[ORG] Orbs of Warding

[dangevin]

Orbs of Warding
5
Artifact
You have hexproof. (You can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)

If a creature would deal damage to you, prevent 1 of that damage.

Seems to be an upgrade to Witchbane Orb for the shops sideboard. Also has great upside against Elemental tokens, and severely limits the clock on other laterally-expanding creature threats.

[MaximumCDawg]

I kinda hope we get more of this "armor" effect in playable cards.  That would go a long way towards stopping the massive pendulum swing towards horizontal growth (over vertical) weve seen lately.

[bactgudz]

Maybe, but I don't think it replaces orb.  It's worse against most oath and tendrils matchups (1 mana more) and I'm not sure if the prevention clause makes you bring it in as hurk protection in pyro and mentor matchups.  The only saving grace is that maybe it is better than a sphere in the mirror, but still I don't think that makes it worth 1 mana more in the matchups you want it.

[dangerlinto]

Maybe, but I don't think it replaces orb.  It's worse against most oath and tendrils matchups (1 mana more) and I'm not sure if the prevention clause makes you bring it in as hurk protection in pyro and mentor matchups.  The only saving grace is that maybe it is better than a sphere in the mirror, but still I don't think that makes it worth 1 mana more in the matchups you want it.

Not really sure 1 mana more is really that much to complain about.  Especially if it means you can remove either Orb or Staff of Nin (it fills a similiar niche - though the extra card from Nin has it's own goodness) from the sideboard, freeing up some slots for other cards. 

[TheWhiteDragon]

When they print a 3 mana orb that gives shroud (the drawback i imagine, since it's worse than hexproof), I'll be happy. I'd even be cool with a 2 or 3 mana orb that pings you for 1 life on your upkeep or something.

[vaughnbros]

I kinda hope we get more of this "armor" effect in playable cards.  That would go a long way towards stopping the massive pendulum swing towards horizontal growth (over vertical) weve seen lately.

This is the 3rd card ever printed with the "armor" effect.  It's not like this is a common ability.  It's probably the best of the armors since it's combined with hexproof.

[Dice_Box]

I like it a lot. It really puts a damper on the token decks running around of late. I will be grabbing some for my sideboard I know that much. Testing it will show if the extra mana is really a pain but I do not feel it should be.

[brianpk80]

It's an intriguing insight into the company's frame of mind as far as Vintage is concerned.  The card doesn't have any clear competitive applications in any format except ours.  Rewinding back to Champs 2014 era when this set was presumably nearing final design phase, we see a Shop/Pyromancer/Oath metagame.  Given the option of printing a Delver card that equally hoses Shops & Oath, an Oath card that hoses Pyromancer & Shop, or a Shop card that hoses Pyromancer & Oath, this is the result. 

[tito del monte]

It's an intriguing insight into the company's frame of mind as far as Vintage is concerned.  The card doesn't have any clear competitive applications in any format except ours.  Rewinding back to Champs 2014 era when this set was presumably nearing final design phase, we see a Shop/Pyromancer/Oath metagame.  Given the option of printing a Delver card that equally hoses Shops & Oath, an Oath card that hoses Pyromancer & Shop, or a Shop card that hoses Pyromancer & Oath, this is the result. 

I think in all fairness, Pyromancer has a lot of flexible hate available to it, for example wear//tear. Oath is the card that Oath plays to hose both Pyromancer and Shops. And I imagine this card was cooked up primarily for Commander more than anything else.

I suppose it's also possible that, if they did think about Vintage, they imagined Mentor obsoleting Pyromancer - and this then as a card that helps, but doesn't completely switch off Monk tokens.

But certainly, this card is a pretty tasty sideboard option, cutting off combo or control-combo decks from their Hurkyl's -> bomb plan, plus also nixing the hopes of Aggro-Control getting there through dint of sheer board presence. Bound to get played I think.

[gkraigher]

The mana cost is too high. 

If the card itself also had hexproof it would be fine.  The tokens decks all run dack.

[bactgudz]

The mana cost is too high. 

If the card itself also had hexproof it would be fine.  The tokens decks all run dack.

If the card itself had hexproof, it would be nuts.

[rikter]

For me the deal breaker is not destroying all the curses that are attached to you.

[bactgudz]

For me the deal breaker is not destroying all the curses that are attached to you.

Yeah, just watch...next time they bring back curses we'll have an energy flux one...that will bring the orb back

[rikter]

For me the deal breaker is not destroying all the curses that are attached to you.

Yeah, just watch...next time they bring back curses we'll have an energy flux one...that will bring the orb back

That would do it. Orb is still a reasonable card for Workshop sideboard though, I bring it in against Oath because Oath targets, and I would bring it in against storm I suppose.

In all seriousness, I will likely do some testing with this card in place of Witchbane...the second ability on this may be good enough to justify the extra mana cost, given the prevalence of Mentor and Pyromancer.