Surrounded by Orcs MTG Card
2023-06-23 - Number 73
2023-06-23 - Number 524
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Amass,Mill |
Text of card
Amass Orcs 3, then target player mills X cards, where X is the amassed Army's power. (To amass Orcs 3, put three +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
Cards like Surrounded by Orcs
Surrounded by Orcs enriches Magic: The Gathering’s lineup of creature defense spells. It mirrors the functionality of cards like Fog, where the chief aim is to prevent combat damage. Yet, Surrounded by Orcs ups the ante by focusing solely on Orcs for the protection, offering tribal decks a tailored shield. Whereas Fog blankets all your creatures indiscriminately, the narrow specificity of Surrounded by Orcs can be both a powerful boon and a limitation, depending on your battlefield.
Watching its counterparts, Make a Stand is another spell that comes to mind. This protection spell grants your creatures indestructible for a turn, but also includes a +1/+1 bonus. While Make a Stand defends against a wider array of threats and bolsters your board state, Surrounded by Orcs is more cost efficient for Orc-centric strategies.
Thus, when comparing these spells, Surrounded by Orcs offers compelling value for MTG gamers running focused tribal builds. Its strategic fit in Orc decks may well make it a niche favorite, threading the fine balance between specificity and impact within the creature-protection card pool.
Cards similar to Surrounded by Orcs by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: “Surrounded by Orcs” enhances your hand by bringing additional creatures into play, granting you an edge in overwhelming your opponents with sheer numbers.
Resource Acceleration: This card can substantially increase your board presence in one swift move, accelerating your game plan and pressuring your opponent much sooner than expected.
Instant Speed: Its capability to be cast at instant speed offers the strategic advantage of surprise, allowing you to adapt to the battlefield dynamically and disrupt your opponent’s strategy at the perfect moment.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: With Surrounded by Orcs, one of the drawbacks is its requirement for you to discard a card upon casting. This could put you at a disadvantage, especially when your hand size is dwindling and every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a particular combination of mana, which not all decks can accommodate easily. Having such a specific cost means it may not be as versatile as other cards that are more flexible with their mana requirements.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Surrounded by Orcs also comes at a higher mana cost that may be prohibitive in quicker paced games. Other options could potentially perform similar functions at a lower cost, making them more appealing choices for deck builders aiming for efficiency.
Reasons to Include Surrounded by Orcs in Your Collection
Versatility: Surrounded by Orcs offers strategic options in multiple deck archetypes. This card is particularly effective in decks that seek to capitalize on creature synergies or build a formidable board presence.
Combo Potential: This card can work wonders in combination with effects that reward you for having a multitude of creatures, or when combined with ways to buff your entire army. Its ability to potentially create multiple creature tokens can quickly turn the tide of a game.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Surrounded by Orcs can enable explosive turns, catching opponents off guard by rapidly expanding your side of the battlefield. It fits well into the dynamics of aggressive decks within the current meta.
How to beat
Surrounded by Orcs is a spell that can pose quite the challenge on the battlefield. For players encountering this card, it’s important to adopt strategies that mitigate its impact. Firstly, consider using removal spells to address the wave of Orc tokens it produces. Spells like Wrath of God or Blasphemous Act will clear the field, effectively neutralizing the orc horde’s threat.
Ensnaring Sweep or Mass Manipulation are also excellent choices; the former can change the tide by tapping all creatures your opponents control, while the latter offers the chance not only to remove the problematic tokens but to take control of them and use them for your own strategy. Counterspells are a preemptive approach, nipping the problem in the bud before the orcs can rally.
Finally, employing graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace prevents recursion strategies that rely on bringing Surrounded by Orcs back for a second onslaught. By considering card interactions and maintaining control of the board state, you can ensure that being surrounded by orcs in MTG is a manageable scenario you’re well-equipped to overcome.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Surrounded by Orcs MTG card by a specific set like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, 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 Surrounded by Orcs and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Surrounded by Orcs Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Anna Pavleeva.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 73 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anna Pavleeva | |
| 2 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 524 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anna Pavleeva |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Surrounded by Orcs has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Surrounded by Orcs card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-06-16 | Amass Zombies works the same way, except you create a 0/0 black Zombie Army creature token if you don't control an Army. If the Army creature you chose isn't already a Zombie, it becomes a Zombie in addition to its other types. By combining cards with amass Orcs and amass Zombies, you can end up with an Orc Zombie Army. |
| 2023-06-16 | Amass abilities are now written as "amass -ubtype] N." Previous cards with amass have received errata to say "amass Zombies N." |
| 2023-06-16 | If you don't control an Army, the Orc Army token you create enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature before receiving counters. Any abilities that trigger when a creature with a certain power enters the battlefield, such as that of Mentor of the Meek, will see the token enter as a 0/0 creature before it gets +1/+1 counters. |
| 2023-06-16 | In the rare case that you control multiple Army creatures (perhaps because you played a creature with changeling) while you amass Orcs, you choose which of your Army creatures to put the +1/+1 counters on. If that creature isn't an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types. |
| 2023-06-16 | Some cards refer to the "amassed Army." That means the Army creature you chose to receive counters, even if no counters were placed on it for some reason. |
| 2023-06-16 | Some spells and abilities that amass Orcs may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't amass Orcs. |
| 2023-06-16 | To amass Orcs N, if you don't control an Army creature, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token. Then you choose an Army creature you control and put N +1/+1 counters on it. If that Army isn't already an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types. |