Fading
| Fading | |
|---|---|
| Keyword Ability | |
| Type |
Static (1st ability) Triggered (2nd ability) |
| Introduced | Nemesis |
| Last used | Nemesis |
| Reminder Text | Fading N (This creature enters the battlefield with N fade counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a fade counter from it. If you can't, sacrifice it.) |
| Storm Scale | 8[1] |
| Statistics |
17 cards  11.8%  17.6%  17.6%  5.9%  29.4%  17.6% |
| Scryfall Search | |
| keyword:"Fading" | |
Fading is a keyword ability that limits the number of turns a permanent is on the battlefield. The vanishing keyword ability was introduced later as a replacement, as some players found the mechanics of fading unintuitive. Unlike many other cards with time-related effects, fading does not use time counters.
Description
During each of its controller's upkeeps, that player removes one fade counter from the permanent. If the player cannot remove a fade counter, they must sacrifice the permanent. This acts as a countdown to destroying the permanent on the player's next turn after the countdown reaches zero, which players found unintuitive.
All tournament-legal cards with fading were printed in the Nemesis set.
It is unlikely that any new tournament legal cards with fading will be printed. The ability vanishing from the Time Spiral block is nearly identical to fading, but like suspend, triggers its effect as soon as the last counter is removed rather than waiting until the player's next turn. Vanishing also uses the more ubiquitous time counter rather than fading's ability-specific fade counters. One fading card was even timeshifted as a vanishing card, namely Blastoderm being color-shifted and reprinted as Calciderm.[2]
Rules
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Fading
- A keyword ability that limits how long a permanent remains on the battlefield. See rule 702.32, “Fading.”
From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 702.32. Fading
- 702.32a Fading is a keyword that represents two abilities. “Fading N” means “This permanent enters the battlefield with N fade counters on it” and “At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a fade counter from this permanent. If you can’t, sacrifice the permanent.”
Examples
Example
Cloudskate 
Creature — Illusion
2/2
Flying
Fading 3 (This creature enters the battlefield with three fade counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a fade counter from it. If you can't, sacrifice it.)
Artifact that adds fade counters
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (2015-08-05). "What are the chances of seeing fading again?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (February 12, 2007). "The Look of Vanishing". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.