) #3
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Artist:** Yohann Schepacz

## Format Legalities
Commander: `legal` | Standard: `not_legal` | Modern: `legal` | Pioneer: `legal` | Legacy: `legal` | Vintage: `legal` | Pauper: `not_legal` | Penny: `legal`

## Official Rulings
- *(2025-01-24)* You must choose two appropriate cards if able.
- *(2025-01-24)* Emerge represents two static abilities that function while the spell with emerge is on the stack. “Emerge [cost]” means “You may cast this spell by paying [cost] and sacrificing a creature rather than paying its mana cost” and “If you chose to pay this spell’s emerge cost, its total cost is reduced by an amount of generic mana equal to the sacrificed creature’s mana value.”
- *(2025-01-24)* The mana value of the back face of a double-faced card is the mana value of its front face. The mana value of a melded permanent is the sum of the mana values of its front faces. A creature that’s a copy of either has a mana value of 0.
- *(2025-01-24)* An ability that triggers when a player casts a spell resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger. It resolves even if that spell is countered or otherwise leaves the stack without resolving.
- *(2025-01-24)* The mana value of a creature spell with emerge isn’t affected by whether its emerge cost is paid. For example, if you cast Decimator of the Provinces for its emerge cost and sacrifice a creature whose mana value is 3, Decimator of the Provinces’s mana value remains 10.
- *(2025-01-24)* You may sacrifice a creature with a mana value of 0, such as a token creature that’s not a copy of another permanent, to cast a spell for its emerge cost. You’ll just pay the full emerge cost with no reduction.