FYI: one time, on South Park, alien network executives took the boys to a "Hekma bar." It certainly gives a different meaning to "the God-Pharaoh's barrier."
So when I heard this was a graveyard recursion set, I thought maybe they had invented some clever new mechanics for interacting with zone changes, but then it turned out the mechanics weren't all that clever but the real recursion was all the old cards they were reprinting with one or two words/symbols changed around and new name/art.
Exactly half as useful as Orbs of Warding for the same cost.
Could be funny in Frontier if someone manages to ultimate Ajani Steadfast.
Minor quibble, but the Orbs only protect you from creatures. This does all opponent sources.
True but it was the only card I could think of on short notice while trying to search on an iPad, a non-ideal situation no matter how you slice it.
Could prove useful in Limited but probably won't show up anywhere else except for that one player's home brew where they have a full set of this and Authority of the Consuls.
If it was "You or a permanent you control" I would like it a lot more. Not only would it be outright better but also more flavorful (You own the city and all the people in it, like Bolas).
This is made for the kitchen table. It's a great card there.
What? In a nice ragu with my pasta?
Cause I can tell you there are a million things I'd be playing ahead of this. Orim's Prayer, Lashknife Barrier... so many things look at Protection of the Hekma's CC and laugh.
If this is supposed to help against copy cat combo i'm hugely disappointed.
The old Urza's Armor effect is back, 1 cheaper but with a white color requirement and the more resilient Enchantment typing (far fewer enchantment destruction spells are constructed playable or show up in sideboards than artifact destruction spells).
This effect is however still grossly overpriced at 5 mana, having the additional reduction apply to things like burn spells and Dynavault Tower activations is not enough to make it more playable than the cheaper but totally unplayed Dampening Pulse.
Without any additional effects I doubt this type of card can be playable at costs over 3 mana.
That art is so creepy. Unless I'm mistaken, that's a layers-deep horde of Zombies trying to break into the city within a sandstorm. And what appears to be a child who's dropped a ball near the barrier, and is hesitant to get closer to retrieve it.
I feel like this card is a one or two changes away from being solid. 4 CMC seems right for this card, or at least at a rider protecting your planeswalkers from said damage. Oh well. At least it's not rare, I guess?
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Not bad but I have seen way better damage protection than this.
Meh. Maybe vs. a lot of burn, but otherwise, just limited castaway.
Although there are more efficient answers.
Could be funny in Frontier if someone manages to ultimate Ajani Steadfast.
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Minor quibble, but the Orbs only protect you from creatures. This does all opponent sources.
A relevant quibble, since Orbs grants Hexproof but that won't stop Purphoros, God of the Forge or Pestilence activations.
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True but it was the only card I could think of on short notice while trying to search on an iPad, a non-ideal situation no matter how you slice it.
Could prove useful in Limited but probably won't show up anywhere else except for that one player's home brew where they have a full set of this and Authority of the Consuls.
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What? In a nice ragu with my pasta?
Cause I can tell you there are a million things I'd be playing ahead of this. Orim's Prayer, Lashknife Barrier... so many things look at Protection of the Hekma's CC and laugh.
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The old Urza's Armor effect is back, 1 cheaper but with a white color requirement and the more resilient Enchantment typing (far fewer enchantment destruction spells are constructed playable or show up in sideboards than artifact destruction spells).
This effect is however still grossly overpriced at 5 mana, having the additional reduction apply to things like burn spells and Dynavault Tower activations is not enough to make it more playable than the cheaper but totally unplayed Dampening Pulse.
Without any additional effects I doubt this type of card can be playable at costs over 3 mana.
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not on mine....
at least, in the kitchen, I'm close to a lot of knives and fire sources.... so this card can meet it's proper end quickly....
damn, this set is bad.
I want a large version of this art.
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