Not all cards in Magic: The Gathering are made equal.
There are several cards that overpower others, but some cards are cheap and super good. This will be the most overpowered cards in Magic. Many of these perspectives will be from standard, modern, and commander uses.
25. Counterspell
Nothing is more overpowered than being able to stop literally any spell ever.
For only two blue mana you can spit out an answer to anything your opponents play, whether they are playing Darksteel Forge, Paradox Engine, or even another counterspell.
What makes a card good in magic? A powerful low costing card that can do a lot. Counterspell is so good because all you need to do is hold up two blue mana and you’re golden until your next turn.
Market Value: $2.99
24. Sol Ring
This card is a staple in every deck.
A one drop that taps for two colorless mana is one way to get a huge head start on your creatures and spells.
Being able to play this turn one, is not one of the greatest plays you can have, but dropping this at any time is basically an extra boost to all of your deck.
Market Value: $3.99
23. Lightning Greaves
These boots weren’t made for walking, but they will definitely protect your commander and kick butt later in the game. Oh walking too, they do that.
For only two of any mana and an equip cost of nothing, lightning greaves should have a place in any commander player’s deck no matter what your playing (except planeswalker decks, cause duh).
Not only does this give your creature haste, but it gives it an ability to shroud your commander from everything. Swiftfoot boots are great but shroud is like flextape compared to the scotch tape of hexproof.
Market Value: $6.99
23. Mishra’s Workshop
Three free mana!? Who doesn’t like that? It’s like the Oprea of artifact lands.
Just like the card intro suggests any land that gets tossed in and can tap for three free mana is going to give you a huge advantage over your opponents.
Sure it has to be spent to cast artifacts, but imagine dropping darksteel forge on round 6 when most of the players don’t have any mana open to counter it. And if they do, then good! You just got rid of a potential threat of a counterspell against your better spells.
Market Value: $1619.99
22. Gaea’s Cradle
Board state: 8 creatures, 12 lands. Taps this for mana and get 20
If you don’t already see why this card is game breaking then I would take a step back and reconsider becoming a green mage and trying it out for yourself. A land, that taps for free, to generate a ridiculously large amount of mana is objectively the most broken thing a LAND can do.
DID I SAY YET THAT ITS A FREAKING LAND! YOU PLAY IT FREE! FREE MANA!
Market Value: $409.99
21. Tolarian Academy
The Artificers School of witchcraft and brokenness
Once again free mana at no cost to you! If you are playing any type of artifact deck than you should be running this. Getting mana for every dumb thopter you have on the field could ruin the game for anyone you play against.
FREE MANA!
Market Value: $50.00
20. Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
I will forever believe that this is the best land in Magic ever.
This is always broken because no matter what you will have more mana than your opponent. This means that you can cast better spells, better creatures, and have more answers. That is always a brew for a winning game.
Market Price: $14.99
19. Library of Alexandria
You get a card, and you get a card, and everyone gets a card!
This card has to be explained just a little bit. If you are playing in a format that can run this card, then you should also be running land tax, that’s just a no-brainer.
Land tax allows you to go and grab three lands and put them into your hand. That basically gets you the golden ticket to start drawing so many cards. Card draw leads to answers, and answers lead to winning games.
Market Value: $1199.99
18. Prophet of kruphix
Have you ever played commander? Have you ever played magic? Then you know this card is too good.
Prophet of Kruphix is one of the most broken cards in the game of magic because of its ability. You get to untap all creatures and lands on every persons untap step, AND your creatures have flash.
This card was banned in commander for a good reason. It just wasn’t fun and broke the game because you basically were able to cast your creature spells as interrupts to literally anything.
Market Value: $0.69
17. Planar Bridge
Drop six, pay 8, search for literally anything in the world from your deck into play. AT INSTANT SPEED
Imagine this: Your playing literally any deck in the world, and you have planar bridge out. You can demonic tutor or tinker any permanent you want onto the field. You have artifacts and someone plays a board wipe? Pay 8 go get darksteel forge. You are playing Simic and someone board wipes? Go get mystic snake and counter the board wipe.
With this card, you can do so many different things. Want mana? Go look for Gaea's cradle, Uborg, or academy. It’s so easy to play anything with this card. Sure it’s expensive but being able to tutor up anything is worth the price.
Market Value: $5.99
16. Karn Liberated
Do you see this beefcake of a golem? Do you want to go toe-to-toe with him?!
I usually would never put a planeswalker on an overpowered list, but Karn Liberated deserves this spot. Being able to just exile things on the whim is perfect. Don’t Like a card? Boom exiled on your turn.
The reason I wouldn’t put a planeswalker on a list like this is that they can easily be targeted or removed from the game, but having the ability to start the game over in three turns?! If you’re playing commander this is a must-have, if you can protect him.
Market value: $59.99
15. Prime Speaker Vanifar
Ever heard of birthing pod (if you haven’t don’t worry its #15)? Yeah, it’s that but on a creature.
I love this card more than anything else because it breaks a game of commander in 5 turns. If you have never seen a combo deck tech around her, definitely check it out after this article, it’ll blow you away.
Being able to get her out turn 3-4 then turn 5 tap, you can combo off and win if your opponent doesn’t have any answers to either her ability or Protean Hulk (another broken card but not as worthy for the list). Winning in 6 turns deserves a spot
Market Value: $14.99
14. Birthing Pod
I don’t want to include this type of ability again, but here is why it’s game breaking:
So remember with Vanifar, we were able to win turn 5 or 6, well with birthing pod, we can win turn 3 or 4 with the perfect hand setup. Sure you can say that about Vannifar too, but it would be a little more tricky, with this you can tutor up any creature that untaps anything and start your chain.
Also, with this being an artifact, you can pay either 2 mana or 1 mana and two life to start up your chain. Sure not as broken as Karn, but at least it can’t be targeted by creatures.
Market Value: $12.99
13. Darksteel Forge
Imagine a counterspell, except it, disappoints everything constantly. Yeah, that’s basically Darksteel Forge.
There are two specific reasons I am putting this card where I am. 1) because coming up with cards is very difficult and 2) because it stops all target removal, and board wipes from touching any of your artifacts
Also, most players don’t run exiles for artifacts, so it is very hard for your opponents to remove Darksteel Forge from the game.
Market Value: $22.99
12. Expropriate
If you’re not the one who casted this card; always, ALWAYS, pick money.
I’m not kidding either. This card has won so many games because someone picks time because they think that have cool stuff on the board. That doesn’t matter though if you lose the game to someone who might be taking 2, 3, or even 4 extra turns.
This isn’t the only time gaining card on this list, but if you ever encounter this spell, convince everyone else to choose money. You can thank me later.
Market Value: $59.99
11. Veldalken Orrery
Imagine playing any card at any time. Yeah, that’s broken.
I run Vedalken Orrery in as many decks as my wallet can afford because the card is that good. Being able to tap 4 mana and basically cast any card at any time is so worth it.
Dropping card draw sorceries on your opponent's turn, playing creatures, putting artifacts down, then during your turn, you’re able to untap all your mana and pass and do everything over again. Being able to cast cards on other people’s turns is not only fun, but it keeps you in the game longer because you should always have answers.
Market Value: $32.99
10. Time Walk
Remember when I said that the more expensive cards aren’t always better, well let me get a pass for this one.
For two mana you can take an extra turn. FOR TWO MANA YOU BASICALLY WIN IN THE RIGHT CONDITION.
If you like not having friends or money, I would definitely recommend playing this card, then using snapcaster mage to bring it back, and maybe double the card with your bonus round if you're playing Izzet. It’s too good.
Market Value: $3699.99
9. Tinker
Steps to win: 1. Play sol ring and a signet turn 1 2. Play this turn three, sacrifice the signet and get darksteel forge
Being able to tutor up any amazing artifact from your deck is the best thing since time walk, and I am serious. If you’ve ever played against an artifact deck you know the struggle when Darksteel things hit the field. Going up against a player who has it turn two or three could be killer.
Now if you’re the one actually playing the card, well sit back and watch your opponent cry in fetal position and laugh at their pain.
Market Value: $3.49
8. Ancestral Recall
Draw three? Why is this so overpowered?
I put this on the list for a few reasons. Not only is drawing cards amazing and easy to do, but it gets even easier when it only costs 1 mana to do so. Throwing this card into any blue deck is definitely a must if you have the cash to do so.
Cards today don’t even let you do this. Preordain, Ponder, Brainstorm. They all let you get maybe one card, but three cards for 1 mana leaves you able to cast the answers you’ve been trying to dig for.
Market Value: $7499.99
7. Mind’s Desire
If you can think it, you can cast it.
If you’ve ever played Izzet before than you really don’t understand the full impact this card can have on the game. Yes, the card is expensive at 6 mana, but being able to play 10-15 cards for free, is game breaking.
Storm, is something players call playing several instants and sorceries in a turn, this is what Mind’s Desire is looking for when it’s being played. A storm player can cast several cards in a turn then cast this, and continue casting even more cards for free.
Market Value: $0.49
6. Swords to Plowshares
This is definitely one of the best cards in the entire game.
Not only is this card an instant that lets you exile creatures at any time, but it only costs 1 mana to do.
If you have ever been in a situation where you can’t remove a creature quick enough from the game, fear not! This one drop can easily save anyone from the game. The gain life on the card is not of importance when it is saving your life,
Market Value: $2.23
5. Snapcaster Mage
If you’re a magic player this one is the one you never want to see because it’s that good.
Snapcaster Mage allows you to play any instant or sorcery card from the graveyard. So? What’s so good about that?
Well if you have a blink deck, then you will quickly learn how dangerous snapcaster can be. If you continue to blink him than all the cards in your graveyard can be brought back and recasted. Things like time walk, expropriate game-breaking cards, for free.
Market Value: $59.99
4. Skull Clamp
If you are playing the right deck, this card could be the most dangerous thing in the game.
Skullclamp is one of the easiest ways to continue getting cards in your hand. If you are running a token deck and have enough mana you could refill your hand several times over.
Playing against it is another thing because you don’t want your opponent drawing into any answers to take out your board state, so getting rid of skullclamp has become your top priority.
Market Value: $5.49
3. All of the Mox cards
If you didn’t see this in the top 3 then can you really call yourself a magic player?
I have talked about time and time again about how getting mana for free is one of the best things you can do because it gives you such a huge advantage over your opponents. Dropping any of the moxes turn one with maybe a sol ring and a signet, then you are basically winning out of the gates.
Also if you noticed the sapphire mox can be used with tolarian academy to generate even more mana, equaling more value in the deck.
Market Value: $3,999.99-7,999.99
2. Basic Lands
We do have to make room for the cards that make this whole thing possible
Lands are like air to us players. Without these magnificent cards, then the game we love so much today would be completely different. We wouldn’t be able to cast those counterspells, or time walks, or planeswalkers. So quite literally not putting these cards in the game could break it, that’s why they are overpowered.
Market Price: $0.00-0.25
1. Force of Will
Start with a counterspell and end with an even better one
Counterspells are the most broken thing in the game because it could change the tides of all things possible. Your opponent plays time walk, you counter it. Your opponent plays a big creature, you counter it. Nothing beats a counterspell.
The #1 broken card in Magic: The Gathering is a counterspell that you can cast for free. Sure spellswindle is a card you can cast for free, but then you have to pay 5 mana or lose the game. With this, you throw away a card and take 1 damage and you have set back and shocked any player in the world. That’s why it deserves the #1 spot on this list.
Market Price: $89.99
You May Also Be Interested In:
Top 50 MTG Best Flavor Text https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/top-50-mtg-best-flavor-text
MTG Best Counterspells of Today https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/mtg-best-counterspells-today
15 Best Commanders In MTG https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/15-best-commanders-mtg
