Sands of Time MTG Card

Sands of Time alters game flow, offering strategic benefits through unexpected gameplay disruption. It accelerates resources cleverly and demands precise timing for maximum advantage. Manipulating permanents before turns shift can provide sudden mana access, enhancing tactical options.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact
Released	1997-02-03
Set symbol
Set name	Visions
Set code	VIS
Number	153
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Paul Lee

Text of card

Each player skips his or her untap phase. At the beginning of each player's turn, untap each tapped artifact, creature, and land he or she controls and tap each untapped artifact, creature, and land he or she controls.

"But once, with a magician's help, Time was stopped and Day stood still." —"Love Song of Night and Day"

Cards like Sands of Time

Delving into the unique dynamics of Sands of Time within Magic: The Gathering, we can’t help but draw parallels with other intriguing artifacts designed to manipulate time and turns. One such comparison can be made with Time Vault, legendary for its ability to grant its owner extra turns; however, Sands of Time offers a subtler approach to time manipulation by automatically tapping or untapping all permanents during each player’s untap step. This creates a complex and strategic environment quite unlike the straightforward extra turn granted by Time Vault.

Another relative in this space is Stasis, which locks down the board by preventing the untap phase entirely. Where Stasis freezes the game, Sands of Time shifts the balance of power turn by turn, creating an unpredictable tide of advantage. Equally notable is the card Time Spiral, which offers the upside of untapping up to six lands as a one-time effect, but lacks the ongoing control bestowed by Sands of Time over every untap step.

In sum, while Sands of Time may not offer the blatant turn advantage of certain classic cards, its consistent impact on the tempo of the game sets it apart, making it a compelling choice for players looking to introduce a layer of nuanced strategy into their Magic: The Gathering matches.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sands of Time flips the traditional flow of the game, potentially providing an edge as it disrupts the usual planning of your opponents, letting you reap the benefits of surprise and less predictable turns.

Resource Acceleration: This artifact offers savvy players a way to untap all permanents they control at the beginning of each player’s turn, provided they were tapped previously. When orchestrated accurately, this translates to a form of resource acceleration that can outpace opponents.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Sands of Time can create windows of opportunity as if you had an instant in play. By manipulating the status of your permanents right before the sands shift, you have the chance to unlock mana or abilities spontaneously, enhancing your reactive gameplay and giving you a tempo boost where it counts.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Sands of Time doesn’t ask for a card to be discarded, it imposes a unique constraint by phasing out untapped permanents, potentially causing a player to discard their game plan or critical board state.

Specific Mana Cost: Activating Sands of Time requires generic mana, but its integration into a multi-colored deck could be restricted by the need to keep mana available, lest it alters the course of gameplay unfavorably.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With four mana needed to bring Sands of Time into play, it can be a hefty investment that may not align with the tempo of many aggressive decks that prefer to establish a presence on the board more rapidly.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sands of Time fits into multiple deck archetypes including artifact-centric and control decks. It adjusts the pace of the game and can be manipulated to your advantage with untap mechanics.

Combo Potential: In combination with cards that benefit from untapping or not untapping, Sands of Time can become the centerpiece in a game-altering combo that could disrupt your opponents’ strategy or accelerate your own game plan.

Meta-Relevance: Given the constant evolution of the meta, Sands of Time has potential in environments where slowing down the game or enabling complex interactions is paramount. Its ability to modify turn mechanics can be a sleeper hit against unsuspecting adversaries.

How to beat

Sands of Time is a unique artifact in the MTG universe, reshaping the way players manage their resources and turns. Its ability to alter the untap step and to freeze permanents in their current state demands strategic gameplay and foresight. To effectively overcome this card, players must adapt their strategies, prioritizing instant-speed interactions to respond during the untap step. Implementing cards like Stifle or Trickbind can negate the triggered abilities of Sands of Time, granting a degree of control over the battlefield’s tempo.

Another effective method involves the employment of cards that bypass the need for untapping. Vigilance abilities allow creatures to remain untapped, and artifacts like Seedborn Muse can untap all your permanents on each other player’s untap step. Players can also consider utilizing alternative forms of acceleration, such as mana dorks or mana rocks, which can diversify the ways to obtain resources without fully relying on untapped lands, thus reducing the disruptive impact of Sands of Time.

Lastly, the inclusion of removal spells that can directly target and destroy artifacts becomes essential when facing decks that capitalize on Sands of Time. Succinctly, managing a balance between disruption, alternative resources, and vigilant maneuvering is critical to conquering the challenges posed by this powerful artifact.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sands of Time MTG card by a specific set like Visions, 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 Sands of Time and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sands of Time has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	This card still affects players when it is tapped.
2008-08-01	Skipping the untap step means that phased out cards won’t phase in, and permanents with phasing won’t phase out.
2009-10-01	You can tap lands for mana before Sands of Time toggles your permanents. The mana you gain is in your mana pool during your upkeep step, but will disappear before your draw step if you don’t spend it. You cannot save it to be spent on the card you will draw this turn.