Topsy Turvy

Phase Naming Principles

“Postcombat main phase” is a mouthful. But if you have topsy turvy then these two things aren’t equivalent. And neither are “at the beginning of your precombat main phase” and the weird “after your draw phase” thing that sagas do.

The names don’t change their order even with Topsy Turvy.

First Main Phase First Main Phase Sagas Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Topsy Turvy

Topsy Turvy Ruling

Hey, I was wondering why Topsy Turvy was downshifted to uncommon from rare in unsanctioned? Also can I get a ruling on this card? it reverses turn order so if a player plays it in their post combat mainphase they get an additional combat, main and draw untap and upkeep, right? if its destroyed in my opponents end step (at the beginning of that turn), they lose the rest of their turn, correct? I'm very excited for unfinity Btw, thanks so much!

If I remember correctly, the layout of the card with the front being upside down to the back didn’t work with the security stamp, so we downgraded it in rarity, so it wouldn’t get one.

Rares Rarity Rarity Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Tap / Untap Topsy Turvy Uncommons

Sundial-Topsy Turvy Rule

"You do what Sundial of the Infinite says. Topsy Turvy only affects the normal order of phases. If a card jumps you to a certain phase then that's what you do."

I feel like there's still something to parse here in the particular wording. Sundial says "End the turn" which to me reads that regardless of what phase you jump to the turn will end after that phase. The rules text isn't simply to skip to a phase, that's just one of the requisite parts of ending the turn. Would the turn end after that phase regardless of Topsy Turvy messing with the order of the phases because Sundial specifically says end the turn?

No, the turn ends after it jumps you phases. The combo is not infinite turns.

Rules Sundial of the Infinite Topsy Turvy

Topsy Turvy Interaction

Unrules question, Mark!How does Topsy Turvy interact with cards that end the turn, like Sundial of the Infinite or Obeka, Brute Chronologist?
The ruling says that "The current phase and/or step ends. The game skips straight to the cleanup step. The cleanup step happens in its entirety" and some players interpret this as "I get to have an infinite turn because I'm back at the beginning thanks to Topsy Turvy". However, I'd argue that Topsy Turvy would also change what it means to end the turn and thus the game would skip straight to the draw step (last of the beginning phase that's now the ending phase). Another view would be that the game skips to the next cleanup step, that is the last step of the now beginning phase of the next player's turn.What is your point of view on this matter?

You do what Sundial of the Infinite says. Topsy Turvy only affects the normal order of phases. If a card jumps you to a certain phase then that’s what you do.

Obeka, Brute Chronologist Sundial of the Infinite Topsy Turvy Un-sets

Topsy Turvy Card Queries

MARO! I finally got a set of unsanctioned and played it blind for the first time, so i put all the cards into sleeves backside up. did you put topsy turvy in upside down???? wouldnt that be a logistical headache??? thank you for the surprise if so! 10/10 good

Topsy Turvy is purposefully upside down in relation to its back. (And the art plays onto the joke.)

Appreciation Art Humor Mark Rosewater Topsy Turvy

Enchantment Mechanic Thoughts

"What color would be able to create an enchantment that moved an opponent’s draw step to the end of their turn?""I’m skeptical we’d make that card as it’s not particularly fun, but if we did, probably white, maybe blue."Topsy Turvy says hi :)

Fair enough. : )

Blue Colors Enchantments Humor Mechanics Topsy Turvy White

Switching Play Direction

Would silver bordered rules allow for a card that switches the direction of play? ie in multiplayer, instead of passing to the person to your left, you would pass to the right for the duration of the effect.

The card Topsy Turvy has that effect, along with reversing the turn order.

Commander Rules Topsy Turvy

Old Border Card Printing

If you can't print cards in old border without the collating data AND you downgraded Topsy Turvy specifically to avoid having to add the security stamp... care to explain how Unsanctioned Old Fogey at rare still has neither of those?

We liked the joke of Old Fogey not having the security stamp as the old frame didn’t have it. Collating dara is only necessary for randomized boosters.

Boosters Card Frames Card Printing Humor Old Fogey Rares Topsy Turvy

Un-Rules Topsy Turvy

Un-Rules: If Topsy Turvy is in effect, when can I cast a spell that stipulates, for example, that it can only be cast 'before attackers are declared', given that the Precombat Main Phase is now after combat?

It makes it uncastable.

Cast First Main Phase First Main Phase Rules Topsy Turvy Un-sets

Topsy Turvy Black Border

Are you happy that Topsy Turvy is no partly a black-bordered effect?

It’s in silver border because I was told it couldn’t (or maybe it was shouldn’t) be in black border.

Black Black Border Topsy Turvy Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets

Topsy Turvy Rules

Un rules question, if you please. Topsy Turvy. Does it go into effect immediately? (so if I in theory played it in my 2nd main phase, would I get an extra combat step?)

Yes, the effect goes into effect immediately, so you can get a second combat step. Note that it won’t untap your creature. That will happen later at untap.

Creatures Rules Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Tap / Untap Topsy Turvy Un-sets

Topsy Turvy Trivia

For the trivia question: Topsy Turvy?

Topsy Turvy from Unhinged is the correct answer of the card printed upside down (in relation to its back). The art takes on new meaning once you understand that.

Art Birthday Card Printing Topsy Turvy Unhinged

Topsy Turvy's Black Border

Topsy Turvy seems like something black border could mostly do in effect but likely worded differently. Have you tried getting an effect like that in black border?

Black border isn’t comfortable altering the order of phases.

Black Black Border Topsy Turvy

Reverse Turn Order Card

Would an UnCard be able to reverse turn order? Discard, Main, Combat, Main, draw, untap?

It would. It was in Unhinged and called Topsy Turvy.

Discard Tap / Untap Topsy Turvy Unhinged

Topsy Turvy's Border Issues

Is Topsy Turvy something you could try to bleed into black border?

I tried it in black border. That’s how the card started. It got put in silver border because it is problematic in black border.

Black Black Border Topsy Turvy Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets

Black Border Un-cards

Could you print Topsy Turvy, Denied!, the Rock/Paper/Scissors trio, Staying Power, or the Fallen Apart in black bordered land? (Blast from the past and Who/what/when/where/why would play awesome, but cant be printed for obvious reasons, MTGO Cube maybe?)

Un cards cannot be printed in black border because it causes a problem. Any version of a named card can be used in tournament play but silver bordered cards are illegal for tournaments. Printing an Un-card in black border forces one of those two rules to not be true. The answer is to change the name as we did with The Cheese Stands Alone/Barren Glory.

Barren Glory Black Black Border Blast from the Past Card Printing Cube Draft Denied! Lands Magic Online Rules Staying Power The Cheese Stands Alone The Fallen Topsy Turvy Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn