Do suspend cards fizzle if they lose counters outside of players turn?
Asked by Jeff1980 7 years ago
If my openent plays several creatures and sorcerys into suspend and I remove all there suspend counters from the cards during my turn does his cards still get cast? Only rule I find is that suspend would only be able to be played during correct activation periods and only ignore creatures during the upkeep. My friend says that suspend is like flash so his sorcery and creatures would still hit field during my turn. I thought if I removed the counters during my turn then he would lose that activation and that card would stay exiled. Can you help me understand the ruling on this.
Interesting note: "if able" refers to the spell having legal targets. Otherwise, some other restriction might apply, for example: Instants can't be cast.
November 4, 2017 5:06 a.m.
Tyrant-Thanatos says... #3
To clarify, Fuzz_ is referring to effects from cards placing restrictions on spell casting, such as Grand Abolisher or Rule of Law.
If an effect like this would prevent a suspended spell from being cast when the suspend ability instructs its controller to cast it, then the spell cannot be cast, and will remain in exile.
November 4, 2017 1:59 p.m.
Tyrant-Thanatos, ah yes that is a better example. I couldn't think of a card at the time.
Even more specific to the question; making suspend spells fizzle: On his turn with Grand Abolisher out, removing the counters would leave the cards in Exile (because they can't be cast).
November 4, 2017 8:29 p.m.
I'm a little confused on this, because the argument is that if the suspend counters come off other than a legal time to play the card then it's not cast suspend counters come off on upkeep. As far as im aware you wouldn't be able to play any creatures ever with suspend because its not legal to play creatures or sorserys on upkeep.
November 9, 2023 4:55 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... #6
It isn't normally legal to play anything during the resolution of a spell or ability. However card text overrules game rules when the two conflict. So the "if you can't" isn't referring to timing restrictions on anything. It is referring to stuff like Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir or targeted spells that don't have a legal target. It is also referring to spells with mandatory additional costs that the player either can not, or does not want to pay.
November 9, 2023 7:47 p.m.
Gidgetimer, so if the suspend counters come off then the card would be cast regardless?
November 10, 2023 7:33 a.m.
Gidgetimer says... #8
Unless there is something (besides timing restrictions) preventing it from being cast.
Tyrant-Thanatos says... Accepted answer #1
So this is the rule on Suspend: 702.61a Suspend is a keyword that represents three abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the card with suspend is in a player's hand. The second and third are triggered abilities that function in the exile zone. "Suspend N[cost]" means "If you could begin to cast this card by putting it onto the stack from your hand, you may pay [cost] and exile it with N time counters on it. This action doesn't use the stack," and "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this card is suspended, remove a time counter from it," and "When the last time counter is removed from this card, if it's exiled, play it without paying its mana cost if able. If you can't, it remains exiled. If you cast a creature spell this way, it gains haste until you lose control of the spell or the permanent it becomes."
The key part here is at the end: "When the last time counter is removed from this card, if it's exiled, play it without paying its mana cost if able. If you can't, it remains exiled. If you cast a creature spell this way, it gains haste until you lose control of the spell or the permanent it becomes."
This triggers when the last time counter is removed, it doesn't matter how it was removed or when it was removed, when the last counter is removed, you play the spell.
November 4, 2017 1:53 a.m.