Flashback

Flashback
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Icon Flashback.png}}|70x70px]]
Keyword Ability
Type	Static (1st ability) Static (2nd ability)
Introduced	Odyssey
Last used	Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Reminder Text	Flashback [cost] (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Storm Scale	2
Statistics	158 cards 12% 16.5% 13.9% 24.1% 20.9% 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1.3%
Scryfall Search
keyword:"^Flashback(—|\s\sm)"

Flashback is a keyword ability on instants and sorceries that allows the player to pay an alternative cost to cast the spell directly from their graveyard. The spell card is exiled when the spell leaves the stack. Flashback's equivalent for permanents is unearth.

History

The first tournament-legal cards with flashback were printed in Odyssey block, where a small headstone was marked next to the name, as an aid for remembering flashback spells in the graveyard. This was not repeated after that block. Non-mana flashback costs were printed in Torment, followed by off-color and unique other costs in Judgement. The mechanic returned in both the Time Spiral block and the Innistrad block. In Dark Ascension there were a cycle of spells that had a greater effect when cast from the graveyard. It also appeared in Modern Horizons, Commander 2019 and Modern Horizons 2.

During its return in Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, the first multicolor flashback cards were printed.

Starting with Phyrexia: All Will Be One, R&D have made Flashback a deciduous mechanic.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Flashback

A keyword ability that lets a player cast a card from their graveyard. See rule 702.34, “Flashback.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

• 702.34. Flashback
  • 702.34a Flashback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities: one that functions while the card is in a player’s graveyard and another that functions while the card is on the stack. “Flashback [cost]” means “You may cast this card from your graveyard if the resulting spell is an instant or sorcery spell by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost” and “If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack.” Casting a spell using its flashback ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.

Rulings

• "Flashback [cost]" means "You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack."
• You must still follow any timing restrictions, including those based on the card's type. You can only cast a sorcery using flashback when you could normally cast a sorcery. Likewise, when an instant (with flashback) is sent to the graveyard, that player may cast it from the graveyard once more during their opponent's turn.
• Casting a spell using flashback doesn't change the mana cost (or mana value) of the spell. You just pay the flashback cost instead.
• Effects that cause you to pay more or less when casting a spell will also affect what you pay when casting the spell using flashback.
• A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, it's countered, or it leaves the stack in some other way.
• You can cast a spell using flashback even if it was somehow put into your graveyard without having been cast.
• If a card with flashback is put into your graveyard during your turn, you can cast it if it's legal to do so before any other player can take any actions.

Examples

Example

Ray of Revelation
Instant
Destroy target enchantment.
Flashback (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)

Artifact that alters flashback costs

• Catalyst Stone

Cards that grant flashback

Creatures

• Backdraft Hellkite
• Dralnu, Lich Lord
• Katilda and Lier
• Lier, Disciple of the Drowned
• Snapcaster Mage

Sorceries

• Past in Flames
• Recoup

Plane

• Otaria