Rory Williams 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
Partner with Amy Pond First strike, lifelink The Last Centurion — When you cast this spell from anywhere other than exile, exile it with three time counters on it. It gains suspend. Then investigate. (Create a Clue token. It's an artifact with ", Sacrifice this token: Draw a card.")
Complete guide
Rory Williams is a flavor-filled card from the Doctor Who set that embodies his legendary devotion as the man who waited for two thousand years. This unique Human Soldier doesn't just enter the fray; he enters a cycle of time, ensuring he is ready to protect those he loves at just the right moment.
The Last Centurion Ability
When you cast Rory Williams from your hand, your library, or your graveyard, his 'The Last Centurion' ability triggers. This ability forces him into exile with three time counters and gives him the keyword Suspend. Additionally, you get to Investigate, creating a Clue token. Because he was exiled as part of the trigger, the original spell is removed from the stack and will not resolve until the time counters are removed via the Suspend mechanic.
How Suspend and Casting Works
While Rory is in exile with time counters, he is a 'suspended card.' At the beginning of each of your upkeeps, you remove one time counter. When the last counter is removed, a second ability triggers that allows you to cast him from exile without paying his mana cost. Crucially, when you cast him from exile this way, his 'The Last Centurion' ability does not trigger again, allowing him to finally resolve and enter the battlefield.
Partnering with Amy Pond
Rory features the 'Partner with Amy Pond' keyword. In Commander, this allows both to be your commanders if you follow the Doctor's Companion rules. In gameplay, when Rory enters the battlefield, you may have a target player search their library for Amy Pond, put her into their hand, and shuffle. This ensures the pair is always reunited.
Strategic Timing
Because Rory has First Strike and Lifelink, he is a potent defensive and offensive tool. Since he naturally takes three turns to arrive after being cast, you should plan your Clue token usage early to draw into the cards you need to support him. If you have ways to remove time counters faster, you can bring him back sooner than your opponents expect.
Interaction examples
Rory Williams
ClueYou spend {W}{U} to cast Rory Williams from your hand. The 'The Last Centurion' ability triggers and goes on top of the stack. When it resolves, Rory is moved from the stack to exile with three time counters and gains Suspend. You then create a Clue token. The original creature spell no longer exists on the stack to resolve.
Amy PondWith Rory Williams in exile with three time counters, you attack a player with Amy Pond. When Amy deals combat damage, her ability triggers. You choose the suspended Rory and remove time counters from him equal to the damage dealt. If Amy deals 3 damage, all counters are removed instantly, triggering Rory's ability to be cast from exile immediately.
When the final time counter is removed from Rory Williams, you cast him from exile. He resolves and enters the battlefield. His 'Partner with Amy Pond' ability triggers. You target yourself, search your library for Amy Pond, reveal her, and put her into your hand.
Esper SentinelWhen you cast Rory Williams from your hand, he is a creature spell. This does not trigger an opponent's Esper Sentinel. Furthermore, the action of exiling him and creating a Clue token is part of a triggered ability, not a separate spell cast, so it remains safe from 'noncreature spell' tax effects.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Rory Williams
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
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.
- #3· 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.
- #4· 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.
- #5· 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.
- #6· 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.
- #7· 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.
- #8· 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.
- #9· 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.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
Cards exiled with suspend are exiled face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· 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.
- #12· 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.
- #13· 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.
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
If you somehow counter the ability that triggers when you cast Rory Williams, it will resolve normally and will not be exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #15· Wizards of the Coast
Rory will resolve normally if cast from exile for any reason, not only if it was cast with its suspend ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #16· Wizards of the Coast
"Partner with [name]" represents two abilities. The first is a triggered ability: "When this permanent enters the battlefield, target player may search their library for a card named [name], reveal it, put it into their hand, then shuffle."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #17· Wizards of the Coast
The second ability represented by the "partner with [name]" keyword modifies the rules for deck construction in the Commander variant and has no function outside of that variant. If a legendary creature card with "partner with [name]" is designated as your commander, the named legendary creature card can also be designated as your commander.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #18· Wizards of the Coast
Note that the target player searches their library (which may be affected by effects such as that of Stranglehold) and that the card they find is revealed, even though these words aren't included in the ability's reminder text.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #19· Wizards of the Coast
For example, if you cast Rory Williams from your hand, the triggered ability will exile it and it will gain suspend. When you cast it from exile, it resolves normally.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Rory Williams + Mycosynth Golem + Academy Manufactor + Encroaching Mycosynth
- 1Cast Rory Williams by paying
. - 2Rory Williams's last ability triggers, exiling it and creating two Food tokens, two Clue tokens, and two Treasure tokens.
- 3Choose to return Rory Williams to the command zone from exile.
- 4Sacrifice the two Treasure tokens for .
- 5Repeat.
Rory Williams + Mycosynth Golem + Academy Manufactor + Encroaching Mycosynth
- 1Cast Rory Williams by paying .
- 2Rory Williams's last ability triggers, exiling it and creating two Food tokens, two Clue tokens, and two Treasure tokens.
- 3Choose to return Rory Williams to the command zone from exile.
- 4Sacrifice the two Treasure tokens for .
- 5Repeat.
Rory Williams + Mycosynth Golem + Academy Manufactor + Encroaching Mycosynth
- 1Cast Rory Williams by paying .
- 2Rory Williams's last ability triggers, exiling it and creating a Food token, a Clue token, and two Treasure tokens.
- 3Choose to return Rory Williams to the command zone from exile.
- 4Sacrifice the two Treasure tokens for .
- 5Repeat.
Rory Williams + Mycosynth Golem + Academy Manufactor + Anointed Procession
- 1Cast Rory Williams by paying .
- 2Rory Williams's last ability triggers, exiling it and creating two Food tokens, two Clue tokens, and two Treasure tokens.
- 3Choose to return Rory Williams to the command zone from exile.
- 4Sacrifice the two Treasure tokens for .
- 5Repeat.
Rory Williams + Mycosynth Golem + Academy Manufactor + Encroaching Mycosynth
- 1Cast Rory Williams by paying .
- 2Rory Williams's last ability triggers, exiling it and creating two Food tokens, two Clue tokens, and two Treasure tokens.
- 3Choose to return Rory Williams to the command zone from exile.
- 4Sacrifice the two Treasure tokens for .
- 5Repeat.
Rory Williams + Mycosynth Golem + Academy Manufactor + Encroaching Mycosynth
- 1Cast Rory Williams by paying .
- 2Rory Williams's last ability triggers, exiling it and creating two Food tokens, two Clue tokens, and two Treasure tokens.
- 3Choose to return Rory Williams to the command zone from exile.
- 4Sacrifice the two Treasure tokens for .
- 5Repeat.
Interactions with other cards
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