Clock
Tactical shorthand · Measured in turns · Used by aggro and combo alike
A clock describes how many turns remain before a board state or strategy kills the opponent, as in “that’s a three-turn clock.” It’s a shorthand for talking about pace: how fast a plan needs to close the game before something else happens first.
Reading the Clock
Counting your clock means adding up the damage your current board deals each turn and dividing it into your opponent’s remaining life. It’s the same calculation combo decks use when counting turns until their engine is ready.
Racing Two Clocks
When both players have a clock running, whoever’s clock is faster usually wins if neither side interacts. If your clock is slower, look for ways to interact instead of just attacking past open blockers.
Strategic tip
Count your own clock and your opponent’s before committing to a race. If your clock is slower, spend the turn disrupting theirs instead of racing a fight you’re mathematically going to lose.
Good for
Related terms
Get our free MTG Arena strategy guide — formats, wildcards, and your first ranked season.
Free strategy guide