Out of Time MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Abilities Vanishing

Key Takeaways

  1. Out of Time can massively shift board states, functioning as pivotal card advantage.
  2. It strategically frees up mana, benefiting players through efficient resource use.
  3. While enacted at sorcery speed, its impact mimics instant speed interaction.

Text of card

When Out of Time enters the battlefield, untap all creatures, then those creatures phase out until Out of Time leaves the battlefield. Put a time counter on Out of Time for each creature that phased out this way. Vanishing (At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from this enchantment. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Out of Time provides a unique form of card advantage in that it temporarily removes creatures from the game. This can equate to multiple cards worth of value if it affects numerous opponent creatures, tilting the board state in your favor without the need for direct removal spells.

Resource Acceleration: While Out of Time itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense of providing mana, it does free up your resources by dealing with a multitude of threats at once. This allows you to utilize your mana more efficiently in subsequent turns, focusing on developing your board instead of dealing with opponent’s threats.

Instant Speed: Out of Time is a powerful enchantment that acts at sorcery speed, but its ability to reset the board can be just as impactful. After playing Out of Time, it effectively acts at “instant speed,” since it pauses the creature threats immediately upon resolution, nullifying any planned attacks or abilities from them as if you had interacted in the middle of your opponent’s turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Out of Time doesn’t directly ask for a card to be discarded, it requires a thorough understanding of board state and timing to maximize its effect. This need for strategic discard of creatures can be a drawback if not played tactically.

Specific Mana Cost: Out of Time calls for a specific blend of mana – one white and two generic. This can be restrictive, especially in multicolored decks that may not always have the exact mana combination readily available when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The fact that Out of Time’s casting cost is three mana, including two generic and one white, places it at a higher spectrum for its unique effect on the game. When considering other enchantments or removal spells, some players may opt for alternatives that are less demanding on their mana pool or offer immediate impact without the downside of potentially helping the opponent in the long-term.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Out of Time fits into numerous deck archetypes, serving as a powerful tool in control strategies and flicker decks alike. Its ability to remove creatures from the game temporarily allows players to deal with threatening boards in an efficient way.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with effects that benefit from removing your own creatures, such as those with enter the battlefield or leave the battlefield triggers. Additionally, its ability to completely pause the game state lends itself to interesting interactions and unexpected comebacks.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state dominated by creature-heavy decks, Out of Time stands out as a valuable tool to reset the battlefield. Its capacity to disrupt opponents’ tempo makes it a key piece in specific metas where controlling the board is paramount.


How to Beat

Navigating the challenges presented by Out of Time in MTG takes a strategic approach. This enchanting white spell has the potential to shift the game’s momentum by phasing out all creatures until it leaves the battlefield. To effectively counter this, consider using enchantment removal spells such as Disenchant or Naturalize to dispatch Out of Time before its effects lock down your board presence.

Another tactic involves utilizing instant-speed creatures or flash spells that can slip into play when Out of Time is not active. Cards like Vendilion Clique or Restoration Angel can help maintain a field presence even when Out of Time is trying to clear the board. Additionally, be conscious of the stack order and be prepared to respond accordingly when Out of Time is played to ensure your creatures have the best chance to avoid its sweeping effect.

Having a versatile deck equipped with a mix of these strategies ensures that encountering Out of Time doesn’t mean the end of your game. Flexibility and keen awareness of timing can turn this potentially game-altering enchantment from a setback into just a minor bump in the road to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG means understanding the key cards that could swing the game in your favor. Out of Time is one such card with the potential to redefine game dynamics, offering a tactical edge to players who wield it wisely. If you aim to control the battlefield and dictate the pace of play, this enchantment could be the addition your deck needs. Its ability to challenge creature-heavy metas and aid in inventive combos makes it worth considering for your collection. Ready to embrace the power of phasing and make every second count? Enhance your knowledge and strategy by delving further into Out of Time with us.


Cards like Out of Time

Out of Time distinctly shapes the battlefield with its unique ability to phase out creatures until it leaves play. When assessing other cards with a semblance of impact, we find Detention Sphere as a close candidate. Detention Sphere exiles any number of target nonland permanents with the same name until it’s removed from the battlefield. Though the mechanism differs, the effect of removing threats is similar.

Temporal Isolation is another relevant comparison. This aura card restricts a creature without phasing it out, preventing it from dealing or receiving damage. While it doesn’t clear the board like Out of Time, it effectively neutralizes a key target. On the flip side, Oblivion Ring mirrors Detention Sphere’s exile strategy but targets a single nonland permanent.

Choosing between Out of Time and these parallels hinges on the situation. Out of Time’s capacity to reconfigure the board without sending creatures to the graveyard is its ace, making it an asset in dodging death triggers or dependent strategies. These quality alternatives cater to different needs, with Out of Time standing out for its potential to change the state of play profoundly.

Detention Sphere - MTG Card versions
Temporal Isolation - MTG Card versions
Oblivion Ring - MTG Card versions
Detention Sphere - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Temporal Isolation - Time Spiral (TSP)
Oblivion Ring - Lorwyn (LRW)

Cards similar to Out of Time by color, type and mana cost

Damping Field - MTG Card versions
Farmstead - MTG Card versions
Cooperation - MTG Card versions
Noble Steeds - MTG Card versions
Aura of Silence - MTG Card versions
Empyrial Armor - MTG Card versions
Cessation - MTG Card versions
Arrest - MTG Card versions
Glorious Anthem - MTG Card versions
Samite Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Pariah - MTG Card versions
Tattoo Ward - MTG Card versions
Sparring Regimen - MTG Card versions
Shielded by Faith - MTG Card versions
The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration - MTG Card versions
Oblivion Ring - MTG Card versions
Cage of Hands - MTG Card versions
Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence - MTG Card versions
Guardian's Magemark - MTG Card versions
Celestial Dawn - MTG Card versions
Damping Field - Antiquities (ATQ)
Farmstead - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Cooperation - Ice Age (ICE)
Noble Steeds - Alliances (ALL)
Aura of Silence - The List (PLST)
Empyrial Armor - Weatherlight (WTH)
Cessation - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Arrest - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Glorious Anthem - Junior Super Series (PSUS)
Samite Sanctuary - Prophecy (PCY)
Pariah - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Tattoo Ward - Odyssey (ODY)
Sparring Regimen - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Shielded by Faith - Signature Spellbook: Gideon (SS2)
The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Oblivion Ring - Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)
Cage of Hands - Commander Legends (CMR)
Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence - The List (PLST)
Guardian's Magemark - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Celestial Dawn - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Out of Time MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Modern Horizons 2, 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 Out of Time and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Out of Time Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2023-10-13. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 912192015normalblackTobias Kwan
22021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 3831997normalblackTobias Kwan
32021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 4422015normalblackTobias Kwan
42021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 232015normalblackTobias Kwan
52021-06-19Modern Horizons 2 PromosPMH2 23s2015normalblackTobias Kwan
62023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 10582015normalblackJB Casacop
72023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8002015normalblackJB Casacop
82023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2092015normalblackJB Casacop
92023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 4672015normalblackJB Casacop

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Out of Time has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-06-18 A creature phased out by Out of Time doesn't phase in during its controller's untap step as normal.
2021-06-18 Any continuous effects with a "for as long as" duration, such as that of Tide Shaper, ignore phased-out objects. Any such effects will expire if their conditions are no longer met after ignoring the phased-out objects.
2021-06-18 Any one-shot effects that are waiting "until
-his] leaves the battlefield," such as that of Banisher Priest, won't happen when a permanent phases out.
2021-06-18 Choices made for permanents as they entered the battlefield are remembered when they phase in.
2021-06-18 Each Aura and Equipment attached to a permanent that's phasing out also phases out. They will phase in with that permanent and still be attached to it. Similarly, permanents that phase out with counters phase in with those counters.
2021-06-18 If Out of Time happens to be a creature when its enter the battlefield trigger resolves, it will phase out along with all other creatures. You'll never remove the last counter since it's phased out, so all creatures will remain phased out indefinitely.
2021-06-18 If Out of Time leaves the battlefield before its enter the battlefield trigger resolves, creatures will untap, but they won't phase out.
2021-06-18 If there are no creatures on the battlefield when Out of Time's triggered ability resolves, nothing phases out and Out of Time won't get any time counters. It will remain on the battlefield and won't be sacrificed, since the last time counter will never be removed.
2021-06-18 Phasing out doesn't cause any "leaves the battlefield" abilities to trigger. Similarly, phasing in won't cause any "enters the battlefield" abilities to trigger.
2021-06-18 While a permanent is phased out, it's treated as though it doesn't exist. It can't be the target of spells or abilities, its static abilities have no effect on the game, its triggered abilities can't trigger, it can't attack or block, and so on.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks