This card kills so many vintage decks. It is just funny. I wish I had more than just one.
abeing
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(9 votes)
Iff itt were unrestricted iin Vintage, creatures might have a chance--although most decks are hurt byy itt.
Iii phere iit iss underused inn legacy and extended aas well.
Too bad, considering how much fun iit iss tto play against.
SlackWareWolf
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Ummm, There's another card that says any creature with casting Cost 3 or less can be played for free at any time you can play an instant. It would counteract this if you were in fact playing with creatures since whatever card came in last dictates what to do.
metalworker
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(5 votes)
1. turn Trinisphere is always a pain in the ass
Omniance
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(3 votes)
I don't think Sphere of Resistance would actually do anything with Trinisphere out. With Sphere of Resistance spells that cost would cost instead, but with Trinisphere out as well, they would still only cost , not , because trinisphere's ability only effects cards that cost or less to cast.
FreakyM
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(4 votes)
There are some rather nasty things at 3 mana, too. Sphere of resistance bumps em to 4. That*s usually enough.
SoR alone, can to some extent handle the job of Trini' here, too, namely screwing with FoWs and the like.
StuartHamilton
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(5 votes)
To SlackWareWolf:
Aluren says you can play them without paying their mana cost. So, although trinisphere makes them cost 3, it becomes irrelevant since you don't have to pay that cost.
To Omniance: Effects that set a number to a specific amount are applied before effects that increase or decrease are applied, so if both are out, everything would cost 4+. (Crystal Keep, section 613.3b and 613.3c. Just exchange the words power/toughness with the words mana cost.)
Doncha just luv da rules?
theelk801
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(4 votes)
@StuartHamilton - Creatures casted for free thanks to Alluren would cost {3} to cast because the additional {3} from Trinisphere is an additional cost, not the mana cost. So all spells cost at least {3}, even if something lowers costs due to the fact that Trinisphere applies after cost modifiers.
kusumoto
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(5 votes)
Funniest way to deal with Trinisphere: tap it.
Kirbster
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(9 votes)
It had been a long, long time since any new card made waves in Type 1.
Snafinturtle
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(3 votes)
@StuartHamilton: Reading the rules relative to the card at hand tends to help too...
"Trinisphere's ability affects the total cost of the spell. It is applied *after* any other cost increasers or cost reducers are applied: First apply any cost increases. Next apply any cost reducers. Finally look at the amount of mana you have to pay. If it's less than three mana, you'll pay three mana."
Yay RulINGS.
No matter what other card is in play, trinisphere forces the caster to spend at least 3 mana to cast a spell, regardless of alternative or reduced/increased costs.
It's Force of Will's nemesis, and generally the first thing that gets FoW'd in old format games.
blink182zombies
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
This card isn't broken in Legacy because Legacy doesn't have Mishra's Workshop to get this out turn one and make your opponent hate Magic.
VarteDod
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(9 votes)
Nothing is more evil than making people pay to drop an Ornithopter.
Kryptnyt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Seems silly to restrict this, in a format where it is clearly playing in the hero's role.
Salient
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
One of the few cards which has its very own line in the Comprehensive Rules. :)
DacenOctavio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
As long as Trinisphere is untapped, Trinisphere forces Zoo to bend over and take it. God bless Stax.
Goatllama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card's Multiverse ID should be 333. Unfortunately, that is reserved for a certain grinning golem.
Adunar
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What happens if I have Trinisphere in play and try to search my library using Dimir Machinations' Transmute? Am I able to find cards with CMC < 3 in the library?
adrian.malacoda
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@Adunar: Trinisphere has no effect on transmute. Transmute is an ability, not a spell, so this does not affect the cost of transmute. Trinisphere only affects spells that you cast, it doesn't actually change the CMC of cards in your library or hand. Finally, transmute only lets you find cards with that exact CMC, no more, no less, so you could only transmute Dimir Machinations into another card with CMC 3.
zenitramleirdag
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
can be one sided if used correctly..
Infiltrador
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
if my opponent has a Trinisphere in play, and I cause harm him with a Hellcarver Demon magic I can play without paying the mana cost or paid 3 colorless mana?
enjoy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
clock of omens
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
interesting card that broken vintage.
Aquillion
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ Kryptnyt: The problem is that if someone with Trinisphere in their hand goes first, they get to drop all their mana-accellerators, and their opponent doesn't. In that respect, instead of hosing moxes, lotuses, mana crypt, mana vault, sol ring, etc, it actually makes them stronger -- you drop a bunch of your stuff first turn, and your opponent never has a chance to catch up.
Or, if you use it with Mishra's Workshop, your opponent is screwed unless they have a workshop of their own. The basic effect either way is to compound the advantage of broken cards rather than nerfing them.
Also, it hoses Force of Will, which is the only thing holding Vintage remotely in check.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Aside from this being an absolute house; I never noticed that it only works when untapped. I've never attempted to abuse this clause or use it in any deck thus far; but now I feel like the potential is too great. Clock of Omens makes this tragedy only occur on opponent's turns; how beautiful.
Why did they stop making artifacts with that awesome synergy. The flavor of turning something on and off is too awesome to ignore but they errata Winter Orb and make very few cards like this.
Comments (26)
Iii phere iit iss underused inn legacy and extended aas well.
Too bad, considering how much fun iit iss tto play against.
SoR alone, can to some extent handle the job of Trini' here, too, namely screwing with FoWs and the like.
Aluren says you can play them without paying their mana cost. So, although trinisphere makes them cost 3, it becomes irrelevant since you don't have to pay that cost.
To Omniance: Effects that set a number to a specific amount are applied before effects that increase or decrease are applied, so if both are out, everything would cost 4+. (Crystal Keep, section 613.3b and 613.3c. Just exchange the words power/toughness with the words mana cost.)
Doncha just luv da rules?
Reading the rules relative to the card at hand tends to help too...
"Trinisphere's ability affects the total cost of the spell. It is applied *after* any other cost increasers or cost reducers are applied: First apply any cost increases. Next apply any cost reducers. Finally look at the amount of mana you have to pay. If it's less than three mana, you'll pay three mana."
Yay RulINGS.
No matter what other card is in play, trinisphere forces the caster to spend at least 3 mana to cast a spell, regardless of alternative or reduced/increased costs.
It's Force of Will's nemesis, and generally the first thing that gets FoW'd in old format games.
Or, if you use it with Mishra's Workshop, your opponent is screwed unless they have a workshop of their own. The basic effect either way is to compound the advantage of broken cards rather than nerfing them.
Also, it hoses Force of Will, which is the only thing holding Vintage remotely in check.
Why did they stop making artifacts with that awesome synergy. The flavor of turning something on and off is too awesome to ignore but they errata Winter Orb and make very few cards like this.