Why is this restricted in Type 1.5? It costs a dick load to get out, just because you untap doesn't mean you don't have to generate Mana first.
iondragonx
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(7 votes)
@SlackWareWolf - at the time, there were a lot of other 'free' cards that cost less than this. With today's availability of extra mana lands, this card, and other free cards, supply a surplus of mana. If you were allowed to have four of these in your deck, you could probably cast everything in your deck in a single turn and end your turn with a hand full of land.
mysticmaple
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(7 votes)
It isn't restricted in 1.5 it is restricted in Type 1. the card is so good because it will untap a land that produces massive amounts of mana on the first turn like Tolarian Academy. This has been proven in Type 2 during the Combo Winter. Academy Combo was the only deck good enough to play in general and people left the game because of this fact. You were able to run Mind Over Matter, Dream Halls, Stroke of Genious, Mana Vault, Grim Monolith, Frantic Search, Brainstorm, Windfall, Intuition and Mox Diamond all X4 and all in the same deck. Anything that untaps Tolarian Academy and draws you seven cards is going to win you the game early. This is why that almost the entire Academy combo deck is restricted in Vintage. Type 1 offers things that were not even around at that time to make things even more obvious as to why this card is restricted in the format. Memory Jar was banned in Type 2 before it was aloud to replace Time Spiral. This didn't stop the combo from going off early in your face anyway. Many people left the game. Long story short, 1.5 never restricts anything. 1.5 bans and that is it. Type 1 does however restrict. I would like to see the legality of all of the cards in EDH and Highlander as well as block, 1.5 and 1.
Ajani_is_da_man
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(4 votes)
this is the "non broken" version of Timetwister. (sure it is)
and the brilliant part of it all... it aint restricted anymore!!!! yay! same goes with grim monolith... so I have to run 4 of those to go with my mana vault and sol ring. no choice really.. as sad as that is... tolarian need some form of viagra to work.
high_tide_niv
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
i remember those days. only thing is nobody talks about high tide 6 mana no problem, turn two kill yes
KarmasPayment
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(4 votes)
"I would like to see the legality of all of the cards in EDH and Highlander as well as block, 1.5 and 1" -mysticmaple
EDH is allowed anything that is Vintage legal (restrictions are still legal) except the original moxen and the power amongst a smattering of other cards. If you want to know the suggested EDH ban list, just use your search engine of choice to search EDH ban list.
Cyberium
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(3 votes)
This card is very powerful. You get to untap your lands after the effect resolves, allow you to play your fresh hand without hindrance. Couple with lands that produce extra mana, this card was rightfully banned and restricted.
Kirbster
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(28 votes)
"Timetwister was much too powerful at three mana. But we could balance the card... if we made it no mana! Yeah, that's the ticket!"
Oh, Urza's block.
Guest1381794618
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(4 votes)
This and High Tide like each other very much. I was a big fan of this card in the old legacy Goldfish deck that used these to drop 10-12 high tides in one turn and make a very very big Brainfreeze or Stroke of Genius for the win.
phantom.lance
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
this and tolarian academy is absolute beast. no cards in your hands? cast time spiral to refill your hand and mess up your opponent's, then untap your academy for another monster card that you just drew. beastly.
achilleselbow
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(8 votes)
I think also besides the officially restricted cards, there is a list of cards that are discouraged in EDH. Essentially it comes down to common sense, EDH games are supposed to be fun and casual, not vulgar displays of infinite graveyard recursion, extra turns, drawing out your whole deck in one go, etc.
GoblinNaysayer93
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(4 votes)
I like using high tide and then following up with this spell. That means this spell isn't just free, it actually gives me mana in the process.
ROBRAM89
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(9 votes)
12/20/10 - 12:00 AM - I sense a great disturbance in the Force.
PolskiSuzeren
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(6 votes)
I do believe we're going to see some crazy shit. Welcome back.
BattleFish
★☆☆☆☆ (1.3/5.0)(3 votes)
This card is more broken on paper than it actually is. Blue is the most powerful color in magic and the most played too. Nearly everyone is playing with a set of force of will and maybe spell pierce too. Mindbreak trap is also a popular sideboard. When you play Time Spiral to combo, you risk getting it countered and all your mana tapped out or your opponent drawing a fresh set of counter spells to meet whatever you have to play. It doesn't always work out.
The most odd time I had with this card is playing High Tide in mirror. Doesn't feel right when your opponent is comboing off your own High Tides and Time Spirals.
Still a very good card. An unanswered time spiral can end the game even though it is very easy to answer since the opponent gets 7 cards to do so.
gasimakos1
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(8 votes)
jesus. what were they thinking?!
jfre81
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Just the other day this got played and it had the unfortunate side effect of my 13/14 Lhurgoyf turning into a 0/1 weenie. Among other aftereffects, like me losing a couple turns later. At least I own the deck I was playing against. :)
redcliff90
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i read on sets and legality that this card is banned , but reading the dci official list isn't so.
Nucleon
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(10 votes)
I've read that R&D was actually yelled at by the President of WotC for the Urza block. I like to imagine the conversation. "WHAT WERE YOU PEOPLE THINKING!?"
GrimjawxRULES
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Someone obviously thought that blue's late-game spells weren't good enough.
NoobOfLore
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
You know this card is good because they named an entire block after it.
Axelle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Not banned in Legacy. Not restricted in Vintage.
:O
Goatllama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Oh look. A card that's more or less stronger than the entire set that shares its name.
ultratog1028
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Not necessarily a 0 mana card. Usually a negative mana card during Urza Block.
green4456
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Absolute best counter to this card: Plagiarize. Oh the look on a High Tide slinging blue player's face is priceless when you defeat their entire deck by using a dollar rare.
AmericanVigor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Potential card advantage, potential board advantage, graveyard hate, restoring the possibility you'll have access to cards that were in your graveyard, combo piece for infinite mana, ... amazing card.
Also, Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind and Consecrated Sphinx love this thing. Make sure to have a Reliquary Tower or other card with the clause "you have no maximum hand size" if you're using Time Spiral with Consecrated Sphinx on the battlefield!
psychichobo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Time Spiral became a lot less happy when the scrounger Morningtide also managed its own block.
SereneChaos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Library of Alexandria.
TheKazu
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
How is this not rated higher. Its a timetwister, that costs 0 and is unbanned in vintage and legacy. It has an entire block named after it, where that block's entire purpose is to reference old cards. This card should be on the first page of highest rated cards, just for how epic it is, not to mention how broken.
talcumpowder0046
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A hand of new cards and the mana to use them? Oh, Urza...
RedAtrocitus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is awesome. Timetwister, plus untapping Academy? A bunch of cards and a bunch of mana... would you be shocked if I told you combo was a thing during Urza's block/standard/extended?
aboblyndsae
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is one of, like, five cards I own that's worth over $10, so I've never had the pleasure of running it alongside Tolarian Academy. But this is still AT WORST a free late-game Timetwister and I can't come up with a compelling case against including it in any Legacy blue deck I make.
TheWrathofShane
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
.5/5 for balancing and development.
Digit
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
If this card were any more broken, it would get an entire set named after it.
kor6sic6
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My most prized card I own is one of these. "Oh, you all have your commanders on the field? I'll just overload this Cyclonic Rift at your end step and...." Yeah. I've done it. Multiple times. And if Panoptic Mirror weren't banned in EDH...!
Technetium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's my favorite card in ALL OF MAGIC. And it's pretty ridiculously powerful, in most cases being more powerful than the original Timetwister.
Comments (38)
EDH is allowed anything that is Vintage legal (restrictions are still legal) except the original moxen and the power amongst a smattering of other cards. If you want to know the suggested EDH ban list, just use your search engine of choice to search EDH ban list.
Oh, Urza's block.
The most odd time I had with this card is playing High Tide in mirror. Doesn't feel right when your opponent is comboing off your own High Tides and Time Spirals.
Still a very good card. An unanswered time spiral can end the game even though it is very easy to answer since the opponent gets 7 cards to do so.
:O
Also, Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind and Consecrated Sphinx love this thing. Make sure to have a Reliquary Tower or other card with the clause "you have no maximum hand size" if you're using Time Spiral with Consecrated Sphinx on the battlefield!
"Oh, you all have your commanders on the field? I'll just overload this Cyclonic Rift at your end step and...." Yeah. I've done it. Multiple times. And if Panoptic Mirror weren't banned in EDH...!