Order of the Stars MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Cleric |
| Abilities | Defender |
| Released | 2006-02-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Guildpact |
| Set code | GPT |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 13 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Heather Hudson |
Text of card
Defender (This creature can't attack.) As Order of the Stars comes into play, choose a color. Order of the Stars has protection from the chosen color.
As stoic as the marble halls, as unblinking as the stars upon their shields.
Cards like Order of the Stars
Order of the Stars, with its unique skill set, is a notable guard within the realm of Magic: The Gathering. Its grace lies in the ability to absorb a significant amount of damage from a single hit, much like the ever-reliable Guardian of the Guildpact. Both cards provide a remarkable level of defense, however, Guardian of the Guildpact offers broader protection from all monocolored spells, not just from individual instances of damage.
Comparatively speaking, we see Knight of Grace wielding a similar protective charm. Though it doesn’t boast the same damage prevention capabilities, it comes with hexproof from black and a potential power boost. Its adaptability in battle provides a different kind of utility. Then there’s Benevolent Ancestor, which doesn’t directly shield itself but rather lends its defensive prowess to other permanents or players through its damage prevention ability.
In the broader tapestry of MTG, Order of the Stars shines for its situational endurance, particularly useful in decks designed to outlast opponents. Its resilience on the battlefield can frustrate opponents’ strategies, safeguarding your life total in ways few low-cost creatures can. This noble sentinel stands tall, offering a strategic advantage in decks crafted with defense in mind.
Cards similar to Order of the Stars by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Order of the Stars card provides a strategic defensive option by allowing you to effectively protect your life total. This can potentially translate to maintaining card advantage as your opponent may need to commit more resources to deal with it.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting resource acceleration, Order of the Stars sets the stage for a more stable game state. By preserving your life total in the early stages of the game, it indirectly allows you to build up your mana base and other resources without being under immediate pressure.
Instant Speed: Although Order of the Stars itself isn’t an instant, its ability to potentially block creatures with instant speed effects gives it an edge in combat. It can deter attackers not just based on its own stats but by implying the possibility of instant-speed interaction during the battle phase.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Order of the Stars card obliges players to discard another card onto the battlefield to harness its ability. This discard condition can be particularly problematic during the late game when hand resources are scarce, potentially leaving players at a strategic disadvantage.
Specific Mana Cost: This card is strictly aligned with the Azorius guild, meaning it requires white mana to play. Such a specific mana demand might not seamlessly fit into many deck strategies, especially those that are more color-diverse or not aligned with the Azorius’s law and order theme.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Given the one white mana and one colorless mana cost for Order of the Stars, its utility may not always match its expense, particularly when other options in the arsenal may provide greater versatility or stronger abilities for a similar or lesser investment.
Reasons to Include Order of the Stars in Your Collection
Versatility: Order of the Stars is a useful tool for any deck aiming to stabilize early against aggressive strategies. With its ability to have protection from the color of your choice, it adapts to a vast array of matchups, offering a defensive option that can be tailored to the particular threats you expect to face.
Combo Potential: This card is a prime candidate for decks that capitalize on life gain or protection mechanics. It can be paired with cards that benefit from creatures staying on the battlefield, or in situations where you aim to set up an impenetrable defense while executing your win condition unhindered.
Meta-Relevance: Given its potential to be a roadblock against dominant mono-colored creatures, Order of the Stars might see a rise in play if the competitive scene leans towards single-color decks. It serves as an excellent insurance piece in a deckbuilder’s toolkit, providing answers to evolving threats in various MTG formats.
How to beat
Order of the Stars is a unique card in MTG with a low mana cost and the special ability to limit damage from any source to 1. This trait makes it an excellent early game defensive creature, especially against decks that rely on big hitters to deal significant damage early on. To counter this card effectively, players should look towards using multiple sources of damage or spells that don’t deal damage but rather force a player to sacrifice creatures.
Cards like Wrath of God or Doom Blade can be excellent choices, bypassing the damage limitation by destroying the creature outright without dealing damage. Alternatively, using small, inexpensive creatures or tokens to chip away at it can be an effective strategy, as the Order of the Stars’ ability only reduces the damage from a single source to 1, which means it can be overwhelmed by multiple threats. A smart approach is to force your opponent to block multiple creatures with the Order of the Stars, ensuring that at least one point of damage will get through per creature.
In essence, while Order of the Stars can be a formidable obstacle, its weakness lies in its own ability’s limited scope. By diversifying your threats or employing non-damaging removal, you can effectively neutralize this guardian and move towards victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Order of the Stars MTG card by a specific set like Guildpact, 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 Order of the Stars and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Order of the Stars has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |