Ruins of Oran-Rief MTG Card
2016-01-22 - Number 176
2016-01-22 - Number 176s
2023-08-04 - Number 1023
2024-06-14 - Number 370
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
Ruins of Oran-Rief enters the battlefield tapped. : Add to your mana pool. ( represents colorless mana.) : Put a +1/+1 counter on target colorless creature that entered the battlefield this turn.
Cards like Ruins of Oran-Rief
Ruins of Oran-Rief holds a noteworthy spot among colorless land cards in Magic the Gathering. When looking at comparable cards, its ability to place a +1/+1 counter on a colorless creature echoes the functionality of Llanowar Reborn. While Llanowar Reborn needs Graft and focuses on green creatures, Ruins of Oran-Rief is more inclusive, targeting any colorless creature. Additionally, unlike Llanowar Reborn, Ruins of Oran-Rief can be activated the turn it’s played if it enters the battlefield tapped.
Remember Novijen, Heart of Progress? It also provides a similar benefit by adding +1/+1 counters but caters to any creature you control, with the caveat of expending two colored mana to activate. Comparatively, Ruins of Oran-Rief’s impact is automatic for colorless creatures, adding utility in Eldrazi or artifact-centric decks.
Ultimately, Ruins of Oran-Rief stands out for its synergy with colorless creatures, increasing their threat level each turn without additional mana investment. This perk, crucial for powering up formidable Eldrazi and artifacts, enhances its standing among specialized lands in Magic the Gathering, aiding in the deployment of imposing colorless threats on the battlefield.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Ruins of Oran-Rief can provide a continuous boost to your creatures, effectively giving you an edge by enhancing each new creature you play. This increment adds up over time, potentially turning a modest creature into a significant threat.
Resource Acceleration: While not a direct source of mana, this card accelerates your board state by increasing the power of your colorless creatures without spending additional mana. It helps to maximize the resources you have each turn, making your plays more efficient.
Instant Speed: Although this land operates at sorcery speed, it rewards careful play. By placing a +1/+1 counter on a creature the turn it enters the battlefield, it allows for immediate reinforcement, making it advantageous during the phases of your turn without waiting for summoning sickness to clear.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Ruins of Oran-Rief does not demand a discard, however, it does entail a setup that can be disadvantageous. It requires you to play a colorless creature to get value, which might not always align with your game plan.
Specific Mana Cost: Ruins of Oran-Rief requires colorless mana to activate its ability. This can be a significant drawback in decks that don’t generate colorless mana efficiently, limiting its inclusion to specific archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the land enters the battlefield untapped, the value it provides comes at the cost of investing mana at a later stage. This can be a high price considering you may be foregoing the development of your board or other actions on key turns.
Reasons to Include Ruins of Oran-Rief in Your Collection
Versatility: Ruins of Oran-Rief is a card that seamlessly slots into a plethora of deck archetypes, specifically those harnessing colorless creatures. Its ability to add +1/+1 counters runs parallel with strategies emphasizing creature growth and battlefield presence.
Combo Potential: This card opens the door to numerous synergistic plays, particularly in decks that thrive on +1/+1 counter interactions. Its application is broad, synergizing with cards that capitalize on counters for various effects or enhanced combat capabilities.
Meta-Relevance: As the dynamic of the game shifts, having a land with the dual utility of mana acceleration and creature enhancement remains continually pertinent. Ruins of Oran-Rief maintains its strategic importance within environments where bolstering your creatures can be the difference between victory and defeat.
How to beat
Ruins of Oran-Rief is a specialized land card in Magic: The Gathering that presents an appealing boon for decks boasting colorless creatures. Its ability to put a +1/+1 counter on a colorless creature as it enters the battlefield the turn the Ruins are activated can be a slow but steady path to dominance on the board. This creates an incremental advantage, rewarding players for a specific deck-building strategy focused on colorless creatures.
To mitigate the advantage Ruins of Oran-Rief provides, consider using land destruction cards that can systematically dismantle your opponent’s mana base, hindering their ability to utilize such utility lands. Strategies embracing instant-speed interaction can disrupt the timing of the Ruins’ activation, thereby disrupting the synergy of your opponent’s plays. Incorporating creature removals to handle buffed colorless creatures or using counter spells to prevent them from hitting the field in the first place, can tilt the scales in your favor.
Ultimately, staying one step ahead with a flexible response plan ensures that the incremental advantage your opponent gains from cards like Ruins of Oran-Rief does not become insurmountable. Effective board control and decisive answers are key in overcoming the challenges posed by such a focused strategy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ruins of Oran-Rief MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch and Oath of the Gatewatch 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 Ruins of Oran-Rief and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
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- MTG Mint Card
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Printings
The Ruins of Oran-Rief Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-01-22 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by Jason Felix.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-01-22 | Oath of the Gatewatch | OGW | 176 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jason Felix | |
| 2 | 2016-01-22 | Oath of the Gatewatch Promos | POGW | 176s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jason Felix | |
| 3 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 1023 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jason Felix | |
| 4 | 2024-06-14 | Modern Horizons 3 Commander | M3C | 370 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jason Felix |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ruins of Oran-Rief has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ruins of Oran-Rief card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-01-22 | The target of the last ability didn’t necessarily have to be a colorless creature as it entered the battlefield, provided it entered the battlefield during that turn. However, it does have to be a colorless creature to be a legal target of the ability. |