Omen MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Released	1997-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Portal
Set code	POR
Number	62
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Eric Peterson

Key Takeaways

Omens offer scrying to arrange future draws and optimize resource management.
Their instant speed allows for flexible and reactionary gameplay in MTG.
Discarding for Omens can be costly, balancing their potential advantages.

Text of card

Look at the top three cards of your deck and return them in any order. You may choose to shuffle your deck. Then draw a card.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Omen card offers an invaluable edge by enabling strategic foresight through scrying, setting up your next draws to secure the resources you need.

Resource Acceleration: Omen can potentially ramp up your mana availability. By predicting and drawing into critical land drops or mana-producing artifacts, it accelerates your game plan and resource allocation.

Instant Speed: Its instant speed functionality allows for reactive play. You can optimize your turns by casting Omen on an opponent’s end step, thereby keeping your options open and responding to threats accordingly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In order to unlock the full potential of the Omen card, players must often discard another card from their hand. This trade-off can lead to a net loss in card advantage, particularly if the player is in a position where their hand resources are already stretched thin.

Specific Mana Cost: The power of an Omen card frequently comes with a stringent casting cost that requires a specific blend of mana types. This inflexible mana requirement can make it challenging to fit into a deck, limiting its versatility and possibly causing issues with mana consistency during gameplay.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When comparing the Omen card to other options in the game, its effectiveness is sometimes overshadowed by alternatives that offer similar benefits at a lower mana cost. This can dissuade players from including it in their decks, opting instead for more efficient spells that provide a better return on their mana investment.

Reasons to Include Omen in Your Collection

Versatility: Omen cards are known for their dual utility. Not only do they provide an immediate effect when they enter the battlefield, but they also have an additional benefit when they leave. This dual nature allows them to be included in a variety of decks that are looking for both short-term and long-term advantages.

Combo Potential: Many Omen cards offer synergies with enchantment-centric strategies. Their abilities to trigger upon entering and leaving the battlefield can be leveraged to create powerful interactions with other cards, making them key components in combo decks that capitalize on these triggers.

Meta-Relevance: Omens are typically relevant in formats where enchantments play a significant role. Owing to their flexibility and the utility they offer, Omens can be crucial in matching up against a wide array of popular decks in the current meta, adapting to both aggressive and control playstyles.

How to beat Omen Cards

Omen cards are a versatile group within the broad tableau of enchantments in the realm of Magic: The Gathering. Their unique aspect is the ability to sacrifice them at will for an added effect, often providing card advantage or manipulating game state to a player’s benefit. Tackling the strategic depth of Omens requires a keen understanding of timing and the use of your enchantment removal options efficiently.

Nullifying Omen cards typically involves foresight and a well-timed Disenchant or similar spell that targets enchantments directly. Keeping such removal in hand for critical moments can disrupt your opponent’s planned sequences. Additionally, leveraging instant speed removal when the Omen’s controller is low on resources, or just before they aim to capitalize on the Omen’s sacrifice ability, can maximize the disruption. You may also consider using counterspells as the Omens hit the stack if the ongoing benefits they offer are too great to manage once on the battlefield.

Ultimately, overcoming the multifaceted nature of Omen cards in MTG is about anticipating opponent moves, resource management, and maintaining the upper hand with the selective use of removal or counter abilities at pivotal moments in the game.

Cards like Omen

Omen, as an MTG card, shares characteristics with several enchantments that offer foresight into forthcoming plays. It aligns with other cards in providing strategic advantage, although the specifics of its abilities and cost can vary. One could compare it to the likes of Preordained, a card that also allows the player to look at the top cards of their library. However, Preordained offers an immediate draw, whereas Omen may provide a more sustained benefit over several turns.

Crystal Ball stands out as another parallel, granting players the power to scry at their leisure each turn. Despite its similar function, Omen differentiates itself with a typically lower mana cost and, in some cases, the added bonus of entering the battlefield with an effect. Then there’s Magma Jet, which, beyond its scrying ability, deals damage directly, marking it as a versatile choice in decks that favor direct interaction.

Assessing these comparisons, players can appreciate the unique place Omen holds. With its blending of foresight and potentially advantageous ETB (Enter the Battlefield) effects, Omen can be a subtle yet potent tool in a player’s arsenal, depending on its specific variant and application in game strategies.

Cards similar to Omen by color, type and mana cost

Fae of Wishes // Granted - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Omen MTG card by a specific set like Portal, 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 Omen and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Omen has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal