Orvar, the All-Form MTG Card
2021-02-05 - Number 70
2021-02-05 - Number 305
2021-02-06 - Number 70s
2021-02-06 - Number 70p
2002-06-24 - Number 88234
2020-09-26 - Number KHM-305
2021-02-05 - Number 77
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Shapeshifter |
| Abilities | Changeling |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Changeling Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, if it targets one or more other permanents you control, create a token that's a copy of one of those permanents. When a spell or ability an opponent controls causes you to discard this card, create a token that's a copy of target permanent.
Cards like Orvar, the All-Form
Orvar, the All-Form is a unique commander in the landscape of Magic the Gathering, possessing the ability to capitalize on spells targeting your permanents. Cards like Rite of Replication share a resemblance in concept, as they also replicate creatures, but Orvar allows for more strategic depth and repeated usage throughout the game. Yet unlike Mirror Gallery, which permits multiple copies of the same legendary creature, Orvar necessitates a different approach by targeting any permanent you own.
Clone effects, such as Clever Impersonator, offer variability similar to Orvar’s, but they lack the same synergy with instants or sorceries. Moreover, while Mirrorweave can turn all creatures into copies of target creature until end of turn, Orvar’s ability provides a lasting effect, offering potentially persistent board influence. Additionally, Orvar’s intellectual challenge to players to construct a deck with a plethora of targetable spells and triggers is unmatched.
Ultimately, while other cards can mimic or conjure duplicates, Orvar, the All-Form stands out due to its utility and the original gameplay it encourages. This makes Orvar not only a centerpiece for decks focusing on copy mechanics but also a testament to the creative possibilities within Magic the Gathering.
Cards similar to Orvar, the All-Form by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Orvar, the All-Form shines in generating card advantage through its unique ability to create copies of any permanent you control when you target it with a spell. This not only bolsters your board presence but also helps maintain a steady flow of resources essential for outpacing opponents.
Resource Acceleration: When you’re casting spells to trigger Orvar’s ability, you’re essentially accelerating your resources without needing extra mana. Each copy made has the potential to act as an additional land, creature, or other valuable permanent, thus speeding up your game plan and overwhelming adversaries.
Instant Speed: Orvar’s versatility extends to instant speed interactions, allowing you to respond to your opponent’s moves by creating copies at critical moments. This reactive playstyle keeps opponents on their toes, as any instant becomes a potential threat they must account for, dramatically changing the pace and strategy of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Orvar, the All-Form necessitates the precise execution of spells or abilities targeting your own permanents to capitalize on its ability, which can force you to spend resources at less than ideal moments, often leaving your hand depleted.
Specific Mana Cost: Orvar’s casting cost includes three blue mana symbols, which means it is only suitable in mono-blue or heavily blue-based decks, potentially limiting its integration into a more diverse color strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four-mana cost, two of which are generic, Orvar can be a significant early game investment. Considering this, there may be other creatures or spells at four mana that provide immediate impact without the need for additional setup or combo pieces. Orvar’s potential hinges on having the right board state, which sometimes isn’t as swift or reliable compared to alternative four-cost options in blue.
Reasons to Include Orvar, the All-Form in Your Collection
Versatility: Orvar, the All-Form stands out for its adaptability across multiple deck types. By converting targeted spells into creature clones, it provides a unique level of flexibility that supports a wide range of strategies and synergizes with cards focusing on targeting mechanics.
Combo Potential: This legendary shapeshifter excels in creating explosive combos. It enables players to generate numerous copies of their most valuable creatures, thereby amplifying their board presence and leveraging any enter-the-battlefield effects to their advantage.
Meta-Relevance: Orvar’s capability to consistently replicate key creatures makes it a formidable asset in various metagames. With clever deck building, it has the potential to turn simple cantrips or protection spells into powerful game-altering moves, aligning well with a dynamic and diverse competitive environment.
How to beat
Orvar, the All-Form presents a unique challenge in MTG, with its ability to exploit copied spells and abilities to create a board presence that can quickly spiral out of control. To effectively counter this formidable card, players must adopt strategies that limit Orvar’s opportunities to clone creatures. Targeted removal spells are particularly effective as they can remove Orvar before it has a chance to replicate other creatures or take over the game.
Strategic use of counterspells can also thwart Orvar’s plans by preventing key instants or sorceries from ever resolving, thus denying the player the chance to copy them. Beyond direct removal, applying pressure with a quick and aggressive deck can force an Orvar player on the defensive, making it harder for them to set up their combo pieces and execute their strategy.
It’s crucial to stay vigilant and limit the spells that target your permanents, as Orvar can turn any seemingly harmless targeting spell into an army of copies. By managing your resources wisely and disrupting Orvar’s rhythm, you can dismantle their game plan and gain the upper hand.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Orvar, the All-Form MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and The List, 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 Orvar, the All-Form and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
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- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
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- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Orvar, the All-Form Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2021-02-06. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 88234 | 2015 | Normal | Black | DZO | ||
| 2 | The List | PLST | KHM-305 | 2015 | Normal | Black | DZO | ||
| 3 | 2021-02-05 | Kaldheim | KHM | 70 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chase Stone | |
| 4 | 2021-02-05 | Kaldheim | KHM | 305 | 2015 | Normal | Black | DZO | |
| 5 | Kaldheim Art Series | AKHM | 77 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | DZO | ||
| 6 | 2021-02-06 | Kaldheim Promos | PKHM | 70s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chase Stone | |
| 7 | 2021-02-06 | Kaldheim Promos | PKHM | 70p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chase Stone |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Orvar, the All-Form has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Orvar, the All-Form card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-02-05 | Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied permanent will trigger when the token enters the battlefield. Any “As -his permanent] enters the battlefield” or “ -his permanent] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the copied permanent will also work. |
| 2021-02-05 | As the first triggered ability tries to resolve, the spell that caused it to trigger and that spell’s targets are checked again. Ignore any target of the spell that has left the battlefield by that point. If all of the permanents you controlled that were targets have left the battlefield by that point, the triggered ability will do nothing and no token will be created. If at least one permanent you control that’s a target is still on the battlefield, the triggered ability will resolve, even if that permanent is now an illegal target for the spell. |
| 2021-02-05 | Changeling is a characteristic-defining ability. It functions in all zones, not only while a card that has it is on the battlefield. |
| 2021-02-05 | For the first triggered ability, the instant or sorcery spell can target other things if it also targets one or more permanents you control; however, the token you create can copy only permanents you control that are targets of the spell. If the spell targets more than one permanent you control, you choose which permanent the token is copying as you create the token. |
| 2021-02-05 | For the second triggered ability, you can choose any permanent as the target, regardless of who controls it. |
| 2021-02-05 | If a spell or ability an opponent controls allows or instructs you to choose a card to discard, and you discard Orvar, its last ability will trigger. |
| 2021-02-05 | If an effect causes a creature with changeling to become a new creature type, it will be only that new creature type. It will still have changeling; the effect making it all creature types will simply be overwritten. |
| 2021-02-05 | If an effect causes a creature with changeling to lose all abilities, it will remain all creature types, even though it will no longer have changeling. This is because changeling applies before the effect that removes it. |
| 2021-02-05 | If the permanent being copied has in its mana cost, X is 0. |
| 2021-02-05 | If the permanent being copied is copying something else, the token you create will use the copiable values of the that permanent. In most cases, it will be a copy of whatever the permanent is copying. If it’s copying a permanent or card with in its mana cost, X is 0. |
| 2021-02-05 | If the permanent being copied is itself a token, the token created by the last ability copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created it. |
| 2021-02-05 | If the spell itself has left the stack by that point, use the targets it had when it left the stack to perform the check described above. |
| 2021-02-05 | Orvar’s first triggered ability resolves (if it resolves; see below) before the spell or ability that caused it to trigger. |
| 2021-02-05 | The subtype Shapeshifter that appears on the type line is mostly there to reinforce the flavor. A creature card with changeling is just as much an Elf, a Dwarf, a Sliver, a Goat, a Coward, and a Zombie as it is a Shapeshifter. |
| 2021-02-05 | The token copies exactly what is printed on the permanent and nothing else (unless that permanent is a token or is copying something else; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that permanent is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it, whether it has any Auras and/or Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on. |