Checks and Balances
Unglued 16 • uncommon
- Set
- Unglued
- Collector number
- 16
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Mana cost
- 2 generic mana blue mana
- Type
- Enchantment
- Colors
- Blue
- Artist
- David A. Cherry
- Market price
- $0.39
What it does
Cast this spell only if there are three or more players in the game.
Whenever a player casts a spell, each of that player's opponents may discard a card. If they do, counter that spell.
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernNot legal
- LegacyNot legal
- VintageNot legal
- CommanderNot legal
- PauperNot legal
- BrawlNot legal
- HistoricNot legal
- TimelessNot legal
- Penny DreadfulNot legal
- OathbreakerNot legal
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
Checks and Balances was released in 1998 as part of Unglued, the first parody expansion for Magic: The Gathering. Designed by Wizards of the Coast to celebrate the game's more whimsical side, the set bypassed standard tournament rules to focus on humor and unconventional mechanics. The card was conceptualized by the game's design team to subvert the rigid structure of typical spell casting through a playful, interactive challenge.
The artwork was illustrated by Christopher Rush, a foundational artist for the game known for his iconic portrayals of powerful sorcery. With this card, Rush leaned into a satirical aesthetic that mirrored the card’s self-referential nature. Upon its release, the card was widely received by the community as a quintessential example of the set’s irreverent spirit, remaining a notable artifact of Magic's experimental history.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
Who's collecting this
Real cards collectors on collecto.rs who have this in their public collection.
About Checks and Balances
Checks and Balances is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Unglued 16 • uncommon. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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Where does the Checks and Balances catalog entry come from?
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