Ridiculously overpowered... Its pretty much banned in ALL formats short of Freeform, and restricted in Vintage and Classic. Basically it's become the #1 casual card in magic; all your friends will gang up and beat you to death when you play this. I have a R/W burn deck that utilizes Balance's power quite well. Has all the fetch lands I can muster to fetch up Plataeus and Sacred Foundrys. Lightning Bolt, Lava Spike, Chain Lightning, Lightning Helix, Path to Exile, Manamorphose, Fireblast and Balance pretty much sum it all up, with Blue and Artifact Hate Sideboard. Dump my hand all out by turn 3-5 burning you like crazy, then balancing down to 0-2 lands, no cards, no creatures. Then it boils down to who has the faster topdeck (or a Tarmagoyf). Trinishpere, Chalise of the Void, Tarmagoyf, and Counterbalance/Top are about the only real, demoralizing threats that I've encountered thus far; short of combo decks popping turn 1-3[Yeah, I'm talking about you TPS or TPES].

  -- By Jay from Minneapolis, MN USA on July 09, 2011

zuran orb! play this and sacn all of your lands while it's on the stack. no more lands and you have about 10 more life!

  -- By greg from here on January 24, 2009

Probably one of the greatest white cards in the game! Probably my favorite next to Swords to Plowshares. This was my first card back in the day that broke me from the "newbie" player that was addicted to using Polar Kraken and Leviathan like creatures and other crap to actually making decks that used strategy and skill, wasn't too long after I discovered Balance that I got into the more tournament scene of Magic.

  -- By John from Indiana on January 14, 2009

I don't think I have ever EVER made a control deck that didn't run balance. God, I remember when you could run 4. It was disgusting.

  -- By Anonymous from Norwich CT on September 20, 2005

Any card which Wizards themselves say is the one card that they'd go back and erase from time has to be powerful. This card doesn't disappoint. Rather than using it as a reset button, its most powerful effect is as a hyper-destroyer which gives you a massive advantage. If someone wants to play you and they have this card, just say no, 'cause if they get it right, you are up the creek without a paddle.

  -- By Anonymous from Dublin on May 12, 2005

For me the most powerful card! Test it, play it, enjoy it.

  -- By massimo.c from Vitry-le-François, FRANCE on February 12, 2005

It's the great equalizer! There's hardly words to describe how great this is! For a measly two mana it works on three fronts: hand, lands, and creatures. Considering the fact you know its coming, it clearly puts you in the drivers seat, you can hymn to tourach, stone rain and dark banashing all at once in one card for only two! Short list hands down!

  -- By Nick from Tampa on October 30, 2004

The best and most powerful card in Magic. Ever.

  -- By Stuart Malcolm from Dunfermline, Scotland on November 23, 2003

So you want to put out 3 creatures to my zero. Well take this. Balance back to 0. This card is great, and sometimes just plain out rude. It's great for any white deck.

  -- By Rick from Pittsburgh on January 30, 2003

This is a great card. Think about it in a weenie deck, all ur creatures got massacred and ur in trouble, tap two land for the mana for this, sac them all to zuran orb and boom life for u and no more creatures and mana for them, not to mention equal hand size. I play this card and it always turns around the game to be won if i play it, it is one of the best cards made.

  -- By Jon from MA on July 15, 2002

Good card to play it when you have out barely any creatures or lands.

  -- By Anonymous from on June 20, 2002

Before being removed from Type II, Balance was the most powerful card in all of magic. Combined with zuran orb, is low casting cost allowed you to destroy all lands and creatures in play, gain life for the lands, and place a big creature (serra angel) into play. Powerful!

  -- By Alan from Cokeburg, PA USA on January 25, 2002