Lotus Bloom 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
Suspend 3—(Rather than cast this card from your hand, pay
, Sacrifice this artifact: Add three mana of any one color.
Complete guide
Lotus Bloom is a powerful artifact that evokes the legendary power of Black Lotus, but with a built-in delay. Since it has no mana cost, you cannot cast it normally from your hand, making its Suspend ability the primary way to bring it onto the battlefield.
What It Does
Lotus Bloom provides a massive burst of three mana of any one color for a total cost of zero mana. However, because it lacks a mana cost in the top right corner, you must use the Suspend mechanic to exile it from your hand for {0}. While exiled, it slowly loses time counters until it is finally cast for free.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, during your main phase when the stack is empty, you pay {0} to exile Lotus Bloom with three time counters. This action does not use the stack and cannot be countered. Second, at the beginning of each of your upkeep steps, a triggered ability removes one time counter. Finally, when the last counter is removed, a new ability triggers that allows you to cast the spell without paying its mana cost. If it resolves, Lotus Bloom enters the battlefield ready to be sacrificed for mana.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is trying to cast Lotus Bloom directly from your hand; this is impossible because it has no mana cost to pay. Another mistake involves timing: you can only begin the Suspend process at a time you could normally cast an artifact. If the final trigger to cast the spell is countered (for example, by a spell that counters abilities), the Lotus Bloom remains in exile indefinitely and cannot be cast later.
When to Play It
Lotus Bloom is best utilized in decks that plan for a 'big turn' three rounds in advance, such as combo decks. It is also highly effective when combined with effects that allow you to cast spells with mana value 0 directly from your deck or graveyard, bypassing the long Suspend wait entirely.
Interaction examples
On turn one, you Suspend Lotus Bloom for {0}. On your second and third upkeeps, counters are removed. On your fourth upkeep, the final counter is removed, you cast Lotus Bloom, and you immediately have access to three mana of any color to play a high-cost spell much earlier than usual.
Sol RingIf you have both in hand, you might cast Sol Ring immediately to accelerate your current turn. However, you would simultaneously Suspend Lotus Bloom. While Sol Ring provides consistent colorless mana, Lotus Bloom will eventually provide a one-time fix for colored mana requirements, helping you cast color-intensive spells that Sol Ring cannot support.
SkullclampAfter Lotus Bloom resolves from Suspend, you can tap and sacrifice it to add three mana. You can then use one of those mana to cast Skullclamp and another to activate its Equip ability, demonstrating how Lotus Bloom provides the necessary resources to set up your utility artifacts.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Lotus Bloom
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· 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.
- #2· 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.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Cards exiled with suspend are exiled face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· 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.
- #5· 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.
- #6· 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.
- #7· 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.
- #8· 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.
- #9· 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.
- #10· 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.
- #11· 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.
- #12· 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.
- #13· 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.
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
A card with no mana cost can't be cast normally; you'll need a way to cast it for an alternative cost or without paying its mana cost, such as by suspending it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #15· Wizards of the Coast
If a card with no mana cost is given an alternative cost equal to its mana cost (by Snapcaster Mage, for example), that cost cannot be paid and the card cannot be cast this way.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Tameshi, Reality Architect + Patron of the Moon + Lotus Bloom
- 1Activate Lotus Bloom by tapping and sacrificing it, adding
. - 2Activate Tameshi by paying and returning a land to your hand, returning Lotus Bloom from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 3Activate Lotus Bloom by tapping and sacrificing it, adding three mana of any color.
- 4Activate Tameshi by paying and returning a land to your hand, returning Lotus Bloom from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 5Activate Patron of the Moon by paying
, putting two land cards from your hand onto the battlefield tapped. - 6Repeat.
Tameshi, Reality Architect + Lotus Bloom + Mirrormade + Seat of the Synod
- 1Activate Lotus Bloom by tapping and sacrificing it, adding or
. - 2Cast Mirrormade by paying , having it enter the battlefield as a copy of Seat of the Synod.
- 3Activate Mirrormade by tapping it, adding .
- 4Activate Tameshi's second ability by paying and returning Mirrormade from the battlefield to your hand, returning Lotus Bloom from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 5Repeat.
Tameshi, Reality Architect + Lotus Bloom + Mirrormade + Ancient Den
- 1Activate Lotus Bloom by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
- 2Cast Mirrormade by paying , having it enter the battlefield as a copy of Ancient Den.
- 3Activate Mirrormade by tapping it, adding .
- 4Activate Tameshi's second ability by paying and returning Mirrormade from the battlefield to your hand, returning Lotus Bloom from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 5Repeat.
Tameshi, Reality Architect + Lotus Bloom + Copy Artifact + Seat of the Synod
- 1Activate Lotus Bloom by tapping and sacrificing it, adding or .
- 2Cast Copy Artifact by paying , having it enter the battlefield as a copy of Seat of the Synod.
- 3Activate Copy Artifact by tapping it, adding .
- 4Activate Tameshi's second ability by paying and returning Copy Artifact from the battlefield to your hand, returning Lotus Bloom from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 5Repeat.
Tameshi, Reality Architect + Lotus Bloom + Copy Artifact + Ancient Den
- 1Activate Lotus Bloom by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
- 2Cast Copy Artifact by paying , having it enter the battlefield as a copy of Ancient Den.
- 3Activate Copy Artifact by tapping it, adding .
- 4Activate Tameshi's second ability by paying and returning Copy Artifact from the battlefield to your hand, returning Lotus Bloom from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 5Repeat.
Tameshi, Reality Architect + Sculpting Steel + Ancient Den + Lotus Bloom
- 1Activate Lotus Bloom by tapping and sacrificing it, adding
. - 2Cast Sculpting Steel by paying , having it enter the battlefield as a copy of Ancient Den.
- 3Activate Sculpting Steel by tapping it, adding .
- 4Activate Tameshi's second ability by paying and returning Sculpting Steel from the battlefield to your hand.
- 5If it has not triggered this turn, Tameshi's first ability triggers, causing you to draw a card.
- 6Resolve Tameshi's second ability, returning Lotus Bloom from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 7Repeat.
Tameshi, Reality Architect + Sculpting Steel + Seat of the Synod + Lotus Bloom
- 1Activate Lotus Bloom by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
- 2Cast Sculpting Steel by paying , having it enter the battlefield as a copy of Seat of the Synod.
- 3Activate Sculpting Steel by tapping it, adding .
- 4Activate Tameshi's second ability by paying and returning Sculpting Steel from the battlefield to your hand.
- 5If it has not triggered this turn, Tameshi's first ability triggers, causing you to draw a card.
- 6Resolve Tameshi's second ability, returning Lotus Bloom from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 7Repeat.
Tameshi, Reality Architect + Lotus Bloom + Mirrormade + Darksteel Citadel
- 1Activate Lotus Bloom by tapping and sacrificing it, adding or .
- 2Cast Mirrormade by paying , having it enter the battlefield as a copy of Darksteel Citadel.
- 3Activate Mirrormade by tapping it, adding
. - 4Activate Tameshi's second ability by paying and returning Mirrormade from the battlefield to your hand, returning Lotus Bloom from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 5Repeat.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Lotus Bloom
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.