Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

In Magic: The gathering, does a player have to show you a card when it is suspended?

My friend is convinced that he only has to show his suspended cards to me when he wants to, Like when he is cooking up something real special for me he hides what the card is. When he uses suspended cards that repeat themselves constantly he does not care to hide them and leaves them outside the playing field face up.

I looked up the rules and It really didn't explain exactly if you need to show the cards. I figured that it makes sence to show the card, because how am i suppose to remember if he even payed the correct suspend cost, or used the correct amount of counters, when you are facing a suspend deck im not going to keep track of multiple cards that went into suspend up to 7 turns ago.

Not to mention some suspend cards have extra rules on when to take of counters, like 'nihilith', its a creature with 7 suspend, but you get to take a counter off when any spell goes into the graveyard an opponent players.

Granted I play with a bunch of nubs, but the 4 other ppl we were playing with at the time all took his side :( since the rules are not very specific

10 Answers

Relevance
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Suspended cards are face up and can be examined by any player, as can all cards that are removed from the game, unless a card specifies otherwise.

    The rules actually are very specific. It's just that there are so many of them that it's hard to know where to look. Here are the relevant rules:

    217.7b Cards in the removed-from-the-game zone are kept face up and may be examined by any player at any time. Cards “removed from the game face down” can’t be examined by any player except when instructions allow it.

    502.59a 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 removed-from-the-game zone. “Suspend N—[cost]” means “If you could play this card from your hand, you may pay [cost] and remove it from the game 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 removed from the game, play it without paying its mana cost if able. If you can’t, it remains removed from the game. If you play a creature spell this way, it gains haste until you lose control of the spell or the permanent it becomes.”

    Source(s): Magic: the Gathering Comphensive Rules at http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Article.aspx?x=ma...
  • 4 years ago

    Suspend Cards Mtg

  • Bill C
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    Simple rule to follow:

    Anything that needs to be verified needs to be shown. If you are suspending a card, even with the ability of Joihra, the card is placed face up in the removed from game, now known as exiled, zone with counters on it. Any card that is removed from game is done so face up, that is also in the rules. You need to verify the suspend counters and you get to know all abilities, like Nilith and Greater Gargadon, that will qualify removing a counter from a suspended card. There isn't a choice in the matter, so you're friend isn't "cooking up" anything. When the suspend counters are removed, he gets to play a spell without paying mana (unless you have Teferi on the field, that really screws up suspend cards) and you get to know that something is coming down the pike that you might have to deal with. The rules are specific enough if you don't try looking at the rules as suspend rules, but as exiled or removed from game card rules. Suspend is like a feature in the exiled zone, so maybe that will give you some help.

    Source(s): www.wizards.com
  • 1 decade ago

    if a card is removed from game because of an effect like suspend you can see it or swords to plowshares or any card that doesnt say otherwise. Most cards have the wording if it breaks those rules.

    Wishes are an exception since they leave the game to go to the sideboard and jesters septer also puts the cards out of game unrevieled to the opposing player. but as a general rule if its removed from game its veiwable by all players.

    to keep track use counters if it comes down to a serious game you can keep side game notes as to what turn the thing was suspended, you can take any notes as long as it doesnt interfer with game play.

  • How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Suspend itself, though it removes the card from the game, is still a way of playing a spell by an alternative cost. To my understanding, whenever a spell is played, it must be played face up unless otherwise specified, such as with a creature that has Morph.

    Your friends are all wrong. Enjoy the smug satisfaction. :)

  • 1 decade ago

    A suspened card needs to be revealed. It's not a morph card, which no one sees except for the caster. Everyone else sees the morph creature as a 2/2 until the owner morphs it into what it really is. So, in other words, your friend is wrong. Also i'm pretty sure when a suspended creature is put into play it doesn't have summoning sickness.

    Source(s): been playing mtg for many years.
  • Smaf
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    With suspended cards after you pay the suspend cost you have to put it somewhere visable and face up so the other player may see it. You then use something to indicate the charges on it till it comes in. If he isn't showing you the card then he is making an illegal play.

  • 1 decade ago

    i'm pretty sure that you have to put a suspended card in play face up for all to see. it's technically in play because it's reacting from other things going on in the game and you're removing counters from it.

    in my experience, unless the card specifically says that you can play it face down while suspended, it has to be face up. (it plays like an enchantment until all the counters are removed)

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    When Suspended cards - and removed from the game cards alike- are removed from the game, they have to be facing upward, so the other players can respond to them if they can. the only exception i can think of that the removed from the game cards that can be face-down are the ones that are targeted by the Lorwyn Hideaway lands.

    Source(s): playin for ages
  • 1 decade ago

    Face up man, I know its fun to cook things up to get your friends with, but yep gotta play somewhat byt he rules.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.