Magic: The Gathering

Winter Orb

Unlimited Edition 276 • rare

Set: Unlimited Edition
Collector number: 276
Rarity: Rare
Mana cost: 2 generic mana
Type: Artifact
Colors: Colorless
Artist: Mark Tedin
Market price: $96.39

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$96.39est. via TCGplayer

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16other printings of this card

Market

What it's worth

$96.39market price via TCGplayer · Aug 17, 2026$91.00 – $96.39 over the tracked period

Estimate for a typical copy of Winter Orb; condition, printing, and grading move the real number.

Lore

Why it matters

This artifact card is a rare find from the Unlimited Edition that presents a distinct challenge to opponents by restricting their ability to untap lands. Its impact on the game stems from this ability to create a stagnant board state, making it a highly sought-after strategic tool for those looking to control the flow of play.

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Card face

What it does

As long as this artifact is untapped, players can't untap more than one land during their untap steps.

Formats

Where you can play it

StandardNot legal
PioneerNot legal
ModernNot legal
LegacyLegal
VintageLegal
CommanderLegal
PauperNot legal
BrawlNot legal
HistoricNot legal
TimelessNot legal
Penny DreadfulNot legal
OathbreakerLegal

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.

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Where to find one

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Provenance

Where it came from

Winter Orb was introduced in the 1993 Alpha set of Magic: The Gathering as a rare artifact designed by Richard Garfield. It was conceived as a disruptive element to challenge the game's momentum by limiting players to untapping only a single land during their turn, forcing a strategic shift toward resource management. The card became a staple in early competitive play, defining the 'Stax' archetype that relies on slowing the pace of the game to a crawl.

The illustration by Mark Tedin features a stylized, frigid sphere suspended in a desolate landscape, capturing the card's theme of atmospheric stagnation. As part of the 1993 Unlimited Edition, which served as the first mass-market print run of the game, this version retains the original white-bordered aesthetic. It is widely regarded for its elegant, minimalist rules text and remains an iconic representation of early Magic's brutal control-style mechanics.

Generated by Pi, the collecto.rs collecting companion

Other printings

Every version of this card

The same card, printed again — different sets, treatments, and prices.

Collectors

Who's collecting this

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About

About Winter Orb

Winter Orb is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Unlimited Edition 276 • rare. 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 Winter Orb catalog entry come from?

The catalog entry for Winter Orb is sourced from Scryfall. Catalog-level facts stay consistent across every collector; your own data (condition, edition, acquisition notes) is yours.