I think this is getting a bit of a bad rap.
Yeah, it's definitely expensive. But here's the deal: If you get this out early and it sits there, slowly upticking, you could use it to wipe your opponent's hand out so you can land your bomb without fear of counterspells or burn or what have you. It's sort of a way to clear the air for your big guy.
Your opponent isn't too likely to waste removal on an artifact they don't think is important, so if you drop it and then don't bother leaving 4 mana open regularly and don't pay attention to it, you can probably avoid getting it destroyed. Even if it is, you've still drawn a removal spell out of their hand for what is an otherwise somewhat underwhelming card.
Again, it's probably on the too expensive side. But the protection from meddlesome enemies it can grant is also potentially game-wining.
Posted By:
Magnor_Criol
(5/9/2011 12:59:37 AM)
That's pretty expensive, even for instant speed discard. Also would have much prefered a casting cost of {2} since the other shrines all cost {2} except Shrine of Boundless Growth, which doesn't have an additional activation cost.
Posted By:
tcollins
(5/24/2011 10:54:04 PM)
Making my opponent discard a few cards just doesn't read "limitless power" to me. WotC should have made it drain the opponent's life and give it to you.
Posted By:
Vinifera7
(5/28/2011 1:12:15 PM)
This has the most baffling name.
Let's run through the other shrines, shall we?
White: Shrine of Loyal Legions: Okay, Legions = Armies = Lots of tokens. Good
Blue: Shrine of Piercing Insight: Piercing Insight=Looking through the top of your library for the best option. Good.
Red: Shrine of Burning Rage: As you hold in your anger it grows so strong it can completely incinerate the other person. Good.
Greed: Shrine of Boundless Growth: As it grows larger it gives you more mana. Good.
Shrine of Limitless Power: It... Uh... Denies your opponent from having their stuff? I got nothing.
Posted By:
Dragon_Nut
(7/5/2011 8:05:30 PM)
What a waste of space in an otherwise good set. At least the other shrines have some use. This? Sorry, but WOTC really dropped the ball on this one.
I won't even get into the whole "What does limitless power have to do with discard?" debate because yeah, that makes no sense either.
Posted By:
landboysteve
(9/20/2011 6:54:53 AM)
Not unplayable in EDH, as games are usually very long and mana cost isn't a big deal. Also not very often do you see instant-speed discard.
Posted By:
SwordOfKaldra
(10/17/2011 3:35:59 AM)
Turn 3, play this
Turn 4, play boggart birth rite, getting another boggart birth rite: repeat for all avaliable black mana.
turn 5, target player discards hand.
Even that hypothetical best case scenario doesn't seem worth it. This card just isn't worth trying to use.
Posted By:
Tommy9898
(12/7/2011 10:03:36 PM)
Turn 1: Black lotus x4, sacrifice them all, this, Bitter Ordeal copies itself 4 times. Crack the shrine and your opponent discards 5 cards.
That's a long shot (which doesn't even work) and it still ends underwhelmingly. 0.5/5
Posted By:
shotoku64
(1/3/2012 3:49:52 PM)
3/5. Pretty much everything that's been said about this card is true, but I would at least sideboard it against a certain type of deck. My friend runs Arcanis the Omnipotent in EDH, and he usually has massive card advantage late in the game, giving him full permission ability. If this was fully charged, it could swing the balance back in my favor, and he can't counter the activated ability of an artifact.
Posted By:
Gareth32
(2/20/2012 6:25:28 AM)
my. power. is. LIMITLESS!!! Now, I pay 4 mana and you discard a card... ON YOUR TURN!!! MWUHAHAHAH!
Posted By:
RedAtrocitus
(9/26/2012 1:26:25 PM)