The Gaming Den

Just wondering how they've represented "super fast/reflexes" mechanically through the years. Some things that come to mind are...

Haste: come out attacking, lightning greaves
Flash: Show up at any time to intercept foes
Flanking: "Agility" gave you flanking and showed dudes fencing fast
First Strike/Doublestrike: Some quick fencer and snake creatuers do that
Untap: Seen on at least one white instant "Veteran's Reflexes" to untap target creature
Haste+Trample: Trample alone gives a heavy feeling, but Haste+Trample gives the imagery of overruning your foes with sheer force of speed.

Am I missing anything?

Apparently, according to, I believe, Mark Rosewater's blog, Flanking is actually supposed to represent being on horseback. But, yeah, reflexes and agility and such.

Some "quick" effects are represented by cards replacing themselves. Either "cantrip" (a spell that has you draw a card after it takes effect), or a "loot" (drawing a card and discarding a card).

-Username17

Split Second from Time Spiral was meant to represent spells so fast no-one could react to them.

Fast creatures could be represented by dying on the turn they come into play -- Ball Lightning is one, and one of the Chandras makes Elementals with her + ability.

The pseudo-keyword Daunt (can't be blocked by creatures with power 2 or less) could fit, as well as Unblockability and Shadow. Those are better for a fast character like The Flash as opposed to a 'normally' fast creature.

creatures with haste and "sacrifice this creature at end of turn" actually represent creatures made of lightning. They're fast, but the "sacrifice at eot" isn't about them being fast, it's about them being a flash of lightning.

There'saso the "dash" creatures that haste in and return to your hand at the end of turn.