Stall for Time — ruling 1

To determine a spell's total cost, start with the mana cost (or an alternative cost if another card's effect allows you to pay one instead), add any cost increases (such as kicker), then apply any cost reductions. The spell's mana value remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.

Stall for Time — ruling 2

If a spell's kicker cost was paid, the spell is "kicked."

Stall for Time — ruling 3

The kicker ability doesn't let you pay a kicker cost more than once.

Stall for Time — ruling 4

If you put a permanent with a kicker ability onto the battlefield without casting it, you can't kick it.

Stall for Time — ruling 5

If you copy a kicked spell on the stack, the copy is also kicked. If the copied spell is a permanent spell, the token the copy of that spell becomes when it enters is also kicked.

Stall for Time — ruling 6

If a card or token enters as a copy of a permanent, the new permanent isn't kicked, even if the original was.

Stall for Time — ruling 7

Stun counters replace untapping for any reason, including players untapping tapped permanents during their untap steps.

Stall for Time — ruling 8

If a permanent has more than one stun counter on it, only one will be removed each time it would become untapped.

Stall for Time : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Stall for Time 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

Kicker (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell.) Tap up to two target creatures. If this spell was kicked, put a stun counter on each of those creatures. (If a permanent with a stun counter would become untapped, remove one from it instead.) Draw a card.

How it works : Stall for Time

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1November 8, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
To determine a spell's total cost, start with the mana cost (or an alternative cost if another card's effect allows you to pay one instead), add any cost increases (such as kicker), then apply any cost reductions. The spell's mana value remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2November 8, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell's kicker cost was paid, the spell is "kicked."
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3November 8, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
The kicker ability doesn't let you pay a kicker cost more than once.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4November 8, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
If you put a permanent with a kicker ability onto the battlefield without casting it, you can't kick it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5November 8, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
If you copy a kicked spell on the stack, the copy is also kicked. If the copied spell is a permanent spell, the token the copy of that spell becomes when it enters is also kicked.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6November 8, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
If a card or token enters as a copy of a permanent, the new permanent isn't kicked, even if the original was.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7September 9, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
Stun counters replace untapping for any reason, including players untapping tapped permanents during their untap steps.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8September 9, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If a permanent has more than one stun counter on it, only one will be removed each time it would become untapped.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9September 9, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
Abilities that trigger when a permanent "becomes untapped" won't trigger if a stun counter is removed instead.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#10September 9, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If untapping a permanent is part of a cost (such as that of Halo Fountain's first ability), you may pay that cost by "untapping" a tapped permanent with a stun counter on it. The stun counter will be removed and the creature will remain tapped. However, the cost will still be paid.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#11September 9, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If a tapped permanent with a stun counter on it would become untapped, a stun counter will be removed from it instead. This is a replacement effect.
No other card is named in this ruling.