Suspended Sentence 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
Destroy target creature an opponent controls. That player loses 3 life. Exile Suspended Sentence with three time counters on it. Suspend 3—(Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay
Complete guide
Suspended Sentence is a versatile black removal spell that allows you to trade time for a significant mana discount. By utilizing the Suspend mechanic, you can mark a creature for death several turns in advance while draining your opponent's life total in the process.
What It Does
Suspended Sentence has two primary functions: it destroys a creature an opponent controls and causes that player to lose 3 life. The most unique aspect of this card is that after it resolves, it exiles itself with three time counters, effectively putting itself back into a 'suspended' state to be cast again later. You can cast it for its full cost of four mana or use the Suspend keyword to exile it from your hand for just two mana.
How It Resolves Step by Step
When you cast Suspended Sentence, you choose a target creature an opponent controls. Upon resolution, the creature is destroyed and the player loses 3 life. Finally, the spell exiles itself with three time counters; it is now a 'suspended card.' At the beginning of each of your upkeeps, you remove one time counter. When the last counter is removed, a triggered ability goes on the stack allowing you to cast the spell again without paying its mana cost. If you cast it this way, the cycle repeats, and it will exile itself with three counters again after resolving.
Common Mistakes
A common point of confusion is what happens if the spell is countered or if the target becomes illegal. If Suspended Sentence is countered or fails to resolve because its target is gone, it goes to the graveyard and does not exile itself with time counters. Additionally, if you choose not to cast the spell when the last time counter is removed, the card remains in exile indefinitely and is no longer considered suspended.
When to Play It
This card is excellent for long-term control. Because it re-suspends itself, it creates a recurring threat that your opponent must account for every three turns. It is best used against decks that rely on a single powerful threat, as it provides a repeatable way to clear the board while slowly chipping away at the opponent's life total.
Interaction examples
You cast Suspended Sentence targeting an opponent's creature. The creature is destroyed, your opponent loses 3 life, and Suspended Sentence is exiled with three time counters. Three turns later, during your upkeep, the last counter is removed. You cast the spell for free, targeting another creature. After that creature dies, Suspended Sentence exiles itself again with three new time counters, ready to return in another three turns.
Deadly RollickIf your opponent has two dangerous creatures, you can cast Suspended Sentence for its suspend cost of {1}{B}. While waiting for those time counters to tick down, you can use Deadly Rollick for zero mana (if you control your commander) to exile the first threat immediately. Once the time counters on Suspended Sentence are gone, you use it to destroy the second threat.
Fell the Profane // Fell MireYour opponent plays a powerful Planeswalker and a Creature. Since Suspended Sentence can only target creatures, you use Fell the Profane to destroy the Planeswalker. You then cast Suspended Sentence from your hand to destroy the creature. Suspended Sentence will then exile itself with time counters, ensuring that you have another removal spell ready for the next creature they play.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Suspended Sentence
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· 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.
- #2· 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.
- #3· 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.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
As the second triggered ability of suspend resolves, you may cast the card. Timing permissions based on the card's type are ignored. If you choose not to (or can'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.
- #5· 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.
- #6· 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.
- #7· 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.
- #8· 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.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Cards exiled with suspend are exiled face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· 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.
- #11· 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.
- #12· 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.
Legal formats
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