0: You draw a card and lose 1 life
Cryptic Research has the advantages of being guaranteed card draw and costs one fewer XP
While she costs one mana more than Blood Artist and Zulaport Cutthroat, doesnt gain you life, doesnt count tokens, and is legendary, thus prohibiting multiples, she does act as a lord for all your other creatures (including tokens)
Easier said than done though, I suppose, given what those cards are going for on the open market
Okay you get 1/1s but what el- oh hold on
Blue decks that could certainly play prolonged, traditional control games, but could also just auto-win on Turn 5 by playing a powerful, hard-to-interact with creature that can block until it abruptly turns the corner with protection up