Teferi, Timeless Voyager 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
+1: Draw a card. −3: Put target creature on top of its owner's library. −8: Each creature target opponent controls phases out. Until the end of your next turn, they can't phase in. (Treat them and anything attached to them as though they don't exist.)
Complete guide
Teferi, Timeless Voyager is a powerhouse Planeswalker that offers card advantage, tempo control, and a devastating ultimate that removes an opponent's board for an extended period. With a starting loyalty of 5, he can immediately deal with threats or work towards his game-ending third ability.
Masters of Time and Space
Teferi's abilities cover the three pillars of control: card draw, removal, and lockdown. His +1 ability provides consistent card advantage. His -3 ability is a powerful tempo play, putting a creature on top of its owner's library, which effectively denies them a new draw while clearing the board. His -8 ultimate uses the phasing mechanic to exile an opponent's entire creature force without actually triggering 'leaves the battlefield' effects, keeping them out of play until your next turn ends.
Understanding Phasing
When a creature phases out, it and everything attached to it (like Auras or Equipment) are treated as though they do not exist. This is not a zone change, so no 'enters the battlefield' or 'leaves the battlefield' abilities trigger. The permanents remain on the battlefield but are ignored by the game. Normally, things phase back in at the start of their controller's untap step, but Teferi's ultimate adds a restriction: they cannot phase in until the end of your next turn. This means they will miss their next scheduled untap step and only return during the untap step following the completion of your next turn.
Common Mistakes
A common misconception is that phasing triggers 'dies' or 'enters' effects; it does not. Another mistake involves timing: if you use the -8 ability, the creatures won't come back on the opponent's next turn. They must wait until your next turn ends, then they will phase in during the opponent's very next untap step after that. Additionally, if a creature was attacking when it phased out, it is simply removed from combat.
When to Deploy Teferi
Teferi, Timeless Voyager is best used when you can protect him for at least one turn. If you are behind on board, his -3 can stall a major threat. However, he truly shines in a deck that can search for him or accelerate his mana cost, allowing you to reach that -8 ultimate and lock your opponent out of their creatures for two full combat cycles.
Interaction examples
Teferi's WavecasterIf you have Teferi's Wavecaster in hand, you can cast it during your opponent's end step thanks to Flash. When it enters, its ability triggers, allowing you to find Teferi, Timeless Voyager from your library or graveyard. On your following turn, you can cast Teferi and immediately use his +1 to draw a card or -3 to remove a blocker.
Ugin, the IneffablePlaneswalker battles often come down to loyalty. If your opponent controls Ugin, the Ineffable, Teferi cannot target him with his -3 ability because Ugin is a Planeswalker, not a creature. However, if Ugin has created a 2/2 Spirit token, Teferi can use his -3 to put that token on top of the library. Since it is a token, it will cease to exist once it hits the library, and the token's 'leaves the battlefield' trigger will resolve, putting the exiled card into the opponent's hand.
If you activate Teferi's -8, all creatures target opponent controls phase out. On that opponent's next turn, their untap step begins. Normally, phased-out permanents phase in now, but Teferi's effect says they can't. The opponent proceeds through their turn without any creatures. Then your turn happens. Once your turn ends, the 'can't phase in' restriction expires. On the opponent's subsequent untap step, their creatures finally phase back in, ready to act.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Teferi, Timeless Voyager
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Normally, phased-out permanents phase in during their controller's untap step. Teferi's last ability causes the phased-out permanents to not phase in until the duration has expired; they'll phase in during their controller's next untap step after your next turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
While a permanent is phased out, it's treated as though it doesn't exist. It can't be the target of spells or abilities, its static abilities have no effect on the game, its triggered abilities can't trigger, it can't attack or block, and so on.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
An attacking creature that phases out is removed from combat.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Phasing out doesn't cause any “leaves the battlefield” abilities to trigger. Similarly, phasing in won't cause any “enters the battlefield” abilities to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Any one-shot effects that are waiting “until [this] leaves the battlefield,” such as that of Kitesail Freebooter, won't happen when a permanent phases out.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Any continuous effects with a “for as long as” duration such as that of Awakener Druid ignore phased-out objects. Any such effects will expire if their conditions are no longer met after ignoring the phased-out objects.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Each Aura and Equipment attached to a permanent that's phasing out also phases out. They will phase in with that permanent and still be attached to it. Similarly, permanents that phase out with counters phase in with those counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Choices made for permanents as they entered the battlefield are remembered when they phase in.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Any creatures that phase in during their controller's untap step will be able to attack and pay a cost of
during that turn.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
If an opponent gains control of your creature and it phases out and the duration of the control-change effect expires before it phases in, that permanent phases in under your control as that opponent's appropriate untap step begins. If they leave the game before that untap step, it phases in as the next untap step begins after that turn would have begun.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
In a multiplayer game, if you leave the game after Teferi's last ability resolves but before your next turn ends, its effect lasts until your next turn would have begun. It neither expires immediately nor lasts indefinitely.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Interactions with other cards
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