Alaundo the Seer — ruling 1

Alaundo's ability is not the same as the suspend ability. However, if you exile a card with suspend this way, the suspend ability will also cause you to remove time counters from it.

Alaundo the Seer — ruling 2

Alaundo's ability will remove time counters from all cards you own in exile, even ones that were put there another way, such as with the suspend ability.

Alaundo the Seer — ruling 3

If you exile a card with a mana value of 0, such as a land card, no time counters will be placed on it. Unless you find a way to put time counters on it in exile, the triggered ability it gains from Alaundo will never trigger.

Alaundo the Seer : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Alaundo the Seer is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

: Draw a card, then exile a card from your hand and put a number of time counters on it equal to its mana value. It gains "When the last time counter is removed from this card, if it's exiled, you may cast it without paying its mana cost. If you cast a creature spell this way, it gains haste until end of turn." Then remove a time counter from each other card you own in exile.

Complete guide

Alaundo the Seer is a powerful legendary Shaman who turns your library into a ticking clock of inevitable spells. By exiling cards and manipulating time counters, he allows you to cast your most expensive spells for free while accelerating everything else you have in wait.

Predicting the Future

When you tap Alaundo the Seer, you immediately draw a card. After drawing, you must exile a card from your hand. You then place a number of time counters on that exiled card equal to its mana value. Unlike the Suspend keyword, Alaundo grants the card a specific triggered ability: when the last counter is removed, you can cast it for free. If it is a creature, it even gains haste so it can attack or use tap abilities right away.

The Time-Flow Mechanic

The final part of Alaundo's ability is what makes the deck hum. After exiling a new card, you remove a time counter from every other card you own in exile. This includes cards previously exiled by Alaundo and cards exiled via the Suspend keyword or other effects. This creates a chain reaction where every time Alaundo taps, every card you've 'predicted' moves one step closer to being cast.

Common Pitfalls

A critical detail involves cards with a mana value of 0, such as lands. If you exile a land with Alaundo, it gets zero time counters. Because the ability only triggers when the *last* counter is removed, and there were no counters to begin with, you will never be able to play that land from exile. Additionally, remember that Alaundo's effect is not Suspend; the cards do not remove counters automatically during your upkeep unless they actually have the Suspend keyword.

Interaction examples

A Robotic Reinforcement

Solemn Simulacrum

You tap Alaundo the Seer, draw a card, and then exile Solemn Simulacrum from your hand. Because its mana value is 4, it receives four time counters. The next four times you activate Alaundo (or otherwise remove counters), the Simulacrum gets closer to the battlefield. When that fourth counter is removed, the triggered ability allows you to cast Solemn Simulacrum for free, and it gains haste until end of turn.

Recurring the Timeline

Eternal Witness

Suppose you already have a card in exile with one time counter left. You tap Alaundo the Seer and exile Eternal Witness, placing three time counters on her. Then, Alaundo's effect removes a counter from 'each other' card. The card that had one counter left now has zero, triggering its free cast. Later, when Eternal Witness's last counter is removed, you cast her for free with haste and use her enter-the-battlefield ability to return a card from your graveyard to your hand.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Alaundo the Seer

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1June 10, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
Alaundo's ability is not the same as the suspend ability. However, if you exile a card with suspend this way, the suspend ability will also cause you to remove time counters from it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2June 10, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
Alaundo's ability will remove time counters from all cards you own in exile, even ones that were put there another way, such as with the suspend ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3June 10, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If you exile a card with a mana value of 0, such as a land card, no time counters will be placed on it. Unless you find a way to put time counters on it in exile, the triggered ability it gains from Alaundo will never trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.