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Evil Eye of Orms-by-Gore: A Network of MTG Card Relationships

If you’ve ever built a graph in your head while drafting or brewing, Evil Eye of Orms-by-Gore fits like a keystone. This black creature from Dominaria Remastered—a Masters set that revisits classic themes with a modern gloss—acts as a surprising hub in a web of card relationships. With a mana cost of {4}{B} and a sturdy body at 3/6, this common creature isn’t flashy in the way rares ask to be, but its aura of strategic connectivity is exactly what a network-minded player loves: a bridge between mana curves, tribal notions, and blocking dynamics. 🧙‍♂️🔥

In the graph of MTG interactions, every node can glow with different attributes: color identity, rarity, set, and most critically, how the card affects attacks, blocks, and tempo. Evil Eye of Orms-by-Gore shines as a color-identity black anchor whose text policy—“Non-Eye creatures you control can't attack. This creature can't be blocked except by Walls.”—creates a highly directional edge: it punishes the presence of non-Eye attackers and makes your Eyes the sole driving force of aggression. That’s a bold stance for a common card, and it invites you to map synergy edges with other Eye-themed or Wall-friendly creatures. It’s also a great example of how design tension can convert a simple body into a strategic network node. ⚔️

Card anatomy and how it informs the graph

Let’s break down the core signals that feed into a network graph. First, its mana cost and CMC at 5 give you a defined slot in mid-to-late stages of a game, where you’re balancing resource generation and threat density. Second, color identity is Black, which evokes themes of control, fear, and the unsettling. Third, the oracle text creates a dichotomy: you can restrict your own offensive options unless you lean into an Eye-centric deck, while opening a path to endgames by leveraging the walls of your opponent’s board. The ruling reality that Walls can block opens a novel edge: your opponent must invest in specific blockers to unlock combat, effectively slowing their tempo while you deploy a leg of “Eyes” to spearhead the attack. And the flavor text—“The highway of fear is the shortest route to defeat”—nails black’s thematic focus on psychological pressure. 🧠💎

The set is Dominaria Remastered, a Masters-era homage with a modern print quality. It’s a common rarity, so you’ll encounter this card in many decks across casual and more competitive kitchen-table formats. In the graph, that means a high-frequency node—easy to source and easy to connect with other black staples. The artist George Pratt lends a hands-on, vintage feel that resonates with the set’s mission to reintroduce familiar vibes with a refreshed aesthetic. In graphs, we often map aesthetic flavor as a separate edge: the card’s art and flavor text can attract players to form “story clusters” of Eye-themed or black-centric narratives. 🎨

Strategic edges: how this card links to a deck’s tempo and control

• Edge to Eye-themed creatures: The card’s constraint favors Eye creatures, creating a tribal-like cohesion even in a non-tribal environment. You can imagine a deck where eyes, or Eye-like bodies, are the primary attackers, with Evil Eye anchoring the defense against non-Eye assault forces. 🧿
• Edge to Walls and blockers: Since only Walls can block Evil Eye, Walls become essential co-stars. This creates a blocking lattice where your opponent must allocate special blockers to challenge your plan, enabling a risk-reward dynamic: protect your main threat while forcing memory and mana investment from your adversary. 🧱
• Edge to black disruption: In a broader black shell, you can combine robust removal and hand disruption to clear paths for your Eyes, while Evil Eye curbs opposing lines. The graph’s weight here grows when you include hand-hate or discard effects that keep you in control of the pace. 🔪
• Edge to occasional finishers: With a 3/6 body, Evil Eye can be a durable beat, enabling a late-game push if you’ve established a safe lane and kept non-Eye threats under control. The card’s late-game potential is a reminder that even a common can contribute meaningfully to a networked plan. ⚡

Flavor, lore, and the art of connection

Beyond numbers, the lore and flavor of Evil Eye create narrative threads for your graph. The “highway of fear” line hints at a fear-based strategy, where the mere presence of the Eye makes opponents second-guess their tempo and line choices. In a network sense, that’s a social proof edge: players who see the board coalesce around the perception that Evil Eye is a controlling centerpiece. And with George Pratt’s art staring back at you, the card feels like a doorway to a gothic microcosm—one that invites you to build a deck as much around storytelling as raw power. 🧙‍♂️💬

Collector notes and value considerations

As a common in a Masters reprint cycle, Evil Eye of Orms-by-Gore is widely accessible, with foil versions holding modest premium and the nonfoil version being even more approachable. Market data place prices in a low range (roughly a few cents to a dollar depending on condition and foil status), which makes it an excellent starter node for a graph-focused collection or a casual build exploring Eye-flavored interactions. The card’s long-tail appeal comes not from raw power, but from its potential to link disparate sets and strategies in a coherent, mutually reinforcing network. 🔗💎

For players who love to tinker with tempo and projection, Evil Eye offers a playful challenge: you’re not simply attacking—you're orchestrating a symphony of restrictions and connections that demands careful play, precise timing, and a willingness to lean into the color’s darker ambitions. It’s a perfect little puzzle in a card form that looks deceptively simple but can yield surprisingly rich board states. 🎲

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