Delay 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
Counter target spell. If the spell is countered this way, exile it with three time counters on it instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard. If it doesn't have suspend, it gains suspend. (At the beginning of its owner's upkeep, they remove a time counter. When the last is removed, they may play it without paying its mana cost. If it's a creature, it has haste.)
Complete guide
Delay is a unique blue counterspell that focuses on time manipulation rather than permanent destruction. Instead of sending a threat to the graveyard, it temporarily pushes it three turns into the future, giving you time to prepare or win before it returns.
What it Does
Delay functions as a universal counterspell for two mana that targets any spell on the stack. When the spell is countered, it is placed into the exile zone with three time counters on it. If the card didn't already have the Suspend keyword, Delay grants it that keyword, ensuring the spell eventually returns to the stack.
How it Resolves Step by Step
First, Delay targets a spell. Upon resolution, the target spell is countered and moved to exile face-up. Three time counters are placed on it. At the beginning of the spell owner's upkeep, one counter is removed. Once the last counter is removed, the Suspend trigger allows the owner to cast the spell without paying its mana cost. If it is a creature, it gains haste upon entering the battlefield.
Common Mistakes
A common error is thinking X-spells retain their value; if a spell with {X} in its cost is cast via Suspend, X must be 0. Another mistake involves timing: when the last time counter is removed, the owner can cast the spell regardless of its type (e.g., a Sorcery can be cast during the upkeep). If the owner chooses not to cast it when the last counter is removed, the card remains in exile indefinitely.
When to Play It
Delay is exceptionally powerful in fast-paced formats or combo decks. It acts as a hard counter for just two mana when you intend to finish the game within the next three turns. It is also a strategic choice against cards with Flashback, as Delay's exile effect takes precedence, allowing the card to be suspended rather than exiled forever by the Flashback rule.
Interaction examples
CounterspellIf your opponent casts Counterspell to stop your win condition, you can cast Delay targeting their Counterspell. The Counterspell is exiled with three time counters. In three turns, your opponent will be forced to cast it, but since there likely won't be a valid spell on the stack for it to target during their upkeep, the Counterspell will simply fizzle or stay in exile.
You can use Delay on your own Delayed Blast Fireball. Because Delay exiles the spell and grants it Suspend, when the last counter is removed three turns later, you cast it from exile. This satisfies the condition on Delayed Blast Fireball to deal 5 damage instead of 2 to all opponents and their creatures.
An Offer You Can't RefuseUnlike An Offer You Can't Refuse, which gives your opponent immediate mana resources (Treasures), Delay gives them no immediate benefit but guarantees the spell returns later. Use Delay when you need to stop a creature spell, which An Offer You Can't Refuse cannot target.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Delay
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The mana value of a spell cast without paying its mana cost is determined by its mana cost, even though that cost wasn't paid.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Due to a recent rules change to suspend, you are no longer required to cast the suspended card as the second triggered ability of suspend resolves. Instead, as the second triggered ability resolves, you may cast the card. Timing permissions based on the card's type are ignored. If you don't cast the card, it remains exiled with no time counters on it, and it's no longer suspended.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a card "without paying its mana cost," such as with suspend, you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those if you want to cast the card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the card has
in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Suspend is a keyword that represents three abilities. The first is a static ability that allows you to exile the card from your hand with the specified number of time counters (the number before the dash) on it by paying its suspend cost (listed after the dash). The second is a triggered ability that removes a time counter from the suspended card at the beginning of each of your upkeeps. The third is a triggered ability that gives you the option to cast the card when the last time counter is removed.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
You can exile a card in your hand using suspend any time you could cast that card. Consider its card type, any effects that modify when you could cast it (such as flash) and any other effects that stop you from casting it (such as from Meddling Mage's ability) to determine if and when you can do this. Whether you could actually complete all steps in casting the card is irrelevant. For example, you can exile a card with suspend that has no mana cost or that requires a target even if no legal targets are available at that time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Cards exiled with suspend are exiled face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Exiling a card with suspend isn't casting that card. This action doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell requires any targets, those targets are chosen when the spell is finally cast, not when it's exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect refers to a "suspended card," that means a card that (1) has suspend, (2) is in exile, and (3) has one or more time counters on it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
If the first triggered ability of suspend (the one that removes time counters) is countered, no time counter is removed. The ability will trigger again at the beginning of the card's owner's next upkeep.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
When the last time counter is removed, the second triggered ability of suspend (the one that lets you cast the card) triggers. It doesn't matter why the last time counter was removed or what effect removed it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
If the second triggered ability is countered, the card can't be cast. It remains exiled with no time counters on it, and it's no longer suspended.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
If the target spell was cast with flashback, Delay's effect will exile it, not the flashback effect. The card will get time counters and gain suspend (if it didn't already have suspend).
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #15· Wizards of the Coast
If the target spell is face down, it'll be exiled face up. It can't be cast face down when casting it without paying its mana cost.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #16· Wizards of the Coast
When the last time counter is removed from the exiled card, it's cast as a completely new spell. Modes and targets are chosen again. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, they must be paid again. If they can't be, the spell can't be cast and stays exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Interactions with other cards
These cards' text mentions Delay.
Delayed Blast Fireball deals 2 damage to each opponent and each creature they control. If this spell was cast from exile, it deals 5 damage to each opponent and each creature they control instead. Foretell {4}{R}{R} (During your turn, you may pay {2} and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)
If damage would be dealt to you, put that many delay counters on this enchantment instead. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove all delay counters from this enchantment. For each delay counter removed this way, you lose 1 life unless you pay {1}{W}.
X can't be 0. Target spell's controller exiles it with X delay counters on it. At the beginning of each of that player's upkeeps, if that card is exiled, remove a delay counter from it. If the card has no delay counters on it, the player puts it onto the stack as a copy of the original spell.
Legal formats
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