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Flanking is an ability originally seen in the Mirage block. The official rules for the flanking ability are as follows:

502.3. Flanking

502.3a Flanking is a triggered ability that triggers during the declare blockers step. (See rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step.") "Flanking" means "Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a creature without flanking, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn."

502.3b If a creature has multiple instances of flanking, each triggers separately.

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Time Spiral Rules Primer

Monday, September 18, 2006

Compiled by Mark L. Gottlieb, with contributions from Laurie Cheers, Jeff Jordan, and Lee Sharpe

Document last modified August 30, 2006

.TXT Version

Time Spiral Prerelease tournaments: September 23-24, 2006

Time Spiral official release date: October 6, 2006

The Time Spiral set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play October 20, 2006.
What's a Rules Primer?

The Rules Primer is intended to support the Prerelease tournaments for a new set. It covers major changes to the Magic: The Gathering game rules and the most complicated of the set's new mechanics. If the wording of a card contradicts the rules or Oracle, assume that the printed card is correct. Tournament organizers, judges, and players should also read the rules insert included in each tournament pack.

The more comprehensive Time Spiral Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document will be posted on magicthegathering.com on Monday, September 25, 2006. Time Spiral cards will appear in the Gatherer database and the Oracle card reference at that time.
New Keyword Ability: Flash

Flash is a new keyword for an existing ability. On Time Spiral cards, the ability looks like this:

Flash (You may play this spell any time you could play an instant.)

The official rules for the flash ability are as follows:

502.57. Flash

502.57a Flash is a static ability that functions in any zone from which you could play the card it's on. "Flash" means "You may play this card any time you could play an instant."

502.57b Multiple instances of flash on the same object are redundant.

* All older cards with this ability will be getting errata to change the ability to flash.

New Keyword Ability: Split Second

Split second is a static ability that works on the stack. On Time Spiral cards, the ability looks like this:

Split second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't play spells or activated abilities that aren't mana abilities.)

The official rules for the split second ability are as follows:

502.58. Split Second

502.58a Split second is a static ability that functions only while the spell with split second is on the stack. "Split second" means "As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't play other spells or abilities that aren't mana abilities."

502.58b Multiple instances of split second on the same spell are redundant.

* Players still get priority while a card with split second is on the stack.
* Split second doesn't prevent players from playing mana abilities.
* Split second doesn't prevent triggered abilities from triggering. If one does, its controller puts it on the stack and, if applicable, chooses targets for it. Those abilities will resolve as normal.
* Split second doesn't prevent players from performing special actions. Most notably, players may turn face-down creatures face up while a spell with split second is on the stack.
* Split second won't affect spells and abilities that are already on the stack.
* If the resolution of a triggered ability involves playing a spell, that part of the effect won't work if a spell with split second is on the stack.

New Keyword Ability: Suspend

Suspend is an ability that essentially lets you spend time instead of mana to play spells. The suspend cost and number of time counters will vary from card to card, but the ability looks like this on cards:

Suspend 4--1 ManaRed Mana (Rather than play this card from your hand, you may pay 1 ManaRed Mana and remove it from the game with four time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When you remove the last, play it without paying its mana cost. It has haste.)

The official rules for the suspend ability are as follows:

502.59. Suspend

502.59a Suspend is a keyword that represents three abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the card with suspend is in a player's hand. The second and third are triggered abilities that function in the removed-from-the-game zone. "Suspend N--[cost]" means "If you could play this card from your hand, you may pay [cost] and remove it from the game with N time counters on it. This action doesn't use the stack," and "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this card is suspended, remove a time counter from it," and "When the last time counter is removed from this card, if it's removed from the game, play it without paying its mana cost if able. If you can't, it remains removed from the game. If you play it this way and it's a creature, it gains haste until you lose control of it."

502.59b A card is "suspended" if it's in the removed-from-the-game zone, has suspend, and has a time counter on it.

502.59c Playing a spell as an effect of its suspend ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.

* The phrase "if you could play this card from your hand" checks only for timing restrictions and permissions. This includes both what's inherent in the card's type (for example, if the card with suspend is a creature, it must be your main phase and the stack must be empty) and what's imposed by other abilities, such as flash or Meddling Mage's ability. Whether you could actually follow all steps in playing the card is irrelevant. If the card is impossible to play due to a lack of legal targets or an unpayable mana cost, for example, it may still be removed from the game with suspend.
* Removing a card from the game with its suspend ability is not playing that card. This action doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.
* If a spell with suspend has targets, the targets are chosen when the spell is played, not when it's removed from the game.
* If the first triggered ability of suspend is countered, no time counter is removed. The ability will trigger again during its owner's next upkeep.
* When the last time counter is removed from a suspended card, the second triggered ability of suspend will trigger. It doesn't matter why the time counter was removed or whose effect removed it. (The Time Spiral reminder text is misleading on this point.)
* If the second triggered ability of suspend is countered, the card can't be played. It remains in the removed-from-the-game zone without any time counters on it for the rest of the game, and it's no longer considered suspended.
* If the second triggered ability of suspend resolves, the card's owner must play the spell if possible, even if that player doesn't want to. Normal timing considerations for the spell are ignored (for example, if the suspended card is a creature and this ability resolves during your upkeep, you’re able to play the card), but other play restrictions are not ignored.
* If the second triggered ability of suspend resolves and the suspended card can't be played due to a lack of legal targets or a play restriction, for example, it remains in the removed-from-the-game zone without any time counters on it for the rest of the game, and it's no longer considered suspended.
* As the second triggered ability of suspend resolves, if playing the suspended card involves an additional cost, the card's owner must pay that cost if able. If he or she can't, the card remains removed from the game. If the additional cost includes mana, the situation is more complex. If the player has enough mana in his or her mana pool to pay the cost, that player must do so. If the player can't possibly pay the cost, the card remains removed from the game. However, if the player has the means to produce enough mana to pay the cost, then he or she has a choice: The player may play the spell, produce mana, and pay the cost. Or the player may choose to play no mana abilities, thus making the card impossible to play because the additional mana can't be paid.
* A creature played via suspend comes into play with haste. It still has haste after the first turn it's in play as long as the same player controls it. As soon as another player takes control of it, it loses haste.

Rules Change: Cards with No Mana Cost (REVERSAL)

The rules about objects with no mana costs are changing. Previously, the rules stated that an object with no mana cost can't be played as a spell. These rules (213.1a and 401.1b, which are identical) will instead state that a nonexistent mana cost can't be paid.

This change affects some Time Spiral cards with suspend, as well as the Saviors of Kamigawa card Evermind.

* A card with no mana cost can't be normally played as a spell, because it's impossible to pay a nonexistent cost in step 401.9h. (Note that this is different than a spell that costs 0 Mana, which is a cost that can be paid.) If there are any additional costs associated with playing a spell, a card with no mana cost still can't be played this way: { } + {1} is an impossible operation to calculate.
* If there’s a way to play such a card without paying its mana cost, then it can be played as a spell. This is possible if an effect allows it to be played "without paying its mana cost" (such as suspend or Spelljack do, for example), or if an effect allows it to be played for an alternative cost (such as Fist of Suns does, for example).
* A card with no mana cost has converted mana cost 0.

New Game Rule: +1/+1 and -1/-1 Counters

A new state-based effect is being introduced in conjunction with the Time Spiral release:

420.5n If a permanent has both a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter on it, N +1/+1 and N -1/-1 counters are removed from it, where N is the smaller of the number of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters on it.

* This rule doesn't apply to any other type of counters. If a permanent has a +1/+0 counter, a +0/+1 counter, and a -1/-1 counter on it, they will all remain on that permanent.

Returning Keyword Ability: Buyback

Buyback is an ability originally seen in the Tempest block. It lets you pay an additional cost to put the spell with buyback back into your hand as it resolves. The buyback rules are changing slightly to clarify some interactions. The revised rules for the buyback ability are as follows:

502.16. Buyback

502.16a Buyback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities that function while the spell is on the stack. "Buyback [cost]" means "You may pay an additional [cost] as you play this spell" and "If the buyback cost was paid, put this spell into your hand instead of into your graveyard as it resolves." Paying a spell's buyback cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.

* Buyback is an additional cost. You choose whether to pay the buyback at the time you play the spell. If you choose to pay the buyback cost, then after the spell's effect happens, the spell will be returned to your hand instead of being put into your graveyard.
* Buyback returns the spell to your hand only if the spell resolves. If the spell is countered, it goes to the graveyard as normal.
* If you control a spell you don’t own whose buyback cost was paid, that spell is put into its owner’s graveyard as normal as it resolves. The card wouldn't be put into your graveyard, so buyback's replacement effect has nothing to replace.
* If you control a copy of a spell whose buyback cost was paid, the copy will be put into your hand as it resolves, then it will cease to exist.
* Whether the spell is returned to your hand depends on whether the choice to pay buyback was made, not on the actual payment of buyback (in the unusual cases where cost-reduction effects mean the buyback cost isn't actually paid).
* Buyback costs don't count toward a spell's mana cost or converted mana cost, whether they're paid or not.

Returning Keyword Ability: Echo

Echo is a keyword ability originally seen in the Urza block. The echo rules are changing, but that doesn't functionally change any existing cards with echo. The revised rules for the echo ability are as follows:

502.19. Echo

502.19a Echo is a triggered ability. "Echo [cost]" means "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, sacrifice it unless you pay [cost]."

* The old rules said to sacrifice the permanent unless its mana cost is paid. The new rules say to sacrifice the permanent unless its echo cost is paid. For all older cards, those two costs will be the same.
* Paying for echo is always optional. When the echo triggered ability resolves, if the controller of the permanent can't pay its echo cost, or chooses not to, that player sacrifices that permanent.
* A permanent's echo ability will trigger during its controller's upkeep if it came into play since the beginning of its controller's last upkeep (including if it left play and came back during that time, or if it phased in during that time), or if its current controller took control of it since the beginning of his or her last upkeep.

Returning Keyword Ability: Flanking

Flanking is an ability originally seen in the Mirage block. The official rules for the flanking ability are as follows:

502.3. Flanking

502.3a Flanking is a triggered ability that triggers during the declare blockers step. (See rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step.") "Flanking" means "Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a creature without flanking, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn."

502.3b If a creature has multiple instances of flanking, each triggers separately.

Returning Keyword Ability: Flashback

Flashback is an ability originally seen in the Odyssey block. The official rules for the flashback ability are as follows:

502.22. Flashback

502.22a Flashback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities: one functions while the card is in a player's graveyard and the other functions while the card is on the stack. "Flashback [cost]" means "You may play this card from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, remove this card from the game instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack." Playing a spell using its flashback ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.

* When you play a spell from your graveyard by paying its flashback cost, its mana cost doesn't change. You just pay the flashback cost instead.
* Effects that cause you to pay more or less for a spell will cause you to pay that much more or less for its flashback cost, too. That's because they affect the total cost of the spell, not its mana cost.
* When a spell played with flashback resolves, it never goes to its owner's graveyard, so abilities that trigger on cards being put in a graveyard won't trigger. The card is removed from the game instead.
* If a spell with flashback is countered, it's still removed from the game rather than being put into its owner's graveyard.

Returning Keyword Ability: Madness

Madness is an ability originally seen in the Torment set. The timing of madness ability has been simplified, and the resulting rules change will modify some interactions. The revised rules for the madness ability are as follows:

502.24. Madness

502.24a Madness is a keyword that represents two abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the card with madness is in a player's hand. The second is a triggered ability that functions when the first ability is applied. "Madness [cost]" means "If a player would discard this card, that player discards it, but may remove it from the game instead of putting it into his or her graveyard" and "When this card is removed from the game this way, its owner may play it by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost. If that player doesn't, he or she puts this card into his or her graveyard."

502.24b Playing a spell using its madness ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.

* Under the old rule, after the madness triggered ability resolved, the owner of the madness card had a short window of time (until he or she passed priority) to play the madness card. During that window, the player could perform special actions (such as playing a land) before playing the madness card. Furthermore, if the player who discarded the card wasn't the active player, that player wouldn't receive priority after the madness trigger resolved, and would have to wait to play the madness card until the active player passed.
Under the new rule, playing the madness card is part of the effect of the madness triggered ability. The player either plays the madness card as the madness triggered ability resolves, or the player puts the card into his or her graveyard at that time.
* When you discard a card with madness, you may discard it normally or you may remove it from the game. When you remove it from the game, you may play it, or you may put it into your graveyard. Playing a card with madness is just like playing an instant from your hand, except you pay the spell's madness cost instead of its mana cost. It goes on the stack like any other spell and it can be countered like any other spell.
* When you play a spell by paying its madness cost, its mana cost doesn't change. You just pay the madness cost instead.
* Effects that cause you to pay more or less for a spell will cause you to pay that much more or less for its madness cost, too. That's because they affect the total cost of the spell, not its mana cost.
* Madness works no matter why you're discarding the card. You could discard to pay a cost, because a spell or ability tells you to, or even because you have too many cards in your hand at the end of your turn. You can't discard a card with madness just because you want to, though.
* When you play a card with madness, it still counts as being discarded, but it doesn't actually get to your graveyard before you play it. That means your opponent can't remove it "in response" to stop you from playing the spell. Abilities that trigger on a card being discarded, however, will still trigger.
* If you choose not to play a card with madness when the madness triggered ability resolves, it goes to your graveyard. You don't get another chance to play it.

Returning Keyword Ability: Morph

Morph is an ability originally seen in the Onslaught block. The morph rules are changing slightly: The old rule said the face-down spell and the face-down creature have mana cost 0 Mana. The new rule says that the face-down spell and the face-down creature have no mana cost. (The face-down spell and the face-down creature still have converted mana cost 0.) This modifies some interactions. A change to the rules governing spells with no mana cost makes this possible. (See the "Cards with No Mana Cost" section above for more information.)

The revised rules for the morph ability are as follows:

502.26. Morph

502.26a Morph is a static ability that functions in any zone from which you could play the card it's on, and the morph effect works any time the card is face down. "Morph [cost]" means "You may play this card as a 2/2 face-down creature, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost, by paying {3} rather than its mana cost." Any time you could play an instant, you may show all players the morph cost for any face-down permanent you control, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. This action doesn't use the stack. (See rule 504, "Face-Down Spells and Permanents.")

502.26b To play a card using its morph ability, turn it face down. It becomes a 2/2 face-down creature card with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost. These values are the copiable values of that object's characteristics. (See rule 418.5, "Interaction of Continuous Effects," and rule 503, "Copying Objects.") Put it onto the stack (as a face-down spell with the same characteristics), and pay {3} rather than pay its mana cost. This follows the rules for paying alternative costs. You can use morph to play a card from any zone from which you could normally play it. When the spell resolves, it comes into play with the same characteristics the spell had. The morph effect applies to the face-down object wherever it is, and it ends when the permanent is turned face up.

502.26c You can't play a card face down if it doesn't have morph.

502.26d Any time you could play an instant, you may turn a face-down permanent you control face up. To do this, show all players what the permanent's morph cost will be when the effect ends, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. The morph effect on it ends, and it regains its normal characteristics. Any abilities relating to the permanent coming into play don't trigger when it's turned face up and don't have any effect, because the permanent has already come into play.

502.26e If a face-up permanent is turned face down by a spell or ability, it becomes a 2/2 face-down creature, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost. These values are the copiable values of that object's characteristics. (See rule 418.5, "Interaction of Continuous Effects," and rule 503, "Copying Objects.") The rules for morph and face-down permanents apply to it normally.

502.26f See rule 504, "Face-Down Spells and Permanents," for more information on how to play cards with morph.

* Morph lets you play a card face down for 3 Mana, and lets you perform the action of turning it face up for its morph cost.
* To play a card face down, you put it onto the stack face down (so your opponent doesn't know what it is), and pay 3 Mana. Note that this is not the mana cost of the spell (it has no mana cost); it's an alternative cost. When the spell resolves, it comes into play as a face-down permanent.
* As long as a card is face down, it's a 2/2 colorless nameless creature with no expansion symbol, mana cost, abilities, or subtypes (unless an effect grants it an ability or other characteristic).
* Any time you could play an instant, you may turn a face-down permanent face up by paying its morph cost. This isn't an activated ability; it's a special action that doesn't use the stack and can't be countered or responded to. You can't do this to face-down cards on the stack.
* Turning a permanent face up doesn't trigger comes-into-play abilities.
* A permanent that turns face up or face down changes its characteristics, but otherwise is still the same permanent. Spells, counters, Auras, Equipment, and damage that were targeting or affecting it will still do so. Turning a permanent face up or face down doesn't change whether it's tapped or untapped, or flipped or unflipped.
* At any time, you may look at a face-down spell you control on the stack, a face-down permanent you control, or a face-down card in the phased-out zone you controlled when it phased out.
* If a face-down spell is countered, it turns face up. If a face-down creature leaves play, it turns face up.
* It's illegal to play a card face down if it doesn't have morph. Since your opponent can't tell whether it has morph or not, players must reveal their face-down spells, permanents, and phased-out cards at the end of the game so their opponents can verify that the cards have morph.
* If you turn a face-down creature face up while its combat damage is on the stack and that creature has an ability which triggers "Whenever this creature deals combat damage," that ability will trigger when the combat damage resolves.
* If you gain control of a face-down creature, you can look at what it is, and you can pay its morph cost to turn it face up. Your opponent can't, although he or she will know what the creature is.
* Face-down creatures don't have any abilities, so they don't have the morph ability. Face-up creatures with morph do have the ability.
* If a spell or ability tells you to turn a face-down creature face up, you don't pay that creature's morph cost to do so.
* Turning a face-down creature with an evasion ability face up after it's been blocked doesn't affect the blockers, because restrictions on blocking are only checked at the time blockers are declared.
* If you control multiple face-down spells on the stack, face-down permanents in play, or face-down phased-out cards, you must ensure at all times that your face-down spells, permanents, and phased-out cards can be easily differentiated from each other. This includes, but is not limited to, knowing the order spells were played, the order that face-down permanents came into play, and which creature attacked last turn. Common methods for distinguishing between face-down objects include using counters or dice to mark the different objects, or clearly placing those objects in order on the table.

Shadow

Shadow is an evasion ability originally seen in the Tempest block. The official rules for the shadow ability are as follows:

502.8. Shadow

502.8a Shadow is an evasion ability.

502.8b A creature with shadow can't be blocked by creatures without shadow, and a creature without shadow can't be blocked by creatures with shadow. (See rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step.")

502.8c Multiple instances of shadow on the same creature are redundant.

Storm

Storm is an ability originally seen in the Scourge set. The official rules for the storm ability are as follows:

502.30. Storm

502.30a Storm is a triggered ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. "Storm" means "When you play this spell, put a copy of it onto the stack for each other spell that was played before it this turn. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for any number of the copies."

502.30b If a spell has multiple instances of storm, each triggers separately.

* The storm copies are put directly onto the stack -- they aren't played. That means the copies don't generate storm copies themselves, and they aren't counted by other storm spells played later during the turn.
* Each storm spell with a target allows you to change the target for each copy of that spell. You make that choice for each copy individually.
* When counting spells played in a turn, you do count spells that were played face down, spells played from zones other than a hand, and spells that were countered.
* A copy of a spell can be countered, just like any other spell, but each copy has to be countered individually. Countering a storm spell won't counter the copies of it.
* Removing a card from the game using suspend doesn't count as playing a spell; you only play a suspended spell when you remove the last time counter from it and that ability resolves.
* When a spell like Twincast copies a spell that has storm, the copied spell's storm ability doesn't trigger. You get just one new spell.