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I've heard many different things about Horde of Notions from my fellow IRL Magic playing friends and these forums so I'm hoping for some definitive clarification.  Can I use Horde of Notions ability during combat step, opponent's main phase, etcetera to play cards like Mulldrifter and Timbermare ?

Yes,  You cast the targeted elemental during the resolution of the ability, a time you normally can't cast anything, even instants.

Thanks!

It's weird, but the two different wordings would be

"You may play X"

"You may play X this (turn/phase/etc)"

The first gives you the ability to play X immediately, during the resolution of the ability. In this case, you ignore normal timing restrictions.

The second gives you the ability to play X at some point in the specified duration. However, normal timing rules would apply. 

Apr 5, 2012 -- 9:14PM, Drab_Emordnilap wrote:

"You may play X"
"You may play X this (turn/phase/etc)"
The first gives you the ability to play X immediately, during the resolution of the ability. In this case, you ignore normal timing restrictions.
The second gives you the ability to play X at some point in the specified duration. However, normal timing rules would apply. 

Correct.

This is because the second wording specifies a DURATION,
thus creating a Continuous Effect, which can be carried later.
On the contrary, the first wording doesn't specify a DURATION,
thus creating a One-Shot Effect, which must be carried immediately.

610.1. A one-shot effect does something just once and doesn’t have a duration...
611.1. A continuous effect (...) affects (...) the rules of the game, for a fixed or indefinite period.

(although the debate is still on about whether or not the first wording should fall under rule 611.2a)

Apr 6, 2012 -- 8:14AM, Chaikov wrote:

This is because the second wording specifies a DURATION,
thus creating a Continuous Effect, which can be carried later.
On the contrary, the first wording doesn't specify a DURATION,
thus creating a One-Shot Effect, which must be carried immediately.

This is not correct.

It is possible for an ability that creates a continuous effect to specify no duration. Such an effect has a duration of "indefinitely" by default.

611.2a A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability lasts as long as stated by the spell or ability creating it (such as "until end of turn"). If no duration is stated, it lasts until the end of the game.

Your test would incorrectly classify such continuous effects as one-shot effects.

There is a tendency to put the duration of such effects into the text, but the rules do not require it. (Personally I think they should require it; there shoud be no default duration, so that one-shot effects can be distinguished from effects with the default duration, whatever that default is (it's changed at least once to my knowledge).)

Apr 6, 2012 -- 8:52AM, Merestil_Haye wrote:

It is possible for an ability that creates a continuous effect to specify no duration. Such an effect has a duration of "indefinitely" by default.

I agree with you.
(I did mention the debate over rule 611.2a)

How then would you handle Horde of Notions ?
I mean, how does one establish that the card must be played immediately or never ? (vs until the end of the game)

Apr 5, 2012 -- 10:52AM, BibboTheFirst wrote:

I've heard many different things about Horde of Notions from my fellow IRL Magic playing friends and these forums so I'm hoping for some definitive clarification.  Can I use Horde of Notions ability during combat step, opponent's main phase, etcetera to play cards like Mulldrifter and Timbermare ?

Your main question is already answered, but nobody else addressed the following.

Take note that you can not cast Mulldrifter from your graveyard for its evoke cost.

Apr 6, 2012 -- 9:02AM, Chaikov wrote:

I agree with you.
(I did mention the debate over rule 611.2a)

How then would you handle Horde of Notions ?
I mean, how does one establish that the card must be played immediately or never ? (vs until the end of the game)

Sorry; I read your post as being a hard divisor.

Personally I favour issuing errata to all continuous effects explicitly stating their duration, then removing the rule defining the default duration, perhaps stating that all continuous effects define their duration. After all cards like Stigma Lasher and pre-Emblem Elspeth, Knight-Errant stated a duration.

Failing that, I'd proceed as follows.

Any effect that states a duration, even using reminder text , is certainly a continuous effect.

If an ability does not state a duration for its effect, read the ability carefully. Many effects will clearly be one or the other - control-change effects, for example, are continuous, while zone-change effects are one-shot.

Seek advice from reputable sources; here or other trustworthy rules forums if you can get online.

Failing that, if the effect doesn't make sense as one category of effect, it's probably the other.

Apr 6, 2012 -- 1:12PM, Merestil_Haye wrote:

Personally I favour issuing errata to all continuous effects explicitly stating their duration, then removing the rule defining the default duration, perhaps stating that all continuous effects define their duration. After all cards like Stigma Lasher and pre-Emblem Elspeth, Knight-Errant stated a duration.

Failing that, I'd proceed as follows.

Any effect that states a duration, even using reminder text , is certainly a continuous effect.

If an ability does not state a duration for its effect, read the ability carefully. Many effects will clearly be one or the other - control-change effects, for example, are continuous, while zone-change effects are one-shot.

Seek advice from reputable sources; here or other trustworthy rules forums if you can get online.

Failing that, if the effect doesn't make sense as one category of effect, it's probably the other.

OK.
Now please walk me through your algorithm with Horde of Notions .


(for my part, I prefer correcting the rules rather than errataeing the cards)