Rousing Refrain 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
Addfor each card in target opponent's hand. Until end of turn, you don't lose this mana as steps and phases end. Exile Rousing Refrain with three time counters on it. Suspend 3—
Complete guide
Rousing Refrain is a potent sorcery that fuels your biggest turns by turning an opponent's hand size into raw mana. Part of a unique cycle of cards, it doesn't just provide a one-time burst; it cyclically returns to the stack via Suspend to keep the fire burning. If you are looking to cast massive spells or activate expensive abilities, this is the engine you need.
What It Does
When Rousing Refrain resolves, it checks how many cards a target opponent currently has in their hand and adds that much Red mana to your mana pool. Critically, this mana does not vanish as you move through your turn's steps and phases. Once the spell finishes its effect, it exiles itself with three time counters, preparing to return several turns later.
How It Resolves
First, you choose a target opponent as you cast the spell. Upon resolution, count the cards in that player's hand; if they have five cards, you add five Red mana. This mana remains available even if you move from your pre-combat main phase to combat or your post-combat main phase. Finally, the card is placed in the exile zone with three time counters, meaning it is officially 'suspended' again.
Common Mistakes
A common error is forgetting that Suspend timing is mandatory for the removal of counters. At the beginning of your upkeep, you must remove a counter. However, once the last counter is removed, the ability to cast it is optional. If you choose not to cast it when the last counter is removed, the card stays in exile forever and you lose the chance to use it again. Also, remember that you choose the target for the mana generation when you cast it from exile, not when you first suspend it from your hand.
When to Play It
Rousing Refrain is best played early via its Suspend cost of {1}{R} to set up a powerful turn three rounds later. It is most effective against control players or 'draw-heavy' decks that maintain large hand sizes. Because the mana persists through phases, you can use it to cast a creature in your first main phase and still have mana left over for a combat trick or a second sorcery later.
Interaction examples
Mana GeyserIf your opponent has 7 cards in hand and 6 tapped lands, you can cast Rousing Refrain to add 7 Red mana, then use a portion of that to cast Mana Geyser for an additional 6 Red mana. Because Rousing Refrain prevents mana loss between phases, you could spend this total of 13 mana to cast a massive game-ending threat in your post-combat main phase even if you generated the mana during the pre-combat phase.
Chandra's IgnitionDuring your first main phase, you cast Rousing Refrain targeting an opponent with 5 cards. You gain 5 Red mana. You then use that mana to cast a high-power creature. Because the mana doesn't disappear, you can move to your second main phase and use any remaining Red mana to cast Chandra's Ignition on that creature, dealing massive damage to the entire table.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Rousing Refrain
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
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.
- #3· 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.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Cards exiled with suspend are exiled face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· 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.
- #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
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.
- #8· 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.
- #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
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 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
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
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.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
The Tenth Doctor + Rousing Refrain
- 1If Rousing Refrain is in your hand, cast it by paying
. - 2Otherwise, activate The Tenth Doctor by paying
, causing you to time travel three times, removing all time counters from Rousing Refrain and cast Rousing Refrain from exile without paying its mana cost. - 3Resolve Rousing Refrain, adding at least seven , and exiling Rousing Refrain with three time counters on it.
- 4Repeat from step 2.
- 5If an opponent has eight or more cards in hand, this combo nets infinite red mana.
Rousing Refrain + Rift Elemental
- 1Active Rift Elemental by paying
and removing a time counter from Rousing Refrain. - 2Repeat until Rousing Refrain has no time counters on it.
- 3Rousing Refrain triggers, causing you to cast it without paying its mana cost.
- 4Resolve Rousing Refrain, adding at least seven and exiling Rousing Refrain with three time counters on it.
- 5Resolve all Rift Elemental abilities from step 1, giving Rift Elemental +2/+0 for each ability resolved.
- 6Repeat.
Reiterate + Rousing Refrain
- 1Cast Rousing Refrain by paying its mana cost
- 2Holding priority, cast Reiterate with buyback by paying
, creating a copy of Rousing Refrain and returning Reiterate to your hand. - 3Resolve the copy of Rousing Refrain, adding at least six .
- 4Repeat from step 2.
Pili-Pala + Dual Casting + Rousing Refrain
- 1If Rousing Refrain is in your hand, cast it by paying its mana cost. Otherwise, at the beginning of your upkeep, its suspend ability will trigger, removing the final time counter from it and casting it from exile without paying its mana cost.
- 2Holding priority, activate Pili-Pala by paying and tapping it, copying Rousing Refrain.
- 3Resolve the copy of Rousing Refrain, adding at least
- 4Activate Pili-Pala by paying
and untapping it, adding one mana of any color. - 5Repeat from step 2.
Naru Meha, Master Wizard + Emiel the Blessed + Rousing Refrain
- 1Cast Rousing Refrain by paying .
- 2Holding priority, activate Emiel by paying , blinking Naru Meha.
- 3When Naru Meha enters the battlefield, it triggers, copying Rousing Refrain.
- 4Resolve the copy of Rousing Refrain, adding at least .
- 5Repeat from step 2.
- 6If an opponent has at least four cards in hand, this combo nets infinite red mana.
Dualcaster Mage + Emiel the Blessed + Rousing Refrain
- 1Cast Rousing Refrain by paying , targeting an opponent with at least four cards in their hand.
- 2Holding priority, activate Emiel by paying , blinking Dualcaster Mage.
- 3Dualcaster Mage enters the battlefield, copying Rousing Refrain.
- 4Resolve the copy of Rousing Refrain, adding at least .
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Rousing Refrain
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