Set History

The set has "Timeshifted" cards, as first confirmed by Mark Rosewater. Unlike Time Spiral, the Timeshifted cards are not direct reprints of older Magic cards but rather are cards that may appear in future sets. These cards have normal rarity symbols as opposed to purple, and are considered a part of the expansion, not a separate sub-set. Also, the Timeshifted cards in Future Sight have been given a new frame.

With Future Sight, the frame design of the timeshifted cards is entirely new. On timeshifted cards in Future Sight, the card's mana cost appears in bubbles curving down the left side of the card right next to the picture, appearing in the traditional order of colorless mana, white, blue, black, red and green from top the bottom. In the top left corner of each card is a symbol that tells the card type; for example, a symbol of claw marks represent a creature card. This design is to be a Future Sight timeshifted feature only, and is used to give the new cards a futuristic feel.

Another difference is that Future Sight has many mechanics spread among many cards, instead of several focused mechanics in many cards.

Another Magus cycle--creature cards that refer to cards from the past--made its appearance as well; the cycle in Future Sight echoes enchantments from past sets. For example, the card Magus of the Moat has the same ability as the enchantment Moat.

Future Sight also introduced a new card type, tribal. Tribal cards utilize a subtype and use the same subtype list as creatures. Before the type was officially part of the game at the release of Lorwyn, there was only one tribal card, Bound in Silence, a "Rebel Enchantment".

Mechanics The following are mechanics released in this set:

Absorb - This ability has a number, such as Absorb 2. A creature with absorb has the listed number of damage prevented if it would take damage from a given source. Delve - Reduces the playing cost by 1 colorless mana for every card in your graveyard that you remove from the game as you play it.

Frenzy - If a creature with Frenzy attacks and isn't blocked, it gets +X/+0, where X is the frenzy number.

Grandeur - This ability on a legendary creature in play allows its controller to discard a card that has the same name for certain special effects.

Gravestorm - Similar to the Storm ability also seen in many cards from the Time Spiral block, it copies the spell for each permanent put into a graveyard from play this turn, rather than for each spell played.

Lifelink - This means gaining life equal to a creature's damage dealt, an ability long present but only now a keyword.

Poisonous - The ability for creatures to give X number of poison counters to an opponent by dealing combat damage to them, where X is the poisonous number. Ten of said counters will cause a player to lose the game. The ability has been used before in past sets, but this is the first time it has been assigned a keyword.

Aura Swap - Allows you to exchange the Aura card in play with swap for another Aura card in your hand by paying the Aura Swap cost.

Transfigure - Somewhat similar to the Transmute ability from Ravnica: City of Guilds, a creature in play with this ability can be sacrificed with a cost to let its controller search for another creature with the same converted mana cost as the creature, then put the searched creature directly into play.

Reach - Creatures with this can block creatures with flying. Used many times before, only now having a name to relate to its many representations.

Deathtouch - Whenever a creature that has this deals damage to a creature, they destroy that creature. Another effect seen before but not named until now.

Fateseal - Similar to the Scry ability from Fifth Dawn, this version lets you look at the top X cards of your opponent's library as opposed to your own library like the mechanic Scry and place the cards either at the bottom or the top of your opponent's library in any order you choose, where X is the fateseal number.

Assemble & Contraption - An ability and related new type that are hinted at on the card Steamflogger Boss, but do not actually appear on any of the set's cards. This card along with its abilities was printed as a joke and parody.[12]

Fortification & Fortify - A new type of artifact, the land equivalent of Equipment.

Shroud - Recently keyworded, shroud is the new version of "This cannot be the target of spell or abilities." Both players and permanents can have shroud.

Also reprinted in the set are the following previously used keyword abilities:

from Mirage block:
Flanking

from Tempest block:
Buyback
Shadow

from Urza's Saga block:
Echo - now with cards that have different echo costs instead that of the original casting cost of the card; While Planar Chaos has started this, the echo costs of cards now can include off-colored mana costs or non-mana costs
Cycling - now with cards whose cycling cost is not mana cost

from Invasion block:
Kicker

from Torment set:
Madness

from Onslaught block:
Morph - now with cards that have off-color morph costs, as well as non-creature cards with Morph
Typecycling

from Fifth Dawn set:
Scry - now with cards that have different Scry numbers as well as cards which require a player to Scry before an ability takes place

from Ravnica block:
Bloodthirst
Convoke
Dredge
Forecast
Graft
Hellbent
Transmute

from Time Spiral block:
Suspend - now with cards that can re-suspend themselves
Split Second - now with sorceries and enchantments that have split second
Vanishing
Flash

Notable Cards

The Pact cycle Intervention Pact, Pact of Negation, Slaughter Pact, Pact of the Titan, and Summoner's Pact - Instants with a mana cost of 0 but a cost that must be paid during the caster's next upkeep to avoid a game loss. Interestingly, the Unhinged set featured a very similar card in the Rocket-Powered Turbo Slug.