• Balance (Repaint)
  • Balance (Repaint)

    Balance (Repaint)

    Artist
    Mark Poole
    Year
    2018
    Medium
    Oils
    Set/Console Name
    Alpha
    Console/Game
    Magic the Gathering
    C.O.A.
    no
    Substrate Material
    Masonite
    Substrate Dimensions
    11"H x 14"W
    Image Area Dimensions
    9 1/8"H x 12"W
    Frame Dimensions
    Unframed
    Handmade Protective Case
    No, Clear Bag
    Reserved List
    Yes

    Balance is a classic 2-mana white sorcery first printed in Alpha (1993). It is the most time consuming and detailed Magic painting by artist Mark Poole in the Alpha set. It enforces equality by equalizing lands, creatures, cards in hand and embodies white’s theme of justice and cosmic fairness. Balance is a very versatile card that does everything, all for just 1W mana. Decks can be built to minimize permanents and cards in hand, turning Balance into a one-sided Armageddon and Wrath of God combined. It’s a perfect card for stabilizing when behind in board presence or cards in hand. Balance also pairs well with artifact mana and recursion (e.g. Regrowth, Yawgmoth’s Will, Tinker) for soft locks or full resets. Balance was a pillar of early Magic competitive play. Featured heavily in “The Deck”, Brian Weissman’s famous control deck that defined competitive Magic in the mid-90’s, Balance is restricted in Vintage and banned in Legacy and Commander. In Old School (93/94) decks, Balance is a staple of white-based control decks and midrange strategies (e.g. The Deck, Erhnamgeddon). Balance is not on the Reserved List and has been reprinted several times.
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