Oboro, Palace in the Clouds MTG Card
2005-06-03 - Number 164
2023-06-23 - Number 371
2023-06-23 - Number 401
2023-06-23 - Number 401z
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Land |
Text of card
: Add to your mana pool. : Return Oboro, Palace in the Clouds to its owner's hand.
Here the soratami wove their endless plots—graceful, artful, and deceitful, while the unwitting world moved below.
Cards like Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
Oboro, Palace in the Clouds is a unique land card in the world of Magic the Gathering. Its closest cousins in terms of function might include cards such as Mystic Sanctuary or Halimar Depths, which also have triggered abilities upon entering the battlefield. However, what sets Oboro apart is its ability to be returned to its owner’s hand at will for just one mana. This gives players a degree of control over their land plays not seen in many other cards.
Another card to consider is Ghost Town, which also returns to its owner’s hand, but only during another player’s turn. This effect is significantly less flexible compared to Oboro, which can be returned any time. Tolaria West is another land that can be transmuted for another land card, but unlike Oboro, it does not have the capacity to be a consistent source of blue mana when needed.
Therefore, when evaluating the usefulness of similar land cards in Magic the Gathering, Oboro stands out. It offers an exceptional combination of mana utility and tactical flexibility that can seamlessly fit into many blue-based strategies with ease.
Cards similar to Oboro, Palace in the Clouds by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Oboro, Palace in the Clouds. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Dimir Mill | Modern | Mill | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-14 |
| Azorius Mill | Modern | Mill | Modern Preliminary 2024-04-26 (1) |
 | Merfolk | Modern | Merfolk | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-21 (1) |
| Mono-Blue Mill | Modern | Mill | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-22 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Oboro, Palace in the Clouds offers a unique advantage by providing an opportunity to bounce itself back to your hand. This can be instrumental in dodging land destruction or the inherent limit on land plays per turn, giving you a way to play the same land repeatedly for effects that trigger on land plays.
Resource Acceleration: With the ability to return to your hand, Oboro can help you avoid missing land drops. It effectively acts as a land in hand whenever you need it, ensuring you can always make your land drop each turn. This has added synergy in decks exploiting landfall abilities or those that benefit from playing multiple lands.
Instant Speed: The return ability of Oboro can be used at instant speed. This means you can wait until the latest possible moment before deciding whether to pick it up, perhaps in response to removal or an opponent’s end step, ensuring maximum flexibility and surprise factor in your gameplay. Moreover, this can be tactically used to make the most of your mana each turn and keep your options open.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While it doesn’t command you to discard outright, Oboro offers a return-to-hand mechanism which often requires discarding if played repeatedly without the necessary land drops, tying up valuable hand space.
Specific Mana Cost: Oboro’s activation is solely colorless, but as it is itself a blue source, it may not always align with the mana needs of a multi-colored deck, especially in instances where a colored mana would be more advantageous.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Accessing multiple activations in a turn might strain your mana resources, leaving less available for instant-speed interactions or casting other spells, thereby potentially sacrificing tempo for limited utility.
Reasons to Include Oboro, Palace in the Clouds in Your Collection
Versatility: Oboro, Palace in the Clouds offers a unique flexibility amongst land cards. Not only does it provide blue mana without entering the battlefield tapped, but its ability to return to your hand can protect it from land destruction or be used strategically for landfall triggers.
Combo Potential: This legendary land pairs well with cards that benefit from lands entering the battlefield or being returned to a player’s hand. It can be a key component in decks that aim to generate infinite mana or draw a multitude of cards.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where nonbasic lands are targeted or the pace of play rewards cunning, Oboro stands out. Its resilience against such strategies and its role in facilitating powerful plays make it an asset in various competitive formats.
How to beat
Oboro, Palace in the Clouds holds a unique position in the Magic: The Gathering landscape, offering strategic versatility as a land with the ability to bounce back to its owner’s hand. Its strength lies in dodging removal and land destruction, enabling a persistent mana base for decks that rely on it. Overcoming this resilient utility requires strategic play.
To outmaneuver Oboro, players should consider employing land hate cards that don’t destroy but rather force sacrifice, such as Rain of Tears or Fulminator Mage, which sidestep Oboro’s self-returning ability. Another way to counteract Oboro is by using Pithing Needle to shut down activated abilities of lands, restricting the player’s ability to dodge spells or effects that would normally target Oboro. Additionally, aggressive strategies that outpace the mana advantages provided by Oboro could also prove effective. Quick aggro decks can sometimes win before the benefits of Oboro can be fully utilized by the opponent.
Beating Oboro is not about direct confrontation with the land but rather adapting your strategy to mitigate the advantages it provides, ensuring your victory remains within reach.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Oboro, Palace in the Clouds MTG card by a specific set like Saviors of Kamigawa and Tales of Middle-earth Commander, 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 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Oboro, Palace in the Clouds Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2005-06-03 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005-06-03 | Saviors of Kamigawa | SOK | 164 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
| 2 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 371 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Jonas De Ro | |
| 3 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 401 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Jonas De Ro | |
| 4 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 401z | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Jonas De Ro |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Oboro, Palace in the Clouds has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |