Helm of Obedience MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeArtifact
Abilities Mill

Key Takeaways

  1. Helm of Obedience is a pivotal card in legacy mill decks, enabling potential one-turn wins with the right setup.
  2. This artifact synergizes exceptionally with cards like Rest in Peace, establishing a combo that can be invulnerable to many strategies.
  3. Helm of Obedience retains its value and relevance in the MTG trading scene due to its unique and powerful effect.

Text of card

o X, oc T: Put the top card of target opponent's library into his or her graveyard. Continue doing this until you have put X cards or a creature card into that graveyard, whichever occurs first. If the last card put into the graveyard is a creature card, bury Helm of Obedience and put that creature into play under your control as though it were just cast. X cannot be equal to 0.


Helm of Obedience Pros

Card Advantage: The Helm of Obedience card allows you to potentially gain a huge card advantage. Once activated, it can send an opponent’s card from their library to their graveyard, disrupt their strategy and put you in a dominant position.

Resource Acceleration: Helm of Obedience can speed up your gameplay significantly. It only requires one mana to activate, so you can start disrupting your opponents early on in the game, making it a potent tool in resource acceleration.

Instant Speed: This card doesn’t rely on the speed of your gameplay. Its effect is immediate once activated, thereby negating any waiting period. This instant speed can make it a game-changer, turning the tides in your favor abruptly.


Cons of Helm of Obedience

Discard Requirement: Helm of Obedience necessitates the player to discard a card from their library until they reveal a creature card. If you’re playing a deck with fewer creature cards, this could lead to discarding many valuable cards, significantly impacting your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: The Helm requires at least one colorless mana to activate its ability. This specificity may limit the range of decks that could optimally employ this artifact, potentially being a bottleneck in some deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even though the Helm of Obedience can potentially be a powerful disruption tool, it does come at a sizable mana cost. Four mana to cast and additional mana to activate its ability can be a strain on your resources, especially in the early game. There might be other, more cost-efficient cards that serve a similar purpose in your deck.


Reasons to Include Helm of Obedience in Your Collection

Versatility: Helm of Obedience is adaptable to a multitude of decks due to its unique ability to clear enemy lines. This is particularly beneficial for decks that thrive in the long run, where the ability to stave off opponent’s threats becomes instrumental.

Combo Potential: This artifact provides vast opportunity for mid-game combo executions. Especially in sync with cards like Rest in Peace and Leyline of the Void, it helps in creating a punishing strategy, exiling an opponent’s deck in mere moments.

Meta-Relevance: Within the current shift towards grindy control and midrage strategies, Helm of Obedience rises in prominence. Its deck disruption ability provides you with an upper hand to outlast and overwhelm opponents in the late game.


Similar Cards

When we delve into the realm of powerful artifacts in Magic: The Gathering, Helm of Obedience is a card that registers on the radar. It shares some likable characteristics with Millstones, effectively being a robust milling tool, efficiently exhausting your opponent’s library. Yet, Helm of Obedience outshines with its ability to efficiently deplete only a single card from the opposing deck.

Another potential comparison comes to mind – Traumatize. Just like Helm of Obedience, it deals a massive blow to the opponent’s library. However, Traumatize does not offer the chance of acquiring a creature under your control, an edge that Helm of Obedience provides, adding a strategic element to its play.

Lastly, we cannot forget Painter’s Servant, a card that creates a perfect synergy when paired with Helm of Obedience. Together, they form a deadly combo capable of annihilating the entire deck of the adversary instantaneously.

To sum up, Helm of Obedience stands tall among its peers with its unique combination of milling prowess and strategic creature acquisition, making it a force to reckon with in our beloved game, MTG.


How to Beat Helm of Obedience

Helm of Obedience is a potent artifact card in MTG, and defeating it can be a challenge. Known for its ability to mill the opponent’s deck, it requires strategic cards to counter its effect. One such card is Stifle, which can cancel the Helm’s activation, preventing your deck from getting milled.

Moreover, Leyline of the Void is another potent card which provides protection. When in play, it stops cards from going into the opponent’s graveyard. Since Helm of Obedience’s effect is nullified if there are no cards entering the graveyard, Leyline of the Void is a solid counter. The enchantment Krosan Grip is another counter card as it can destroy Helm of Obedience without risking any trigger.

In conclusion, while Helm of Obedience is a powerful card in MTG that can potentially drain an opponent’s deck, there are multiple solutions to this threat. Proper planning and strategic use of counter cards can turn the tide of the game in your favor, effectively mitigating the Helm’s threat. Always remember the key in MTG: strategy is everything. Stay sharp, and you’ll be well-equipped to conquer Helm of Obedience.


Conclusion

In wrapping up, mastering the game of Magic the Gathering is an intricate dance of strategy and knowledge. The power of a well-constructed deck—and understanding the utility of cards like the Helm of Obedience—can propel you to great heights in gameplay. Insightful tactics and a thirst for learning are what set apart the novices from the veterans. Embark on an ongoing quest to refine your skills and deepen your card comprehension. There’s a wealth of excitement waiting, with each match offering a fresh challenge. Elevate your game and embark on your next magical conquest with us by your side. Dive into our comprehensive resources to turn your game into a saga of victories.


Cards like Helm of Obedience

When we delve into the realm of powerful artifacts in Magic: The Gathering, Helm of Obedience is a card that registers on the radar. It shares some likable characteristics with Millstones, effectively being a robust milling tool, efficiently exhausting your opponent’s library. Yet, Helm of Obedience outshines with its ability to efficiently deplete only a single card from the opposing deck.

Another potential comparison comes to mind – Traumatize. Just like Helm of Obedience, it deals a massive blow to the opponent’s library. However, Traumatize does not offer the chance of acquiring a creature under your control, an edge that Helm of Obedience provides, adding a strategic element to its play.

Lastly, we cannot forget Painter’s Servant, a card that creates a perfect synergy when paired with Helm of Obedience. Together, they form a deadly combo capable of annihilating the entire deck of the adversary instantaneously.

To sum up, Helm of Obedience stands tall among its peers with its unique combination of milling prowess and strategic creature acquisition, making it a force to reckon with in our beloved game, MTG.

Traumatize - MTG Card versions
Painter's Servant - MTG Card versions
Traumatize - Odyssey (ODY)
Painter's Servant - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Cards similar to Helm of Obedience by color, type and mana cost

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Jayemdae Tome - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
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Dancing Scimitar - Revised Edition (3ED)
Icy Manipulator - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Grinning Totem - Mirage (MIR)
Rackling - Nemesis (NEM)
Phyrexian Processor - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
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Krark-Clan Ironworks - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Synod Centurion - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Jade Idol - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Ur-Golem's Eye - Commander 2014 (C14)
Jester's Cap - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Bottled Cloister - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Rod of Ruin - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Helm of Obedience MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and Magic Online 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 Helm of Obedience and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Helm of Obedience Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11996-06-10AlliancesALL 1211993normalblackBrian Snõddy
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 656422015normalblackVolkan Baǵa
32008-09-22Masters Edition IIME2 2101997normalblackBrian Snõddy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Helm of Obedience has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Helm of Obedience card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2008-10-01 If an effect like that of Leyline of the Void prevents cards from being put into your opponent’s graveyard, the process described in the first sentence of Helm of Obedience’s effect will never stop. Your opponent’s entire library will be exiled, even if X is 1.
2008-10-01 You put the creature card onto the battlefield even if you can’t sacrifice Helm of Obedience (because it’s left the battlefield by the time its ability resolves, for example).

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