2025-01-24 A creatures mana value is determined solely by the mana symbols printed in its upper right corner (unless that creature is the back face of a double-faced card, is a melded permanent, or is copying something else
You can either discard it and return it with Hashaton, letting you acquire a busted draw engine for just three mana, or you can play it honestly later in the game and use its self-exile ability to discard cards and enable other Hashaton shenanigans
Other premium duals are costly because they significantly improve consistency in competitive and Commander formats
Force of Will, Mana Drain, and more recently Force of Negation are the premier efficient ways to counter spells, requiring either no mana from you, or rewarding you with a tidy portion the following turn
10 Aura Thief All Your Enchantments Are Belong To Us Aura Thief's name is perhaps a bit misleading