Impending
| Impending | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Keyword Ability | |
| Type | Static |
| Introduced | Duskmourn: House of Horror |
| Last used | Alchemy: Duskmourn |
| Reminder Text | Impending N—[cost] (If you cast this spell for its impending cost, it enters with N time counters and isn't a creature until the last is removed. At the beginning of your end step, remove a time counter from it.) |
| Scryfall Statistics | |
Impending is a keyword ability introduced in Duskmourn: House of Horror.[1][2] It conveys the feeling of knowing doom is coming.
Description
Impending functions similar to suspend.[3] It offers an alternative cost. If you choose to cast a spell for its impending cost, it enters with N time counters and isn't a creature until the last counter is removed. You remove a time counter from the permanent at the beginning of your end step.
In Duskmourn: House of Horror, impending is exclusively featured on the Overlord cycle, five Avatar Horrors that oversee the major zones of the Duskmourn under Valgavoth's will. Each are enchantment creatures, which when cast with impending are put on the battlefield as enchantments. All have a "titan trigger", which means that casting them for their impending cost will produce the first trigger for cheaper.
The mechanic represents the trope of the feeling that something is out there, similar to how film characters feel something isn't right, but there's nothing there that they can see. The monsters eventually take form over time.[4]
Five cards is the line where it’s up to the set lead (and creative team) to decide if a mechanic will be named. This cycle was impactful enough, and adding the name helped give it extra flavor, that Jules Robins chose to name it.[5]
Rules
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)
- Impending
- An ability on some creatures that allows them to be cast for an alternative cost. If cast for its impending cost, it isn’t a creature for some period of time. See rule 702.176, “Impending.”
From the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)
- 702.176. Impending
- 702.176a Impending is a keyword that represents four abilities. The first and second are static abilities that function while the spell with impending is on the stack. The third is a static ability that functions on the battlefield. The fourth is a triggered ability that functions on the battlefield. “Impending N—[cost]” means “You may choose to pay [cost] rather than pay this spell’s mana cost,” “If you chose to pay this spell’s impending cost, it enters with N time counters on it,” “As long as this permanent’s impending cost was paid and it has a time counter on it, it’s not a creature,” and “At the beginning of your end step, if this permanent’s impending cost was paid and it has a time counter on it, remove a time counter from it.” Casting a spell for its impending cost follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.
Rulings
- "Impending N–[cost]" is a keyword that represents multiple abilities. The official rules are as follows: (a) You may choose to pay [cost] rather than pay this spell's mana cost. (b) If you chose to pay this spell's impending cost, it enters the battlefield with N time counters on it. (c) As long as this permanent has a time counter on it, if it was cast for its impending cost, it's not a creature. (d) At the beginning of your end step, if this permanent was cast for its impending cost, remove a time counter from it. Then if it has no time counters on it, it loses impending.[6]
- If you choose to pay the impending cost rather than the mana cost, you're still casting the spell. It goes on the stack and can be responded to, countered, and so on.
- If you choose to pay the impending cost of a creature spell, it's still a creature spell on the stack. You can cast that spell for its impending cost only when you could normally cast that creature spell. Most of the time, this means during your main phase when the stack is empty.
- If an object enters as a copy of a permanent that was cast with its impending cost, it won't enter with time counters, and it will be a creature.
Examples
Example
Overlord of the Hauntwoods 
Enchantment Creature — Avatar Horror
6/5
Impending 4—
(If you cast this spell for its impending cost, it enters with four time counters and isn't a creature until the last is removed. At the beginning of your end step, remove a time counter from it.)
Whenever this permanent enters or attacks, create a tapped colorless land token named Everywhere that is every basic land type.
References
- ↑ 日本のカルチャーが新たなブースター・ファンに。『ダスクモーン：戦慄の館』より登場する「ジャパン・ショーケース」を見逃すな！. Wizards of the Coast (June 27, 2024).
- ↑ Matt Tabak (August 31, 2024). "Duskmourn: House of Horror Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ The Preview Panel - MagicCon: Amsterdam (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (June 28, 2024).
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 2, 2024). "Top of the Duskmourning, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 31, 2024). "Can I ask why Impending got a keyword if it's only on five cards?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Eric Levine (September 13, 2024). "Duskmourn: House of Horror Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.