Can You Cast Foretell Cards from Exile? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, you absolutely can cast foretell cards from exile, but with specific timing considerations. The foretell mechanic in Magic: The Gathering allows you to exile a card from your hand face down and then cast it later for its foretell cost. The ability to cast these cards from exile is a fundamental part of the mechanic, allowing for strategic plays and resource management. However, it’s crucial to understand the nuances of when and how you can do so.
Understanding Foretell and Exile
What is Foretell?
Foretell is a keyword ability that allows you to exile a card from your hand face down for two mana. This effectively sets aside the card for later use, often at a reduced cost. It’s a way to prepare a card for future play and sometimes enables powerful combos. The act of foretelling a card is not casting it. Rather, it is a unique action that sets up the casting for the future.
Why Exile?
The mechanic uses exile as the zone because it removes the card from the hand but still makes it accessible under specific conditions. Cards in exile are generally out of reach for most effects, creating a unique gameplay space. This zone is different from the graveyard, which has a host of cards and effects that interact with it.
Timing is Key
The most crucial aspect is timing. When casting a foretold card, timing restrictions still apply. This means you can’t cast a non-instant card from exile immediately after foretelling it. Here are the general rules:
- Instant cards (or cards with flash): You can cast these from exile whenever you would normally be able to cast an instant, including on an opponent’s turn, provided it’s after the turn you foretold it.
- Non-instant cards: You typically must wait until your own turn to cast them from exile. However, you can choose to cast any card from your hand at any point that you would otherwise be able to do so, as long as you didn’t foretell it.
Foretell Costs
When casting a foretold card from exile, you pay its foretell cost instead of its normal mana cost. This cost is often less than the card’s regular cost, which provides a significant advantage in terms of resource efficiency. The key thing to note is that the act of foretelling itself is not casting, so the foretell cost is what you pay when actually casting from exile.
Casting from Exile: The Details
Casting Rules
- The card must remain in exile for you to be able to cast it using the foretell mechanic. If the card leaves exile (due to another effect), it is no longer foretold, and you won’t be able to use it this way.
- You are not required to cast a foretold card from exile. You can always opt to cast it from your hand as normal if you choose to, provided it has not already been foretold.
- You can only foretell cards on your turn, but when casting you can abide by the casting rules (such as casting on your opponent’s turn if it is an instant), as long as you have already waited the one turn.
- You can look at your face-down foretold cards at any time, but not your opponents.
Summoning Sickness
It is important to remember that if you foretell a creature and then cast it from exile, it is affected by summoning sickness. This means you cannot attack with it or activate any of its abilities that require tapping on the same turn that it enters the battlefield.
Adventures and Foretell
You can foretell adventure cards, and when casting them from exile, you can choose to cast either the creature side or the adventure side. Both spells must follow the appropriate casting timing rules.
Casting from Exile Costs
- The foretell cost is what you pay to cast from exile.
- Cards like Ranar, the Ever-Watchful reduce the cost of foretelling, but not the cost of casting them.
15 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Can I cast a foretold card on the same turn I foretell it?
A: No. You cannot cast a foretold card on the same turn you foretell it. You must wait at least until your next turn unless you cast it from your hand instead of exiling it.
Q2: Does foretelling a card count as casting a spell?
A: No. Foretelling is not casting a spell. It’s a separate action that puts the card into exile and allows you to cast it later for its foretell cost.
Q3: If I foretell an instant, can I cast it immediately on my opponent’s turn?
A: Yes. If you foretell an instant (or a card with flash), you can cast it as soon as the next player’s turn (assuming they take their turn).
Q4: What happens if a foretold card leaves exile?
A: If a foretold card leaves exile by some effect, it loses the foretold state and you will no longer be able to cast it for its foretell cost.
Q5: Can I foretell multiple cards at the same time?
A: Yes. You can foretell as many cards as you like, provided you have the mana available to do so and it is your turn. There is no limit to how many cards can be in exile with the foretell mechanic.
Q6: Do foretold creatures have summoning sickness when cast from exile?
A: Yes. Creatures cast from exile using the foretell mechanic still have summoning sickness, just like any other creature entering the battlefield.
Q7: Can I cast an adventure from exile if it was foretold?
A: Yes. You can cast the adventure side or the creature side of the card from exile, as long as you follow standard casting timing rules for the spell.
Q8: Does the foretell mechanic require using priority?
A: Yes. Like casting a spell, foretelling requires you to have priority. You can foretell during your main phases, upkeep, mid-combat, or your end step.
Q9: Is there a way to return foretold cards from exile back to my hand?
A: Yes. Some cards like Pull from Eternity and Riftsweeper can return cards from exile.
Q10: Can I use activated abilities of a foretold creature that I just cast from exile?
A: No, unless they do not require tapping. Creatures cast from exile will suffer from summoning sickness, so you will not be able to tap with them until your next turn.
Q11: What is the cost reduction on Ranar, the Ever-Watchful?
A: Ranar reduces the cost of the foretell ability itself, which costs 2 mana to exile a card. It does not reduce the cost of casting a spell from exile.
Q12: Does copying a foretold spell also get cast from exile?
A: No. Copying a spell doesn’t involve casting it. Copies are placed directly onto the stack and don’t come from exile.
Q13: Can I foretell a card during another player’s turn?
A: No. You can only foretell cards during your turn.
Q14: Can I look at my face-down foretold cards?
A: Yes, you can look at your face-down exiled cards at any time during the game, but your opponent can not.
Q15: Can my opponent exile the face down card I have foretold?
A: They cannot directly target a face down foretold card to exile it. However, if they use a mass exile effect, a foretold card will go along with the others.
Conclusion
The ability to cast foretold cards from exile is a powerful strategic tool in Magic: The Gathering. By understanding the timing rules, costs, and interactions with other mechanics, you can leverage the foretell ability effectively to gain an advantage over your opponents. Remember that timing is crucial and mastering these rules will enhance your gameplay experience.