Torpor Orb is a strange and unique card. It makes things that normally happen simply not happen. So abilities that you might really want to trigger from a creature entering the battlefield… won’t. It will shut down your life gain from Kitchen Finks (but doesn’t stop persist) or your card draw from Silvergill Adept.

But it also works the other way. Triggers you’d prefer not to happen… also won’t. So you can cast a Vexing Devil, and when it enters the battlefield, its ability will say “Oh hey, shouldn’t I be doing something?” Then it will get a stern glance from Torpor Orb and wither under its gaze. The ability won’t trigger, it won’t go on the stack, and the opponent might be upset that you just got a 4/3 for R without providing the option to take 4 damage to get rid of it.

Today’s Rules Tip written by Josh Stansfield