The "origin and nature" of this game, is that it is constantly changing and evolving as to avoid becoming stagnant. That's why Revised exists. Shit was broken day one.
The only deck archetype hurt by the change is prison decks. Mana denial is something they have repeatedly stated they don't think is fun and that has been obvious for over a decade. Tuning down but not outright killing a card like this opens up a slew of new ideas in eternal formats.
Get out of the summer of '95 and try something new.
Posted By:
SuicidalTendancies
(8/28/2012 9:37:33 AM)
try icy manipulator. orb can't tap itself
Posted By:
BambooNickel
(10/4/2009 9:00:37 AM)
After almost 20 years of this card turning off when tapped (see text of Howling Mine for an example of what I mean), suddenly this gets a random nerf? This is very upsetting! The only rationale I see for the move is if they intend to reprint it into a set where turning it off would have been easy. In that case, they could have just printed a new version without the old functionality (with the only drawback to that being that singleton formats would then have access to two orbs). Regardless of the short-term reasons, it's a very disappointing move to ninja nerf a card that was a highlight of Zak Dolan's first World Championship winning deck, and a key card in fighting Necropotence decks in yesteryear. So much tradition and Magic history just got spit on by someone's callous edit to this card.
Posted By:
Nate_Prawdzik
(7/10/2011 2:36:06 PM)
this card is amazing andhas so many non stasis uses that people never try
Posted By:
Midnoctwolf
(7/22/2009 6:03:55 PM)
If I do get it tapped, does it untap during my untap step?
Posted By:
P-Slice
(10/20/2009 7:23:12 PM)
Oh, well. With a stroke of the pen, another great card bites the dust. Goodby, Winter Orb. You were an awsome card. What was once a powerful and fun-to-play artifact is now just another piece of junk cardboard. R.I.P. Winter Orb. Icy is going to miss you.
Posted By:
elhajjaj
(8/11/2011 11:13:38 PM)
Overpowered grieving effect .5/5
Posted By:
TheWrathofShane
(11/1/2012 9:13:04 AM)
hes gonna gobble that thing right up! XD
Posted By:
penguinmage25
(11/10/2011 4:15:35 PM)
how is this card good? does this also go against the player who cast this? and how would this be a good card in any deck?
Posted By:
Lisogo-Stozjask
(3/17/2012 10:22:12 AM)
Frostmourne hungers...
Posted By:
UNHINGEDMAN
(8/15/2011 7:37:43 PM)