Sphere of the Suns MTG Card
2011-02-04 - Number 134
2015-05-22 - Number 231
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact |
Key Takeaways
- Offers versatile mana fixing, crucial for casting spells across different colors early in the game.
- Has a finite use but can be essential for mana ramp strategies and artifact synergies.
- Can be countered effectively with targeted artifact removal or preemptive discard spells.
Text of card
Sphere of the Suns enters the battlefield tapped and with three charge counters on it. , Remove a charge counter from Sphere of the Suns: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sphere of the Suns doesn’t directly let you draw more cards, yet it factors into broader card efficiency strategies. By providing mana of any color once it’s charged with a charge counter, it ensures that you can cast spells more freely, maximizing the potential of each card you have in hand.
Resource Acceleration: This multifaceted artifact excels at smoothing out your mana curve, essentially serving as a mana rock. After you’ve cast it, it effectively discounts the cost of your next few spells by one mana of any color. This versatility in mana production allows for more ambitious plays several turns earlier than usual by ramping up your available resources.
Instant Speed: Even though Sphere of the Suns doesn’t operate at instant speed, its utility lies in the initial investment during your main phase, which then offers flexibility for the remainder of the game. Once deployed, it leaves your mana open for instant speed interaction on future turns, indirectly supporting strategies that capitalize on casting spells at instant speed.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Though Sphere of the Suns does not directly require a discard, once it has no charge counters, it becomes a redundant piece, essentially taking up space where another resource could be. This could put you at a disadvantage during the critical stages of a match.
Specific Mana Cost: Sphere of the Suns itself has a mana value of two, which is affordable, but it is worth noting that it only provides mana once charged. This necessitates a certain flow to your gameplay, potentially disrupting more aggressive or reactive strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While it provides a burst of mana diversity in the early game, Sphere of the Suns’ investment might not yield an equal return compared to other mana acceleration options. Once depleted, its value diminishes, contrasting with permanents that offer continuous mana sources or cards that serve multiple functions.
Reasons to Include Sphere of the Suns in Your Collection
Versatility: Sphere of the Suns is a mana fixer that can be slotted into a multitude of decks, playing a crucial role in enabling a variety of spells across different colors.
Combo Potential: This artifact can be a key part of several combo decks, seamlessly integrating with mechanics that benefit from artifact synergies or require mana acceleration.
Meta-Relevance: With shifting metagames that often favor fast-paced or multi-colored decks, Sphere of the Suns maintains relevance by smoothing mana curves and enabling consistent plays.
How to beat
The Sphere of the Suns is a resourceful card in Magic: The Gathering, offering mana acceleration and color fixing that can be crucial for multicolored decks. To effectively counter this card, one should consider hindering its mana-generating capability. Artifact removal spells are a strong choice, with options like Naturalize, Abrade, and Shatter providing straightforward solutions to dismantle the Sphere of the Suns from the battlefield.
Another tactical approach involves preemptive measures such as discard spells. Cards like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek can remove the Sphere of the Suns from your opponent’s hand before it’s even played, disrupting their mana curve. Additionally, cards with abilities to exile artifacts, like Return to Dust or Pillage, can also permanently remove the Sphere, ensuring it doesn’t provide any future advantage.
Ultimately, recognizing the worth of the Sphere of the Suns in your opponent’s strategy is key. Efficiently managing your own resources to keep it off the board, or negating its effects, could very well be the swaying factor in claiming victory on the battlefield.
Cards like Sphere of the Suns
Sphere of the Suns is a versatile mana accelerator in Magic: The Gathering. This artifact closely resembles other cards, such as Mind Stone and Prophetic Prism, in its mana ramp role. Mind Stone stands out by allowing card draw upon its sacrifice, which Sphere of the Suns does not offer. However, the Suns provides mana of any color, which is advantageous in multicolor decks, unlike Mind Stone that generates only colorless mana.
Prophetic Prism also has an effect to add mana of any color to your mana pool, accompanied by the initial draw of a card when it enters the battlefield. While it enables consistent color fixing, it lacks the accelerator capability of Sphere of the Suns which can be used right away. The Suns’ charge counters ensure a limited use, setting it apart from Prophetic Prism, whose abilities remain throughout the game.
Considering the differences, Sphere of the Suns is a solid choice for decks needing a quick mana of multiple colors and can be an invaluable asset for spells requiring diverse mana investments. Its finite usage is balanced by its immediate impact on the game’s early turns, underlining its niche in mana acceleration compared to its counterparts.
Cards similar to Sphere of the Suns by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sphere of the Suns MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged and Modern Masters 2015, 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 Sphere of the Suns and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Printings
The Sphere of the Suns Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-02-04 and 2015-05-22. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-02-04 | Mirrodin Besieged | MBS | 134 | 2003 | normal | black | Jana Schirmer & Johannes Voss | |
| 2 | 2015-05-22 | Modern Masters 2015 | MM2 | 231 | 2015 | normal | black | Jana Schirmer & Johannes Voss |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sphere of the Suns has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
