Gravity Sphere MTG Card


Gravity Sphere - Legends
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeWorld Enchantment
Released1994-06-01
Set symbol
Set nameLegends
Set codeLEG
Number151
Frame1993
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byBrian Snõddy

Key Takeaways

  1. Gravity Sphere can neutralize the advantage of flying creatures, transforming the dynamics of board control.
  2. Its cycling discard and specific mana cost may limit hand size and deck flexibility for players.
  3. It provides unique interactions and counters in a meta where creatures with flying are dominant.

Text of card

All creatures lose flying ability.

On the morning of the Battle of Gal-Shan, the Sorcerer's cry rang out: "Let no bird fly, let no creature take wing, let all the battle join as one."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gravity Sphere levels the playing field by making all creatures lose flying, which can mitigate the advantage your opponent gains through evasive creatures. This change can help you better control the board and maintain your presence within the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Gravity Sphere itself does not directly provide mana or resource acceleration, it can indirectly assist in maintaining your resources. By negating the ability of flying creatures, it may prevent the need for spending extra resources on dealing with aerial threats.

Instant Speed: Although Gravity Sphere is not an instant, its very presence can work as a deterrent, forcing opponents to play as if you might have instant-speed answers to flying creatures. This preemptive effect can be as valuable as having an actual instant in hand, preserving your resources for optimal plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One limitation of Gravity Sphere is the need to discard a card for its cycling ability, potentially depleting your hand.

Specific Mana Cost: With its specific mana requirements, the card demands a dedicated color commitment, possibly hindering deck-building flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost to cast Gravity Sphere is high relative to its immediate impact on the game, potentially slowing down your overall strategy.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gravity Sphere stands out for its ability to level the playing field against decks that rely on flying creatures. By negating flying abilities across the board, it serves a unique role in red decks that may struggle with aerial threats.

Combo Potential: This card can be a key piece in combos that capitalize on forcing all creatures to block or engage in combat without the advantage of flying. It fits into strategies that punish creatures on the ground or benefit from the universal restriction of flying.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta dominated by creatures with flying, Gravity Sphere gains significance as a potent countermeasure. It’s a smart inclusion for players looking to disrupt common strategies or as a sideboard option when flying creatures become particularly prevalent.


How to beat

Gravity Sphere is a unique enchantment that impacts the battlefield by negating the flying ability of creatures in MTG. Its presence can significantly alter combat dynamics, challenging players to adapt their strategies. Overcoming this card requires a shift in tactics, focusing less on aerial superiority and more on ground-based game plans. Utilizing removal spells against Gravity Sphere is critical. Cards like Disenchant or Naturalize offer clean and cost-efficient answers to this enchantment, allowing your fliers to regain control of the skies. Additionally, employing creatures with reach or those that excel in ground combat can minimize the Sphere’s impact on your strategy.

Utilizing alternative win conditions can also circumvent Gravity Sphere’s restrictions. Aim for direct damage spells, leveraging life total reduction without the need for combat. Furthermore, cards that grant your creatures trample or other evasion abilities can help bypass the constraints imposed by Gravity Sphere. By diversifying your strategy and maintaining flexibility in your deck, you can outmaneuver the limitations set by this enchantment and maintain a competitive edge.


Cards like Gravity Sphere

Gravity Sphere is an intriguing enchantment in MTG that dramatically alters combat rules by negating the flying ability. Its closest relatives in purpose are cards like Chaosphere and Bower Passage. Chaosphere operates on a similar axis, forcing flying creatures to block as though they didn’t have flying. However, Chaosphere grants your creatures the ability to block flyers, adding a layer of offense to the purely defensive nature of Gravity Sphere.

Meanwhile, Bower Passage provides a more niche effect, making it impossible for creatures with flying to block your creatures. This is particularly advantageous for deck strategies heavy in ground forces. Archetype of Imagination strips the flying ability from opponents’ creatures and gives all your creatures flying, tipping the advantage heavily in your favor and offering a direct and powerful counter to Gravity Sphere’s level playing field.

Considering the various ways to manipulate or negate flying in MTG, Gravity Sphere stands out as a symmetrical strategy for decks that don’t rely on flying creatures. It leverages the battlefield in a unique way, balancing the aerial advantage across all deck types.

Chaosphere - MTG Card versions
Bower Passage - MTG Card versions
Archetype of Imagination - MTG Card versions
Chaosphere - Mirage (MIR)
Bower Passage - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Archetype of Imagination - Born of the Gods (BNG)

Cards similar to Gravity Sphere by color, type and mana cost

Mana Flare - MTG Card versions
Goblin War Drums - MTG Card versions
Aggression - MTG Card versions
Heat Stroke - MTG Card versions
Seismic Assault - MTG Card versions
Torch Song - MTG Card versions
Ghitu War Cry - MTG Card versions
Goblin Warrens - MTG Card versions
Fervor - MTG Card versions
Spellshock - MTG Card versions
Mana Cache - MTG Card versions
Citadel of Pain - MTG Card versions
Insolence - MTG Card versions
Steam Vines - MTG Card versions
Curse of Hospitality - MTG Card versions
Anax, Hardened in the Forge - MTG Card versions
Draconic Destiny - MTG Card versions
Mechanized Warfare - MTG Card versions
Blood Moon - MTG Card versions
Pyromancer's Swath - MTG Card versions
Mana Flare - Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales (WOT)
Goblin War Drums - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Aggression - Ice Age (ICE)
Heat Stroke - Weatherlight (WTH)
Seismic Assault - Tenth Edition (10E)
Torch Song - Urza's Saga (USG)
Ghitu War Cry - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Goblin Warrens - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Fervor - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Spellshock - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Mana Cache - Nemesis (NEM)
Citadel of Pain - Prophecy (PCY)
Insolence - Planeshift (PLS)
Steam Vines - Odyssey (ODY)
Curse of Hospitality - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Anax, Hardened in the Forge - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Draconic Destiny - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Mechanized Warfare - The Brothers' War Promos (PBRO)
Blood Moon - The List (PLST)
Pyromancer's Swath - Future Sight (FUT)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gravity Sphere MTG card by a specific set like Legends, 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 Gravity Sphere and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gravity Sphere has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 It removes Flying from all creatures on the battlefield when it enters the battlefield and from each creature as that creature enters the battlefield. It does not prevent the Flying ability being given to the creature *after* the Sphere is on the battlefield.
2008-10-01 This has the supertype world. When a world permanent enters the battlefield, any world permanents that were already on the battlefield are put into their owners’ graveyards. This is a state-based action called the “world rule.” The new world permanent stays on the battlefield. If two world permanents enter the battlefield at the same time, they’re both put into their owners’ graveyards.

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