Impending Flux MTG Card

Impending Flux can tilt the game by making opponents return their nonland permanents at instant speed. Despite its power, it demands a card discard, potentially straining late-game resources. It provides strategic versatility, yet its specific mana cost may limit its use in some decks.

Doctor Who (WHO)
2023-10-13 - Number 87

Doctor Who (WHO)
2023-10-13 - Number 692

Doctor Who (WHO)
2023-10-13 - Number 386

Doctor Who (WHO)
2023-10-13 - Number 977

Card sets	Released in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Foretell,Paradox

Text of card

Paradox — Impending Flux deals X damage to each opponent and each creature they control, where X is 1 plus the number of spells you've cast from anywhere other than your hand this turn. Foretell (During your turn, you may pay and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)

Cards like Impending Flux

Impending Flux is a unique card within the realm of Magic: The Gathering. When examining cards with a likeness in functionality, we might consider comparing it with the likes of Mana Leak. Both cards are involved in negating opponents’ spells, with Mana Leak requiring the opponent to pay additional mana, potentially thwarting their play. Nonetheless, Impending Flux introduces a layer of adaptability, affecting multiple spells instead of just one.

Another parallel can be drawn with Dovin’s Veto, which unconditionally counters a noncreature spell; however, Impending Flux is more preemptive, impacting spells cast during the same turn. While Dovin’s Veto provides certainty in countering, Impending Flux requires strategic anticipation of the opponent’s actions. Syncopate also enters the fray, exiling the countered spell at the cost of X extra mana, yet Impending Flux ensures all spells must meet its criterion to succeed that turn.

Considering the entire spectrum, Impending Flux offers an intriguing preventative approach to controlling the flow of the game, showing its potential effectiveness in matches characterized by spell-heavy turns or cascading strategies.

Cards similar to Impending Flux by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Impending Flux has the capability to disrupt opponents by forcing them to return their nonland permanents to their hands, unexpectedly shifting the balance of the game. This can potentially cause a significant card advantage if used when the opponent has committed multiple resources to the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While Impending Flux itself doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, it can indirectly lead to it by clearing the way for your spells and creatures. By bouncing back your opponent’s artifacts, creatures, or enchantments, you’re essentially paving the path for your own spells to have more impact and for your attacks to get through more easily.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Impending Flux at instant speed gives you the strategic upper hand in a match. You can wait until the most opportune moment—such as after your opponent has cast a large spell or committed to an attack—to cast Impending Flux to reset their board state and make them rethink their strategy. Additionally, instant speed interaction works excellently with cards that benefit from spells being cast on an opponent’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Impending Flux necessitates discarding a card to unleash its capabilities. This can be particularly challenging during the late game when hand sizes dwindle, forcing players to make tough decisions about resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: The card’s mana cost is specific to blue, which may not seamlessly fit into multi-color deck strategies, limiting its versatility across various deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a spell of its nature, Impending Flux comes with a relatively hefty mana requirement. Players might find alternative cards with lower mana costs that offer similar or greater benefits, potentially benching Impending Flux for more mana-efficient options in competitive play.

Reasons to Include Impending Flux in Your Collection

Versatility: Impending Flux is a dynamic addition to your arsenal, suitable for decks that thrive on manipulating spell casting, it adapts easily to multiple game strategies, ensuring your deck is never one-dimensional.

Combo Potential: This card opens the door to a slew of combo routes. Whether you’re aiming to amplify spell damage or create synergistic interactions with other spells, Impending Flux can be a cornerstone for innovative play combinations.

Meta-Relevance: With ever-shifting meta landscapes, Impending Flux’s ability to adjust the tempo of the game can be the edge you need. It can disrupt opponents’ pacing or give you the crucial turn advantage against prevalent strategies.

How to beat

Impending Flux is a distinct card in Magic: The Gathering that can create sudden shifts in board presence. To effectively outmaneuver Impending Flux, it’s essential to be proactive in managing the battlefield. One strategy is to remove or counteract it before the effect kicks in, thereby preventing your opponent from leveraging its tempo advantage.

Another tactic is to minimize the number of nonland permanents you control. This reduces the impact of Impending Flux, allowing you to maintain a strong position post-resolution. Additionally, having versatile instant-speed removal or bounce spells can be invaluable, as they allow you to respond adaptively to your opponent’s actions. These methods concentrate on limiting the card’s disruptive potential and can guide you towards a victory against decks utilizing Impending Flux.

Maintaining composure and a low profile on the board can make Impending Flux far less catastrophic. It’s a game of prediction and calculated risks, with victory favoring the prepared player. Hence, understanding and anticipating this card’s impact will undoubtedly help tilt the odds in your favor during gameplay.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Impending Flux 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 Impending Flux and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Impending Flux Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-10-13 and 2023-10-13. Illustrated by Ben Wootten.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2023-10-13	Doctor Who	WHO	87	2015	Normal	Black	Ben Wootten
2	2023-10-13	Doctor Who	WHO	692	2015	Normal	Black	Ben Wootten
3	2023-10-13	Doctor Who	WHO	386	2015	Normal	Black	Ben Wootten
4	2023-10-13	Doctor Who	WHO	977	2015	Normal	Black	Ben Wootten

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Impending Flux has restrictions

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

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Impending Flux 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 triggered ability that triggers when a spell is cast from anywhere other than your hand, such as that of The Thirteenth Doctor, functions only on the battlefield, so it doesn't trigger when you cast that spell from a zone other than your hand.
2023-10-13	An instant or sorcery that counts how many spells you've cast from anywhere other than your hand, such as Surge of Brilliance, counts itself if it was cast from a zone other than your hand.
2023-10-13	Because exiling a card with foretell from your hand is a special action, you can do so any time you have priority during your turn, including in response to spells and abilities. Once you announce you're taking the action, no other player can respond by trying to remove the card from your hand.
2023-10-13	Casting a foretold card from exile follows the timing rules for that card. If you foretell an instant card, you can cast it as soon as the next player's turn. In most cases, if you foretell a card that isn't an instant (like Impending Flux), you'll have to wait until your next turn to cast it.
2023-10-13	If a spell or ability allows you to copy a spell on the stack but doesn't specify that the spell is cast, that spell wasn't cast and won't be counted by paradox abilities. However, if a spell or ability allows you to cast a copy of a spell, that spell will be counted for paradox abilities.
2023-10-13	If you cast Impending Flux from exile, it counts itself when determining the value of X.
2023-10-13	Paradox abilities count any spells cast from zones other than your hand. These are usually spells cast from exile, the graveyard, or the command zone. They also count spells cast from outside the game, such as spells cast with Wish or Garth One-Eye's ability.