Step Between Worlds – Outlaws of Thunder Junction
Date Reviewed: May 21, 2024
Ratings:
Constructed: 3.38
Casual: 4.13
Limited: 4.00
Multiplayer: 3.50
Commander [EDH]: 3.63
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
Despite the Power Nine having an aura of being “forbidden” cards, they’ve all been iterated and referenced more often than we sometimes realize, and Timetwister is arguably a safer member of the group to play with, as the effect requires some setup to get the most out of. Step Between Worlds is another interesting variant, where it seems to have added complexity which needs some thought (why, you might ask, is it a “may” effect?). I think its text all points towards being intended for use as a political or friend-making tool in multiplayer formats – it has a particularly funny decision tree in Two-Headed Giant, especially if only one person on your team needs a new hand. I wouldn’t necessarily rule it out in other formats, though; if you can get together the mana to plot it at some point, it is a free draw-seven spell on your big combo turn.
Constructed: 3
Casual: 4
Limited: 4
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander [EDH]: 3.5
An interesting twist on Timetwister, Step Between Worlds shares the mana cost of Time Reversal but also can be plotted for maximum chaos later. While plotting for six mana feels less than ideal on paper, a plotted spell can be cast for zero mana, and so the upshot here is that you get a resource refresh and refill without tying up resources on your turn to do so.
That said, this being optional does feel like it loses one underrated aspect of a Timetwister, the disruption. It being a “may” effect means players can opt out if they like what they’re packing; while this is more minor, sometimes dropping a Timetwister effect is just as much about the disruption.
All that said, I do think this spell is good enough, either at five mana or when plotted. If you can plot this at a discount, it does look a good bit better, but there are definiely Rude Things you can do with this to get ahead.
Constructed: 3.75
Casual: 4.25
Limited: 4 (plot makes this better, since you can use this to set up a massive turn)
Multiplayer: 3.5 (not my first choice, but a decent choice)
Commander [EDH]: 3.75
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