Decaying Time Loop MTG Card

Doctor Who (WHO)
2023-10-13 - Number 80

Doctor Who (WHO)
2023-10-13 - Number 685

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant
Abilities	Retrace

Key Takeaways

Decaying Time Loop grants card advantage by reusing spells in strategic gameplay phases.
The card requires a discard and specific mana cost, potentially constraining versatility.
Its unique effect on game tempo makes it a valuable addition to specialized decks.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Decaying Time Loop MTG card by a specific set like Doctor Who and Doctor Who, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Decaying Time Loop and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

Discard all the cards in your hand, then draw that many cards. Retrace (You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)

"We try, it doesn't work, we try again. We learn, we improve, we fail again, but better." —The Thirteenth Doctor

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Decaying Time Loop enables players to potentially reuse their spells or key permanents, essentially providing a second shot at utilizing their resources. This can lead to significant card advantage as crucial spells get another round of impact on the game’s state.

Resource Acceleration: By allowing you to reset your board state with the same resources, Decaying Time Loop can streamline your strategy, effectively giving you a form of resource acceleration. This means you can commit to the board again with meaningful plays that have already been primed previously.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Decaying Time Loop at instant speed offers flexibility, control, and surprise elements in a match. This allows for strategic timing, whether that’s interrupting an opponent’s turn, salvaging a block, or simply taking a second swing at a pivotal turn in a match.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Decaying Time Loop demands a sacrifice of a card from your hand, which can lead to a hindered strategic position, especially if your hand size is already minimized from a grueling match.

Specific Mana Cost: The necessity for distinct mana types in its casting cost narrows its compatibility, only fitting smoothly into decks tailored around its color identity, potentially constraining deck diversity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a notable investment of mana required to put Decaying Time Loop into play, players may find themselves lagging behind opponents who utilize lower-cost cards for similar or swifter effects, compromising efficiency in gameplay.

Reasons to Include Decaying Time Loop in Your Collection

Versatility: Decaying Time Loop offers a unique mix of delaying opponent strategies and recurring your own spells. It seamlessly fits into control or midrange decks aiming to exploit each turn for maximum gain.

Combo Potential: This card opens up doors for intricate combos, particularly in decks that focus on utilizing cast triggers and graveyard synergies. It’s an enabler for strategies that seek to manipulate time and turns in their favor.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where battles are won by razor-thin margins, Decaying Time Loop can disrupt your opponent’s pacing while giving you the upper hand. Its role in current metagames makes it an asset for players looking to outmaneuver competitors at crucial moments.

How to beat

Navigating around the challenges posed by the Decaying Time Loop card in MTG requires strategic finesse and a good understanding of the game’s mechanics. Decaying Time Loop, with its unique ability to disrupt the flow of the game, demands attention and a proactive game plan. A key strategy is leveraging removal spells that can target and eliminate the card before the looping effect overwhelms the board. Cards such as Naturalize or Disenchant that specifically target enchantments are especially useful in these scenarios.

Alternatively, playing around the Decaying Time Loop’s trigger conditions can be equally viable. This might involve adjusting play times for spells and abilities, or selectively pacing one’s actions within the turn structure, to avoid giving additional advantages to the opponent controlling the Time Loop. Utilizing instant-speed interactions enables players to respond during their opponent’s turn, minimizing the effects of the Decaying Time Loop.

Moreover, it can be beneficial to incorporate cards that offer hexproof protection to one’s permanents or to oneself, so that the effects of the Decaying Time Loop are mitigated. With the right mix of reactive and protective strategies, overcoming the Decaying Time Loop card during a game of MTG is not just possible, but showcases the depth of tactical play within the game.

Cards like Decaying Time Loop

In the realm of Blue cards within Magic: The Gathering, Decaying Time Loop presents a unique twist on card manipulation and temporal control. When measured against cards such as Time Warp, a card that allows players an extra turn without further conditions, Decaying Time Loop introduces a cost-efficient but limiting alternative. Both cards focus on turn manipulation but Decaying Time Loop has a finite window of utility due to its decaying nature, making it a more risky yet potentially rewarding option.

Nexus of Fate shares the turn-giving theme but stands out with its instant speed and recycling ability, whereas Decaying Time Loop might appeal to those looking for an economical choice in their decks. Yet another peer, Temporal Manipulation, offers a straightforward extra turn akin to Time Warp but lacks the additional constraints found in Decaying Time Loop. The latter can be seen as a more budget-friendly version within the extra turn arsenal, appealing to players who enjoy the strategic complexity of turn-based MTG games.

Overall, Decaying Time Loop carves its niche as a cost-effective and intriguing card for players seeking to incorporate additional turns into their playstyle, with the acceptance of its ephemeral nature as part of the strategic planning.

Temporal Manipulation - MTG Card versions

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Printings

The Decaying Time Loop Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-10-13 and 2023-10-13. Illustrated by Alexander Gering.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2023-10-13	Doctor Who	WHO		80	2015	Normal	Black	Alexander Gering
2	2023-10-13	Doctor Who	WHO		685	2015	Normal	Black	Alexander Gering

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Decaying Time Loop has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Decaying Time Loop card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2023-10-13	A retrace card cast from your graveyard follows the normal timing rules for its card type.
2023-10-13	Casting a card by using its retrace ability works just like casting any other spell, with two exceptions: You're casting it from your graveyard rather than your hand, and you must discard a land card in addition to any other costs.
2023-10-13	If the active player casts a spell that has retrace, that player may cast that card again after it resolves, before another player can remove the card from the graveyard. The active player has priority after the spell resolves, so they can immediately cast a new spell. Since casting a card with retrace from the graveyard moves that card onto the stack, no one else would have the chance to affect it while it's still in the graveyard.
2023-10-13	When a retrace spell you cast from your graveyard resolves, fails to resolve, or is countered, it's put back into your graveyard. You may use the retrace ability to cast it again.