Overlord of the Boilerbilges — ruling 1

"Impending N–[cost]" is a keyword that represents multiple abilities. The official rules are as follows: (a) You may choose to pay [cost] rather than pay this spell's mana cost. (b) If you chose to pay this spell's impending cost, it enters the battlefield with N time counters on it. (c) As long as this permanent has a time counter on it, if it was cast for its impending cost, it's not a creature. (d) At the beginning of your end step, if this permanent was cast for its impending cost, remove a time counter from it.

Overlord of the Boilerbilges — ruling 2

If you choose to pay the impending cost rather than the mana cost, you're still casting the spell. It goes on the stack and can be responded to, countered, and so on.

Overlord of the Boilerbilges — ruling 3

If you choose to pay the impending cost of a creature spell, it's still a creature spell on the stack. You can cast that spell for its impending cost only when you could normally cast that creature spell. Most of the time, this means during your main phase when the stack is empty.

Overlord of the Boilerbilges — ruling 4

If an object enters as a copy of a permanent that was cast with its impending cost, it won't enter with time counters, and it will be a creature.

Overlord of the Boilerbilges : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Overlord of the Boilerbilges 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

Impending 4— (If you cast this spell for its impending cost, it enters with four time counters and isn't a creature until the last is removed. At the beginning of your end step, remove a time counter from it.) Whenever this permanent enters or attacks, it deals 4 damage to any target.

How it works : Overlord of the Boilerbilges

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1September 20, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
"Impending N–[cost]" is a keyword that represents multiple abilities. The official rules are as follows: (a) You may choose to pay [cost] rather than pay this spell's mana cost. (b) If you chose to pay this spell's impending cost, it enters the battlefield with N time counters on it. (c) As long as this permanent has a time counter on it, if it was cast for its impending cost, it's not a creature. (d) At the beginning of your end step, if this permanent was cast for its impending cost, remove a time counter from it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2September 20, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
If you choose to pay the impending cost rather than the mana cost, you're still casting the spell. It goes on the stack and can be responded to, countered, and so on.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3September 20, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
If you choose to pay the impending cost of a creature spell, it's still a creature spell on the stack. You can cast that spell for its impending cost only when you could normally cast that creature spell. Most of the time, this means during your main phase when the stack is empty.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4September 20, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
If an object enters as a copy of a permanent that was cast with its impending cost, it won't enter with time counters, and it will be a creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.