Why Supreme Verdict May Make Azorius Control Tier 1

Hello everyone!

While the full Explorer Anthology 1 list is going to be released next week, we have 3 previews to work through with Favored Hoplite, Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet, and Supreme Verdict. For this article, we’re going to be talking about one of the best wraths ever printed.

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For quite a long time, four mana has been the price point for wrath effects. Nowadays, we’re starting to creep up to the 5 mana point or the 4 mana wraths have some sort of catch. Even ones that do like Shatter the Sky, or more recently, Depopulate have seen a lot of play due to their power. Gone are the days of Wrath of God, but that’s changing soon!

What makes Supreme Verdict so powerful is simply the fact that it’s a four mana wrath. It didn’t need additional bells and whistles, just having a guaranteed wrath effect is so important for many strategies.

If that’s all it did, we’d be happy to have it. Getting Wrath of God in Historic was a big deal when it happened, so even if this is a bit color restrictive, it’s no big deal. However the kicker text of being uncounterable is a huge deal. Especially in Explorer, Mono Blue Spirits is one of the best decks and has been keeping Azorius at bay as it’s functionally an unwinnable matchup. Now that they have access to a wrath that will guaranteed clean up the board every time, we have a much more even playing field.

Beyond just Azorius, even Five-Color Niv-Mizzet in Explorer and Historic are happy to see this! Niv could struggle with decks that get a lot of large creatures as they could dodge Deafening Clarion. Now that they also have access to Supreme Verdict, they can have a more diversified Wrath suite and add another Azorius card to their list which was a frequently underused guild for the deck.

(E) Azorius Yorion

by DoggertQBones

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Explorer

best of 3

8 mythic

53 rare

11 uncommon

8 common

0

1

2

3

4

5

6+

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Companion

1

Yorion, Sky Nomad

$0.49

Planeswalkers (10)

2

Narset, Parter of Veils

$1.58

4

The Wandering Emperor

$119.96

4

Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

$83.96

Instants (18)

4

March of Otherworldly Light

$7.16

2

Dovin’s Veto

$8.98

3

Jwari Disruption

$1.05

1

Fateful Absence

$0.79

4

Absorb

$1.96

4

Memory Deluge

$5.16

Sorceries (6)

4

Supreme Verdict

$11.96

2

Farewell

$17.98

Artifacts (4)

4

Portable Hole

$3.96

Enchantments (8)

4

Omen of the Sea

$1.40

4

Shark Typhoon

$17.96

Lands (34)

2

Island

$0.70

2

Plains

$0.70

4

Glacial Fortress

$3.16

2

Field of Ruin

$0.98

1

Castle Ardenvale

$0.49

1

Castle Vantress

$1.79

4

Hengegate Pathway

$37.96

2

Hall of Storm Giants

$6.98

4

Deserted Beach

$25.96

4

Hallowed Fountain

$43.96

4

Irrigated Farmland

$1.96

2

Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire

$19.98

2

Otawara, Soaring City

$49.98

80 Cards
$478.46

Sideboard

1

Yorion, Sky Nomad

$0.49

2

Hullbreaker Horror

$7.98

1

Narset’s Reversal

$9.49

2

Dovin’s Veto

$8.98

4

Mystical Dispute

$1.56

2

Sunset Revelry

$0.70

3

Rest in Peace

$2.37

15 Cards
$31.57

VERDICT

Despite so many wraths being printed in Magic’s history, Supreme Verdict still stands as one of the best ones ever due to it’s consistency. If you want to wrath the board and you have a Verdict, it is functionally guaranteed to happen which makes it so powerful.

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