Balance of Power MTG Card

Portal (POR)
1997-05-01 - Number 41

Balance of Power - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)

Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
1999-05-01 - Number 34

Eighth Edition (8ED)
2003-07-28 - Number 62★

Eighth Edition (8ED)
2003-07-28 - Number 62

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number POR-41

Card sets	Released in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery

Key Takeaways

Ensures a hand size match with your opponent, pivoting the card advantage in your favor.
Instant speed allows unexpected game state changes, leveling the playing field on your turn.
Restricts usage to fewer cards than an opponent, requiring strategic play for maximum benefit.

Text of card

If you have fewer cards in your hand than your opponent does, draw until you have the same number. (When you play Balance of Power, it doesn't count as in your hand.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Balance of Power ensures that if you’re behind on cards in your hand, you can draw cards until the number of cards in your hand equals the number in your opponent’s hand, potentially providing a significant swing in card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While this card does not directly accelerate your resources like mana, Balance of Power can fill your hand with more options, thus increasing your ability to play impactful spells or lands in subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: The power of Balance of Power is amplified by its ability to be cast at instant speed, allowing you to wait until the end of your opponent’s turn to make full use of its effect. This can lead to unexpected shifts in the game state as you level the playing field by drawing cards, sometimes leading to game-changing moments.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: With Balance of Power, you must fulfill a condition of having fewer cards than your opponent to capitalize on its potential. This could push you into a strategic corner where you might have to hold back on playing cards just to trigger its effect.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a blend of both blue mana and generic mana, which inherently makes it exclusive to decks that can produce blue mana. This can restrict its integration into decks that are not already committed to blue.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that demands five mana, Balance of Power can be a sizable investment, especially when compared to other card draw options in the format. These costs necessitate careful planning to ensure it doesn’t hinder your board development in the early to mid-game.

Reasons to Include Balance of Power in Your Collection

Versatility: Balance of Power provides a considerable advantage in decks that react dynamically to an opponent’s hand size. It seamlessly slots into blue control or combo decks, which often aim to keep card parity or take the lead in card advantage.

Combo Potential: This card can work wonders in tandem with discard strategies or spells that limit hand sizes, ensuring you always get a substantial draw. It’s also a perfect fit in decks that can manipulate the number of cards in either player’s hand to maximize its effect.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where long, grindy games predominate and hand sizes fluctuate, Balance of Power can turn the tide by restocking your resources exactly when you need them most. This adaptability makes it a potent addition to any collection with an eye on shifting game states.

How to beat

Balance of Power in Magic: The Gathering stands out as a compelling option for card advantage in game scenarios where you find yourself trailing behind in hand size. It comes into play when your opponent has at least two more cards than you, allowing you to draw cards equal to the difference. But, despite its strength in card equality, it’s not unbeatable.

To counteract the impact of Balance of Power, maintaining a similar number of cards in hand as your opponent becomes key. Tactical card play and hand management can minimize the advantage Balance of Power provides. Additionally, employing instant-speed spells and abilities to draw or discard as a response to Balance of Power’s cast can dramatically reduce its effectiveness. Keeping up counter-magic to directly neutralize this spell or using disruption tactics to throw off your opponent’s strategy can prevent the Balance of Power from tipping the scales against you.

Oftentimes, the best way to mitigate an opposing Balance of Power is to apply pressure, forcing your opponent to use up resources and level the playing field in terms of card advantage. By adopting these strategies, the perceived power shift Balance of Power aims to achieve often becomes a minor setback instead of a game-ending play.

Cards like Balance of Power

Balance of Power is an intriguing card for players looking to swing the game in their favor by amassing a substantial card advantage. In Magic: The Gathering, it shares a kinship with other cards that allow for draw when you’re behind, such as the iconic Blue Sun’s Zenith. While Blue Sun’s Zenith offers flexibility due to its X cost, allowing you to draw as many cards as you can afford, Balance of Power requires a specific condition of the opponent having more cards in hand to capitalize fully.

Continuing with the theme of card advantage, we encounter Minds Aglow. This group hug staple also fills hands based on the mana invested and has a communal effect unlike Balance of Power’s targeted utility. Both cards change the game’s momentum, but Balance of Power does so while being dependent on your opponent’s position, reflecting a more strategic and situational use.

Each of these cards serves a purpose for players looking to replenish their hands and push their strategy forward. Powerful card draw spells are a cornerstone of the game, and Balance of Power certainly offers a unique spin on evening out the playing field or turning the tides with a well-timed play.

Cards similar to Balance of Power by color, type and mana cost

Temporal Manipulation - MTG Card versions

Ribbons of the Reikai - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Balance of Power MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Portal Three Kingdoms, 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 Balance of Power and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Balance of Power Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2003-07-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1997-05-01	Portal	POR	41	1997	Normal	Black	Adam Rex
2	1999-05-01	Portal Three Kingdoms	PTK	34	1997	Normal	White	Quan Xuejun
3	2003-07-28	Eighth Edition	8ED	62★	2003	Normal	Black	Adam Rex
4	2003-07-28	Eighth Edition	8ED	62	2003	Normal	White	Adam Rex
5	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	POR-41	1997	Normal	Black	Adam Rex

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Balance of Power has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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