Armillary Sphere MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 13 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeArtifact

Key Takeaways

  1. Lands fetched with the Sphere ensure smoother draws and strategic flexibility in MTG.
  2. Requires a four-mana commitment, potentially high for its land searching effect.
  3. Its neutral color and artifact synergies make it versatile across various decks.

Text of card

, , Sacrifice Armillary Sphere: Search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

The mysterious purpose of two of the rings had eluded Esper mages—until now.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Armillary Sphere is excellent for deck thinning as it lets you search your library for up to two basic land cards, ensuring more consistent draws.

Resource Acceleration: By fetching lands directly from your deck, this artifact helps in securing the land drops needed to accelerate the deployment of your pivotal cards.

Instant Speed: Although the activation isn’t at instant speed, it can be used at the end of your opponent’s turn to ensure you have the mana you need when it’s most crucial, effectively not hindering your own turn’s interaction capacity.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: The Armillary Sphere requires a two-mana investment upfront, which can be restrictive in the early game stages when mana resources are at a premium.

Discard Requirement: While the sphere itself does not have a discard requirement, obtaining the basic lands from your deck is contingent on sacrificing the Armillary Sphere, which can feel like a loss of a resource, especially if board presence is crucial.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the initial cost is two mana, the activation also demands an additional two, totaling a four-mana commitment for the effect. This is often seen as high considering the streamlined and efficient alternatives available in the format for land fetching.


Reasons to Include Armillary Sphere in Your Collection

Versatility: Armillary Sphere seamlessly integrates into virtually any deck that might be mana-strapped. It’s not restricted by color, making it an excellent choice for multicolored decks seeking consistent land draws.

Combo Potential: As a mana-fixing artifact, it can support decks built around artifact synergies or landfall mechanics, setting the stage for powerful plays and maintaining a healthy mana curve.

Meta-Relevance: In a variety of metagames, the reliability of land drops is crucial. Armillary Sphere ensures land drop consistency, which can be pivotal in games that stretch into the late stages.


How to beat

Armillary Sphere serves as an asset for players looking to stabilize their mana base in Magic: The Gathering. The simplicity of the artifact lies in being able to fetch two basic lands from your deck, ensuring your ability to execute your strategy without mana hiccups. Unlike ramp spells that put lands onto the battlefield, this card places them into your hand, preparing you for future turns.

When facing off against an opponent utilizing the Armillary Sphere, disruption is your hallmark to success. Cards such as Naturalize allow you to swiftly remove it from play before your adversary can benefit from the lands. Counterspells can preemptively neutralize the Sphere as it hits the stack, preserving the state of the game in your favor. Similarly, discard mechanics that force your opponent to lose cards from their hand can strip them of the advantage before they can utilize the searched lands.

Ultimately, thwarting the effect of Armillary Sphere pivots on your capacity to foresee your enemy’s maneuvers and undercut their resources strategically. Maintaining control over the board by efficiently managing your removal and counter resources can nullify the benefits the Sphere provides.


BurnMana Recommendations

Drawing upon the insights shared about Armillary Sphere, it’s clear that mastering MTG involves knowing more than the strengths and weaknesses of any single card. Integrating artifacts like Armillary Sphere in your deck can offer strategic advantages in mana stabilization and aid in executing powerful combos. Indeed, a deeper understanding of card mechanics can transform your playstyle. Ready to deepen your skill set and enrich your MTG experience? Embark on a journey with us as we reveal intricate strategies, deck-building secrets, and much more. Expand your MTG wisdom and join a community devoted to conquering the game, one draw at a time.


Cards like Armillary Sphere

The Armillary Sphere is a unique fixture in the MTG universe, offering a reliable means for players to stabilize their mana sources. It draws a parallel with the likes of Wayfarer’s Bauble, another mana-fixing artifact that allows players to search their library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. However, the Armillary Sphere adds to your hand instead, providing a strategic advantage in fueling land drops for subsequent turns.

Additionally, we see similar functionalities in cards like Burnished Hart, granting players the power to search for lands. Albeit more costly, this card immediately accelerates land placement onto the battlefield. Pilgrim’s Eye offers a more modest comparison, retrieving a basic land to hand but also providing a creature presence on the board. Though it doesn’t offer the double land tutoring like Armillary Sphere, it has its distinct role in various strategies.

Indeed, in the realm of mana-fixing artifacts, the Armillary Sphere holds its place, offering a predictable and unhindered path to land consistency. It excels for its balance between generating immediate board impact and planning ahead, ensuring smooth gameplay for MTG enthusiasts.

Wayfarer's Bauble - MTG Card versions
Burnished Hart - MTG Card versions
Pilgrim's Eye - MTG Card versions
Wayfarer's Bauble - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Burnished Hart - Theros (THS)
Pilgrim's Eye - Worldwake (WWK)

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

Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Ankh of Mishra - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Swiftfoot Boots - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Elsewhere Flask - MTG Card versions
Chaos Orb - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Winter Orb - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Ankh of Mishra - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Amulet of Kroog - Rinascimento (RIN)
Nacre Talisman - Ice Age (ICE)
Howling Mine - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Essence Bottle - Tempest (TMP)
Emerald Medallion - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Scrying Glass - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Cursed Totem - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Tsabo's Web - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Millikin - Odyssey (ODY)
Swiftfoot Boots - The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts (BRR)
Ark of Blight - Scourge (SCG)
Surestrike Trident - Darksteel (DST)
Energy Chamber - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Water Gun Balloon Game - Unhinged (UNH)
Angel's Feather - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Demon's Horn - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Elsewhere Flask - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Armillary Sphere MTG card by a specific set like Conflux and Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons, 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 Armillary Sphere and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Armillary Sphere Magic the Gathering card was released in 13 different sets between 2009-02-06 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Franz Vohwinkel.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-02-06ConfluxCON 1342003normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
22011-04-01Duel Decks: Knights vs. DragonsDDG 622003normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
32011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 2422003normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
42012-03-30Duel Decks: Venser vs. KothDDI 642003normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
52012-06-01Planechase 2012PC2 1082003normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
62013-11-01Commander 2013C13 2352003normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
72016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 1082015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
82017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 2072015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
92017-08-25Commander 2017C17 2032015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
102019-08-23Commander 2019C19 2092015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
112019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 15452015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
122020-09-26The ListPLST C17-2032015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
132020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 2982015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Armillary Sphere has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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