Balance MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 25 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Produces card advantage by equalizing hand sizes, influencing game momentum if played with foresight.
  2. Resource acceleration can occur indirectly, allowing catch-up or advantage if behind on the board.
  3. Instant-speed interactions can be leveraged to set favorable conditions prior to Balance’s casting.

Text of card

Whichever player has more lands in play must discard enough lands of his or her choice to equalize the number of lands both players have in play. Cards in hand and creatures in play must be equalized the same way. Creatures lost in this manner may not be regenerated.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Balance card is a powerful tool for leveling the playing field, often resulting in a significant card advantage. By forcing each player to draw or discard until they have the same number of cards, Balance can swing the momentum in your favor if you time its casting strategically.

Resource Acceleration: While Balance doesn’t directly produce mana or tokens, it can effectively serve as resource acceleration by equalizing the number of lands and creatures each player controls. This can be particularly beneficial if you’re behind on the board, allowing you to catch up quickly and even surpass your opponent’s resource presence.

Instant Speed: While Balance itself is a sorcery, it can be combined with instant-speed spells and abilities that adjust your own board just before casting it, enabling you to craft the board state to your advantage. This interaction creates dynamic and strategic gameplay decisions, often providing the critical edge needed to control the game’s outcome.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Balance requires players to have the same number of lands and creatures, compelling you to possibly discard your own assets to equalize with your opponent. This stipulation can backfire if you’re ahead in the game, leading to a self-inflicted detrimental board state.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Balance is one white and one generic mana, which may not appear restrictive at first glance. However, it does mean that decks not running white mana may not be able to capitalize on this card, limiting its inclusion to only certain types of decks and strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana is generally considered low, in a high-velocity game where each mana spent could determine the game’s outcome, spending two mana to potentially lose your current advantage may not be the most mana-efficient play. This is particularly true when other cards could stabilize or advance your board state without the risk of setting you back.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Balance offers a unique, sweeping effect that can level the playing field against various deck archetypes. This card can fit into control strategies or decks that look to manipulate hand and board states to their advantage.

Combo Potential: This card can be a critical piece in combos centered around asymmetrical board states. It’s particularly potent in setups where you can minimize the negative impact on your own game while maximizing its effect on opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where creature-heavy decks or strategies that quickly amass board presence are dominant, Balance can serve as an effective reset button, swinging games back into your favor by disrupting the careful setup of your opponent’s side of the board.


How to beat

Overcoming Balance, a classic Magic: The Gathering card, involves strategic planning due to its powerful effect of equalizing the playing field. The key to beating Balance lies in maintaining asymmetrical resources. Players should aim to minimize the card’s impact by carefully managing the number of creatures, lands, and cards in hand.

Ideally, players would leverage cards that generate tokens or have abilities to sacrifice creatures to ensure they have less permanents than the opponent when Balance resolves. Additionally, instant-speed spells that allow for drawing or discarding cards can adjust hand sizes just before Balance hits the board. Employing land destruction or ramping strategies can also tip the scales, quite literally, in your favor.

Finally, proactive measures like card advantage engines or having creatures with undying or persist will maintain board presence post-Balance. Understanding and anticipating the timing of this card is critical, as proper preparation can turn Balance from a devastating reset to a mere bump in the road towards victory.


Cards like Balance

Balance stands as a unique concept in the realm of MTG with its equalizing effects on the board state. Its comparison is drawn to cards like Cataclysm which also forces players to sacrifice creatures, lands, and artifacts but allows them to retain one of each. Where Cataclysm offers a semblance of choice, Balance does not discriminate and levels the field based on the player with the least of each type. Another card in the same conversation is Restore Balance, a newer incarnation that mirrors the original’s intent but utilizes the suspend mechanic for a delayed but inevitable effect.

Looking at creatures, Magus of the Balance brings a fresh twist to the spell on legs, allowing the use of Balance’s effect repeatedly, albeit at a higher cost and speed. The symmetrical reduction strategy of these cards can be both devastating and game-shifting, particularly in formats where building a considerable presence on the board is crucial. However, Balance’s ability to act immediately and its capacity to interact with not just creatures but also hand size sets it apart in strategic deck building and execution.

In the broad scope of MTG strategies, cards like Balance underscore a unique niche of equilibrium and resource denial, cementing its status as a powerful and often contentious tool in the hands of a skilled player.

Cataclysm - MTG Card versions
Restore Balance - MTG Card versions
Magus of the Balance - MTG Card versions
Cataclysm - Exodus (EXO)
Restore Balance - Time Spiral (TSP)
Magus of the Balance - Treasure Chest (PZ2)

Cards similar to Balance by color, type and mana cost

Shahrazad - MTG Card versions
Martyr's Cry - MTG Card versions
Gift of Estates - MTG Card versions
Starlight - MTG Card versions
Renewing Dawn - MTG Card versions
Tariff - MTG Card versions
Pegasus Stampede - MTG Card versions
Planar Birth - MTG Card versions
Flicker - MTG Card versions
Steadfastness - MTG Card versions
Sacred Nectar - MTG Card versions
False Dawn - MTG Card versions
Morningtide - MTG Card versions
Academic Probation - MTG Card versions
Gather the Townsfolk - MTG Card versions
Servo Exhibition - MTG Card versions
Martial Coup - MTG Card versions
Revoke Existence - MTG Card versions
Glare of Heresy - MTG Card versions
Return to the Ranks - MTG Card versions
Shahrazad - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Martyr's Cry - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Gift of Estates - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Starlight - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Renewing Dawn - Portal (POR)
Tariff - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Pegasus Stampede - The List (PLST)
Planar Birth - Urza's Saga (USG)
Flicker - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Steadfastness - Starter 1999 (S99)
Sacred Nectar - Ninth Edition (9ED)
False Dawn - Apocalypse (APC)
Morningtide - Torment (TOR)
Academic Probation - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Gather the Townsfolk - Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed (DDQ)
Servo Exhibition - Friday Night Magic 2017 (F17)
Martial Coup - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Revoke Existence - Double Masters (2XM)
Glare of Heresy - Theros (THS)
Return to the Ranks - Magic 2015 (M15)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Balance MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Balance and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Balance Magic the Gathering card was released in 19 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 31993normalblackMark Poole
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 31993normalblackMark Poole
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 31993normalwhiteMark Poole
41993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 31993normalblackMark Poole
51993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 31993normalblackMark Poole
61994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 31993normalblackMark Poole
71994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 31993normalwhiteMark Poole
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 31993normalwhiteMark Poole
91995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 61993normalwhiteMark Poole
101995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 61993normalblackMark Poole
111996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC shr61993normalgoldMark Poole
121996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC mj61993normalgoldMark Poole
131996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC et61993normalgoldMark Poole
141996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC bl61993normalgoldMark Poole
151996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC ml61993normalgoldMark Poole
161996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC pp61993normalgoldMark Poole
172002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 362782003normalblackKev Walker
182004-01-01Judge Gift Cards 2004G04 22003normalblackKev Walker
192009-08-28From the Vault: ExiledV09 12003normalblackRandy Gallegos
202011-01-10Masters Edition IVME4 61997normalblackMark Poole
212014-06-16Vintage MastersVMA 142015normalblackKev Walker
222016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 22015normalblackKev Walker
232019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 1732015normalblackMark Poole
242022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 32015normalblackMark Poole
252022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 3001997normalblackMark Poole

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Balance has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolRestricted
CommanderBanned
LegacyBanned
OathbreakerBanned
PremodernBanned
VintageRestricted
DuelLegal
PredhBanned

Rules and information

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

DateText
2016-06-08 Balance doesn’t have targets, so permanents that can’t be targeted, such as a creature with shroud or protection from white, are valid choices to be sacrificed.
2016-06-08 Each type of object is counted during the corresponding part of the process. Cards in hand are counted after lands have been sacrificed, and creatures on the battlefield are counted after cards have been discarded. Thus, a land creature sacrificed to the first part of the spell would not be counted when determining how many creatures are on the battlefield for the last part.
2016-06-08 First the player whose turn it is chooses which lands (if any) to keep, then each other player in turn order does the same. Each player will know the choices made by the players who chose before them. All of the unchosen lands are then sacrificed simultaneously. Then the process is repeated for cards in hand, except that no cards are revealed until all players have chosen what to discard, at which point those cards are all discarded simultaneously. Lastly, the process is repeated for creatures, and players will again know earlier choices made when deciding what to sacrifice. All of the unchosen creatures are then sacrificed simultaneously.

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