Fraying Omnipotence MTG Card


Casting Fraying Omnipotence when ahead can cement a lead by cutting down opponent resources. Its sorcery speed belies an impact comparable to instant spells, disrupting opponent strategies. High mana requirements and self-impact are cons that require deliberate strategic planning.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Each player loses half their life, then discards half the cards in their hand, then sacrifices half the creatures they control. Round up each time.

The Great Mending that healed the Multiverse also unraveled the threads of Nicol Bolas's power.


Cards like Fraying Omnipotence

Fraying Omnipotence holds a unique position within Magic: The Gathering’s pool of potent sorceries. This card forces each player to halve their creature count, life total, and hand, effectively altering the state of play significantly. Its effects mirror those of the infamous card Balance, which is known for its ability to even out the playing field by making players adjust their land, creature, and hand count to match that of the player who possesses the least. However, unlike Balance, Fraying Omnipotence’s symmetrical effect does not take the board state into account, offering a more predictable outcome.

Another card that shares the realm of mass resource reduction is Cataclysm. This formidable spell also evens the odds but does so by permitting players to select specific permanents to keep, thus giving a chance to strategize post-resolution. In contrast, Fraying Omnipotence provides no such choices, presenting a simpler yet more brutal resolution. Pox is another parallel, requiring all players to sacrifice a third of their creatures, lands, and life, demonstrating a less extreme but similarly impactful approach to disrupting all participants in the game.

Evaluating Fraying Omnipotence alongside similar MTG cards, it’s clear that it offers a unique blend of certainty and devastation, making it a noteworthy option for players looking to turn the tables in one fell swoop.

Balance - MTG Card versions
Cataclysm - MTG Card versions
Pox - MTG Card versions
Balance - MTG Card versions
Cataclysm - MTG Card versions
Pox - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Fraying Omnipotence by color, type and mana cost

Reign of Terror - MTG Card versions
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Fugue - MTG Card versions
Reign of Terror - MTG Card versions
Soul Shred - MTG Card versions
Living Death - MTG Card versions
Beacon of Unrest - MTG Card versions
Final Punishment - MTG Card versions
Soul Feast - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Bidding - MTG Card versions
Aether Snap - MTG Card versions
Dance of Shadows - MTG Card versions
Sever Soul - MTG Card versions
Head Games - MTG Card versions
Promise of Power - MTG Card versions
Rise from the Grave - MTG Card versions
Incremental Blight - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Plague - MTG Card versions
Spread the Sickness - MTG Card versions
Monomania - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Revelation - MTG Card versions
Crux of Fate - MTG Card versions
Fugue - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Fraying Omnipotence slices your opponent’s resources in half. From cards in hand to creatures on the battlefield, this sweeping effect can drastically tilt the scales in a match where card advantage is key. If you’re ahead or at parity, casting Fraying Omnipotence often means you maintain your lead while your adversary scrambles to recover their footing—with potentially half the options they had before.

Resource Acceleration: While Fraying Omnipotence doesn’t directly speed up your mana production, it does something equally critical—slowing your opponent’s development. Halving their creatures and lands can effectively set their game plan back several turns, giving you the valuable time you need to accelerate your own resources and build towards a game-winning state.

Instant Speed: Although Fraying Omnipotence operates at sorcery speed, its impact is akin to a well-timed instant. Casting it at the right moment, like right after your opponent has committed a critical mass of resources to the board, can be devastating. It can create a pivot point in the game, allowing you to leverage the changed board state immediately with your untapped lands and remaining cards to seize control of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Fraying Omnipotence can disrupt your opponent’s strategy, it also demands each player to halve their hand, rounding up. This can backfire if you’re holding onto key cards necessary for your winning combo or strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost is demanding, requiring three black mana. This can be challenging to produce consistently in a multi-colored deck, potentially restricting it to mono-black or decks with a heavy black mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a five-mana total cost and the specificity of three black mana, Fraying Omnipotence is a pricey board effect. It can be quite the investment, especially when your resources might be better served on more immediate threats or developing your board presence.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Fraying Omnipotence shows great flexibility within various deck builds. This card allows players to disrupt the opponents while strategically setting up their next moves. It fits well in situations where balancing the playing field is key.

Combo Potential: The card’s effect halves life totals, cards in hand, and creatures on the battlefield, making it a critical component in combos that capitalize on symmetrical resource reduction. It can be particularly devastating when timed to exploit an opponent’s reliance on a full board or hand.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors strategies with a high accumulation of resources, Fraying Omnipotence can serve as a reset button. This makes it a tactical inclusion, capable of turning the tides and breaking through opponent defenses in one fell swoop.


How to beat Fraying Omnipotence

Fraying Omnipotence is a potent black sorcery card in Magic: The Gathering that has the power to dramatically alter the game state. When faced with this card that halves each player’s life total, creatures, and hand, the key to overcoming its effect lies in timing and deck composition. By structuring your deck with an emphasis on indestructible or token-generating creatures, you mitigate the impact on your side of the battlefield. Keeping a healthy mix of cards in hand and using instant-speed spells that can react to opponents’ threats or bolster your position during your opponent’s turn, can help counterbalance the symmetrical loss Fraying Omnipotence enforces.

Another effective strategy against Fraying Omnipotence is to run cards that benefit from or are immune to sacrificing effects. Cards that have the “when this creature dies” abilities or “whenever you sacrifice a creature” triggers can turn the tables of the daunting state Fraying Omnipotence creates. Moreover, maintaining life-gain tactics within your deck can provide a buffer against the life total reduction and give you a much-needed edge. Lastly, countermagic and hand disruption are straightforward yet effective techniques to directly prevent or remove Fraying Omnipotence before it can resolve, ensuring that its sweeping effects never come into play.


BurnMana Recommendations

Fraying Omnipotence is a formidable black sorcery that has the strategic depth to reshape the game board in MTG. Skilled players will recognize the perfect moment to harness its power and turn potential downfall into a spectacular advantage. Whether harmonizing with a well-constructed deck or serving as the linchpin of a combo, it demands respect for its ability to equilibrate the game. If you’re looking to challenge opponents with symmetrical havoc or simply seek to round out your collection with versatile cards, delving into the potential of Fraying Omnipotence is an insightful next step. Immerse yourself in our MTG content for deeper insights and advanced strategies to make sure your deck is capable of epic plays.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Fraying Omnipotence MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2019 and Core Set 2019 Promos, 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 Fraying Omnipotence and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Fraying Omnipotence Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-07-13 and 2018-07-13. Illustrated by Svetlin Velinov.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-07-13Core Set 2019M19 972015NormalBlackSvetlin Velinov
22018-07-13Core Set 2019 PromosPM19 97s2015NormalBlackSvetlin Velinov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Fraying Omnipotence has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Fraying Omnipotence card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2018-07-13 Because the instructions are followed in order, abilities of the creatures a player will sacrifice may modify or trigger on losing life, discarding cards, and/or sacrificing creatures. Abilities that trigger this way will resolve after Fraying Omnipotence is done resolving.
2018-07-13 In a Two-Headed Giant game, Fraying Omnipotence causes each player to lose half of their team’s life, rounded up. This means that teams at an even life total will have 0 life, and teams at an odd life total will have -1 life. The game then ends in a draw.
2018-07-13 The amounts that are lost are rounded up, not the amounts kept. For example, a player with 5 life, five cards in hand, and five creatures would lose 3 life, discard three cards, and sacrifice three creatures.
2018-07-13 When Fraying Omnipotence resolves, first each player loses the appropriate amount of life at once. Next, the player whose turn it is chooses an appropriate number of cards in hand without revealing them, then each other player in turn order does the same, and then those cards are all discarded simultaneously. Then, the player whose turn it is chooses an appropriate number of creatures they control. Each other player in turn order does the same, knowing choices made by previous players. Finally, all of the chosen creatures are sacrificed simultaneously.