Orb of Dreams MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact
Released	2005-02-04
Set symbol
Set name	Betrayers of Kamigawa
Set code	BOK
Number	156
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dany Orizio

Key Takeaways

Orb of Dreams offers strategic control by making all permanents enter the battlefield tapped, affecting pace.
Creates synergies and combo potential, particularly in decks designed to exploit the tap condition of permanents.
Its universal effect demands careful deck construction to avoid self-sabotage and maximize benefits.

Text of card

Permanents come into play tapped.

"Behind the eyelids, a flickering flame. Beneath the dream, a flickering sorrow. Can peace find you in this sleep When all the world is tossed by war?" —Snow-Fur, kitsune poet

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Orb of Dreams can be the linchpin in control decks that aim to dominate the field. By delaying opponents’ plays, this artifact indirectly contributes to card advantage, giving players the upper hand as they capitalize on opponents’ stifled strategies.

Resource Acceleration: Although this particular card doesn’t directly produce mana or treasure tokens, its ability to slow down the game can be akin to resource acceleration for the player using it. It acts as a deterrent, effectively giving its user additional time to build their board and resources unhindered while others are set back.

Instant Speed: While Orb of Dreams itself isn’t an instant, its presence alters the landscape of instant-speed interactions. It bolsters the value of your own instant spells by ensuring opponents’ permanents come into play tapped, granting you a unique tactical advantage to respond with speed and efficiency.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Orb of Dreams doesn’t require discarding, but its blanket effect on all permanents can unintentionally force you to discard strategies if they depend on swift plays and untapped resources.

Specific Mana Cost: With an exact cost of one generic and two blue mana, it may not fit seamlessly into multicolored decks that can’t guarantee a heavy blue mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana, this artifact may come into play later than desired, potentially slowing down your own strategy just as it does to your opponents.

Reasons to Include Orb of Dreams in Your Collection

Versatility: Orb of Dreams is a unique artifact that adds a layer of strategy across various deck types. Its ability to make all permanents enter the battlefield tapped influences the pace of the game, allowing players to tailor their approach to both aggressive and control styles.

Combo Potential: This card has significant synergy with other cards that punish tapped creatures or benefit from slowing down opponents. Pairing Orb of Dreams with cards that untap your own permanents can create powerful interactions and give you a distinct edge over the competition.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where speed is essential, Orb of Dreams can be a game-changing card. It disrupts fast aggro decks and can provide the necessary tempo swing for control and combo decks to stabilize. Its effect on the board state can’t be understated, as it changes the fundamental timing of plays and strategies.

How to beat

The Orb of Dreams is a unique artifact that impacts the pacing of game play in MTG by making all permanents enter the battlefield tapped. This can significantly slow down your opponents, especially those who rely on speed and tempo. To counter this card, prioritize removal spells that can target artifacts directly, such as Disenchant or Naturalize. These are efficient ways to return the game flow to your favor.

Strategies that don’t rely on the battlefield as heavily can also prevail over the Orb of Dreams effect. Spells with Flash can be a workaround, allowing you to play your cards at the end of your opponent’s turn, effectively negating the tapped condition by the time your turn starts. Another method is to focus on instant speed interactions, minimizing the setback from your permanents entering tapped, ensuring you maintain pace and control.

When facing an opponent using Orb of Dreams, also consider adapting your playstyle. Patience can be key – waiting for the right moment to play your cards or holding up mana for instant speed responses can greatly diminish the Orb’s impact on your strategy. Through smart planning and the right card choices, you can navigate around the hindrance of the Orb of Dreams, keeping your game plan intact and your chances of victory high.

Cards like Orb of Dreams

Orb of Dreams is a unique artifact in Magic: The Gathering, making all permanents enter the battlefield tapped. A similar card is Kismet, an older card that also forces opponent’s artifacts, creatures, and lands to enter play tapped but does not affect your own. Meanwhile, Authority of the Consuls has a similar effect but only on creatures, and it grants you life each time an opponent’s creature enters the battlefield tapped.

Blind Obedience extends this tapping effect to artifacts and creatures for your opponents, with an added extort ability, offering a slight advantage in multiplayer formats. However, Orb of Dreams is universal, affecting all players and all permanent types, which can be both a hindrance and strategic advantage depending on your deck’s design.

Evaluating similar cards to Orb of Dreams in Magic: The Gathering reveals a nuanced array of choices for players aiming to control the pace of the game. The all-encompassing effect of Orb of Dreams can be instrumental in decks that capitalize on the tapped status of their opponent’s permanents or are less affected by the symmetrical effect.

Authority of the Consuls - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Orb of Dreams by color, type and mana cost

Arena of the Ancients - MTG Card versions

Scale of Chiss-Goria - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Orb of Dreams MTG card by a specific set like Betrayers of Kamigawa, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Orb of Dreams and other MTG cards: