No doubt the most powerful enchantment ever printed. That is not to say there are no enchantments that have a more insane game effect such as resolving a Dovescape but that the cost to power ratio is so insane that it will never be matched unless I should get into R&D...
The ability to have an 8/8 haster or 6/6 tank show up as early as turn 2 is simply insane.
I personally really like this card because it can be used in many decks but are the most affective with cards like forbidden orchard, and other stuff. The thing that does bug me tho is the fact that people rag on a card because they are good, I mean c'mon, remember this is just a game and you can just not play against people with these cards in deck. If you play tournaments and complain about them then maybe you shouldn't be playing tournaments if you can't handle a simple card.
thaviel
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(4 votes)
Whole decks around this card.
revinyesvr
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Okay, the oracle rules and the card are kind of in conflict on this one. Could you (if you so chose) have played this card, and then something like Spirit of the Hearth or True Believer? You would then not be targetable, and therefore the opponent (in 1v1 or some other formats) would have no target, as specified on the card. The oracle rules instead say to choose... so who wins?
Chrisrawr
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(5 votes)
@Revinysvr: The oracle text reads
"At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if that player controls fewer creatures than any of his or her opponents, the player may reveal cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. The player puts that card onto the battlefield and all other cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard."
There's no targeting involved, and the oracle text is always right.
SachielOne
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(3 votes)
This card is the reason I don't play Vintage.
True_Smog
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
My favourite combo card: simple, fast and effective.
Omenchild
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Actually it does target. The oracle text says THIS
"At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player chooses target player who controls more creatures than he or she does and is his or her opponent. The first player may reveal cards from his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. If he or she does, that player puts that card onto the battlefield and all other cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard."
izzet_guild_mage
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Oh good, I can give myself shroud to prevent the beats :P
Arglypuff
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
10/1/2009 The ability can only target an opponent of the current player.
10/1/2009 The targeted player controlling more creatures than the current player is a part of the targeting requirement. A player can't be targeted by this ability unless it's true, and the ability will be countered on resolution if it's no longer true at that time.
Yup. Ivory Mask will fizzle this just as it does Gifts Ungiven. If Ivory Mask is under your control ("your" being the controller of Oath of Druids also controls Ivory Mask), then your opponent cannot use Oath of Druids (except in multiplayer if at least 1 opponent is targetable).
Kurraga
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
This card should be restricted in vintage, it's ratardedly good now with the Eldrazi dudes, oh look it's Emrakul! That was easy and requred no skill, might as well throw down a time walk and win the game now, gg.
Thanks to the Oracle text this card makes a good sideboard against genderless opponents.
rmwpro
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
So let's say I have the Orchard and Oath is out. I've given my opponent a creature. At the end of his turn he kills the creature and now has none. After untap can I tap the orchard to give him another? I know the Oracle says "at the beginning of my upkeep" but isn't the manna tapping effect of Orchard that produces the side effect of giving my opponent a creature fast enough to make it still work and trigger Oath?
apollogod
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(3 votes)
@rmwpro
No player has priority between untap and the upkeep steps. Any triggers that occur "at the begining of your upkeep" will be placed on the stack before you have priority to tap any lands for mana.
The trigger for oath is checked twice: Once upon being triggered, and again upon resolution. If the opponent does not control more creatures that you at either time, the ability will not resolve.
So, no. You will not get priority to tap the orchard before the trigger would be placed on the stack (hence, Oath would not trigger at all).
Heitah
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Dear MTGO - please fix the confusing nature of Oath of Druid's mechanics on MTGO. All the noobs I play with don't understand they have to click an avatar to activate Oath's force mechanic, and then hit yes to mill for a creature. Also, please auto stack oath of druids because I'm sick an tired of clicking it to activate it when it's a forced mechanic anyway!
DredgeSkeletons
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I'm reading the oracle text and I'm a little confused. Do the cards you reveal go immediately into the graveyard or do they only go to the graveyard once you place a creature card onto the battlefield? It seems like it would be the latter.
ratchet1215
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
If all opponents upon the trigger have shroud, the trigger has no legal targets and can't be put on the stack.
Max_Glycine
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The oracle wording on this is utterly incomprehensible. I thought the oracle wordings were supposed to be less confusing than the original, not more.
Kss_Waylander
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Crop rotation for an Orchard and man oh man does Emrakul come out fast. That's game. My oath deck has been tweaked over the last seven years and its current 61 card setup has actually been requested to stop being played at my local venue. PST me for a listing.
Palutena
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Your opponent will hate you if they happens to have Phage the Untouchable in their deck.
Oath of Druids' ability will trigger at the begining of your upkeep. You can hold priority when the ability triggers and targets are chosen (it's put on the stack), and respond by tapping Forbidden Orchard for mana and giving the targeted opponent a 1/1 spirit. If they don't kill the spirit and they have more creatures than you, the ability will resolve and you will get your Progenitus.
@apollogod
Your wrong. It triggers during the upkeep no matter what, even if it's killed.
goldstar971
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Casanovatrik: yawgmoth's bargain and necropotence are better enchantments
dlgn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
How about:
"At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if any of that player's opponents controls more creatures than that player, that first player may reveal cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. If he or she does, that player puts that card onto the battlefield and all other cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Diamond Valley... Always have fewer then your opponent and gain masses of life.
DarthParallax
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Summary:
"At the beginning of each upkeep, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a creature card. Put it onto the battlefield under your control (!!!) Then stuff happens. (only if you control more creatures than target opponent. Put the other cards into your graveyard.)"
Lord_of_Gelectrodes
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Looks like I'm not the only one who immediately thought of Forbidden Orchard when I saw this.
TheKazu
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
so basically it reads {1}{G}: Opponent's cannot put creatures on the battlefield.
Huh, thats really not that broken by vintage standards.
voidweaver
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is all sorts of fun in my Phelddagrif EDH deck. Guy being a jerk? Here, have some hippos, everyone else gets to go fishing for creatures.
Sorry, but @apollogod is right. Oath of Druids' ability has a target. If your opponent doesn't have a creature at the beginning of your upkeep, then you can't target them and so the ability never goes on the stack in the first place. Giving them a creature during your upkeep is too late.
Atali
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
On all the other Oaths, at least one person has posted some derogatory comment about it being from the same cycle as this.
Oath of Druids is the odd one out guys, it's ridiculously broken where the other ones are meh.
TheWanderingBlade1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@apollogod
Actually, tapping lands doesn't use the stack. What you said is still relevant though, as you can't tap land before upkeep triggers.
Chiky911
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
what happen if i have 2 of this in the field? search for 2 creatures right? one then the other?
OlvynChuru
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think that, in multiplayer, Oath of Druids could actually be a really fun card if the deck of the person using it isn't based on using it to cheat Emrakul or other stuff like that onto the battlefield. What's cool about this card is that a player can get a creature out of Oath of Druids even if only one player has more creatures than them. This card would turn the game pretty crazy (though all that is mainly for casual multiplayer where decks don't have to be min-maxed).
Comments (41)
The ability to have an 8/8 haster or 6/6 tank show up as early as turn 2 is simply insane.
"At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if that player controls fewer creatures than any of his or her opponents, the player may reveal cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. The player puts that card onto the battlefield and all other cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard."
There's no targeting involved, and the oracle text is always right.
"At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player chooses target player who controls more creatures than he or she does and is his or her opponent. The first player may reveal cards from his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. If he or she does, that player puts that card onto the battlefield and all other cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard."
10/1/2009 The targeted player controlling more creatures than the current player is a part of the targeting requirement. A player can't be targeted by this ability unless it's true, and the ability will be countered on resolution if it's no longer true at that time.
Yup. Ivory Mask will fizzle this just as it does Gifts Ungiven. If Ivory Mask is under your control ("your" being the controller of Oath of Druids also controls Ivory Mask), then your opponent cannot use Oath of Druids (except in multiplayer if at least 1 opponent is targetable).
Love this card 5/5
No player has priority between untap and the upkeep steps. Any triggers that occur "at the begining of your upkeep" will be placed on the stack before you have priority to tap any lands for mana.
The trigger for oath is checked twice: Once upon being triggered, and again upon resolution. If the opponent does not control more creatures that you at either time, the ability will not resolve.
So, no. You will not get priority to tap the orchard before the trigger would be placed on the stack (hence, Oath would not trigger at all).
Oath of Druids' ability will trigger at the begining of your upkeep. You can hold priority when the ability triggers and targets are chosen (it's put on the stack), and respond by tapping Forbidden Orchard for mana and giving the targeted opponent a 1/1 spirit. If they don't kill the spirit and they have more creatures than you, the ability will resolve and you will get your Progenitus.
@apollogod
Your wrong. It triggers during the upkeep no matter what, even if it's killed.
"At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if any of that player's opponents controls more creatures than that player, that first player may reveal cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. If he or she does, that player puts that card onto the battlefield and all other cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard.
"At the beginning of each upkeep, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a creature card. Put it onto the battlefield under your control (!!!) Then stuff happens. (only if you control more creatures than target opponent. Put the other cards into your graveyard.)"
Huh, thats really not that broken by vintage standards.
Sorry, but @apollogod is right. Oath of Druids' ability has a target. If your opponent doesn't have a creature at the beginning of your upkeep, then you can't target them and so the ability never goes on the stack in the first place. Giving them a creature during your upkeep is too late.
Oath of Druids is the odd one out guys, it's ridiculously broken where the other ones are meh.
Actually, tapping lands doesn't use the stack. What you said is still relevant though, as you can't tap land before upkeep triggers.