Time Ebb MTG Card
1997-05-01 - Number 75
1997-10-14 - Number 96
1998-06-24 - Number 57
1999-07-01 - Number 55
2000-04-01 - Number 19
2005-07-29 - Number 107
2005-07-29 - Number 107★
2013-07-19 - Number 74
2015-05-06 - Number 73
| Card sets | Released in 9 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Return any one creature to the top of its owner's deck.
Like the tide, time both ebbs and flows.
Cards like Time Ebb
Time Ebb stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a tactical card that targets creatures. It shares its fundamental ability to return a creature to its owner’s hand with Unsummon, yet Time Ebb requires one additional mana and places the creature on top of its owner’s library instead. This subtle difference can significantly impede your opponent’s next draw, whereas Unsummon simply places the creature back in hand.
Analogous to Time Ebb is Griptide, which also puts a creature on top of the owner’s library. But Griptide’s instant speed gives players the flexibility to disrupt opponents during their turn, albeit for one more mana. Then there’s Capsize with its buyback ability. While more mana-intensive, Capsize can become a reoccurring nuisance for opponents, potentially offering more long-term value compared to the one-time effect of Time Ebb.
In summary, the evaluation of Time Ebb against other creature bouncing spells in Magic: The Gathering highlights its niche in delaying opponents rather than just providing immediate tempo. Its tactical nature provides a different angle of board control that can be particularly useful in certain game strategies.
Cards similar to Time Ebb by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Time Ebb plays into the strategy of control decks by setting your opponent back by returning a creature to their hand. While not directly offering card advantage, it effectively negates an opponent’s turn spent deploying that creature, potentially leading to card advantage over time.
Resource Acceleration: Although Time Ebb does not accelerate your resources in the traditional sense of producing mana, it can indirectly accelerate your game plan. By returning a key blocker or attacker, you can get ahead on tempo, allowing you to advance your board state while they replay their threat.
Instant Speed: Time Ebb’s sorcery speed compels strategic planning, ensuring that the timing of this spell’s cast is as disruptive as possible. Cleverly bouncing a key creature on your turn can effectively buy you an extra turn against aggressive opponents or disrupt intricate combos, showcasing its strength in a well-crafted strategy.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Time Ebb lacks a discard mechanic, which means it doesn’t directly diminish your opponents’ hand size, potentially lessening its overall impact on the game.
Specific Mana Cost: Time Ebb requires one blue mana alongside two generic mana, potentially restricting its integration into multicolored decks that need a stringent mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana, Time Ebb is sometimes considered costly for its temporary and singular bounce effect, especially when compared with other low-cost removal or bounce spells in MTG.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Time Ebb presents itself as a flexible tool for any blue deck, providing a simple yet effective way to deal with opponents’ creatures by placing them on top of their owner’s library, thus delaying their plans and buying you valuable time.
Combo Potential: The ability to control the flow of the game by manipulating your opponent’s draw can work seamlessly with strategies that capitalize on opponents drawing certain cards or with cards that can mill those returned creatures, enhancing your control over the outcome.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where tempo plays a significant role, using Time Ebb to disrupt your opponent’s board state can be critical. Particularly in a creature-heavy meta, resetting key pieces can give you the upper hand and pave the way for victory.
How to beat
Mastering the dynamics of control in Magic: The Gathering can be the key to overcoming spells like Time Ebb. This card, known for temporarily disrupting an opponent’s board, sends a creature back to the top of its owner’s library. It can be an annoying setback but doesn’t equate to a permanent solution. When countering Time Ebb, timing is everything. Playing creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects can turn the tide to your advantage, as replaying them yields additional value.
Similarly, utilizing low-cost creatures can minimize the impact of the tempo loss, allowing you to redeploy your threats without significant delays. Having spells that shuffle your library or grant you card draw will dilute the effectiveness of Time Ebb by not letting it dictate your next draw. Deck manipulation thus becomes a strategic aspect of gameplay. Lastly, instant-speed spells that can counter sorceries will neutralize a Time Ebb play directly, maintaining your board presence and prolonging your control over the game.
Considering these strategies, Time Ebb’s influence diminishes, showcasing that with thoughtful play and adaptation, any card can be bested in the complex and intriguing world of Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Time Ebb MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Tempest, 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 Time Ebb and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Time Ebb Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2015-05-06. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997-05-01 | Portal | POR | 75 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Alan Rabinowitz | |
| 2 | 1997-10-14 | Tempest | TMP | 96 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Thomas M. Baxa | |
| 3 | 1998-06-24 | Portal Second Age | P02 | 57 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Sam Wood | |
| 4 | 1999-07-01 | Starter 1999 | S99 | 55 | 1997 | Normal | White | Alan Rabinowitz | |
| 5 | 2000-04-01 | Starter 2000 | S00 | 19 | 1997 | Normal | White | Alan Rabinowitz | |
| 6 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 107 | 2003 | Normal | White | Thomas M. Baxa | |
| 7 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 107★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Thomas M. Baxa | |
| 8 | 2013-07-19 | Magic 2014 | M14 | 74 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Rabinowitz | |
| 9 | 2015-05-06 | Tempest Remastered | TPR | 73 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Thomas M. Baxa |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Time Ebb has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |