Iona's Judgment MTG Card

Worldwake (WWK)
2010-02-05 - Number 8

Iconic Masters (IMA)
2017-11-17 - Number 25

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 142

Iona's Judgment - Commander Legends (CMR)

Commander Legends (CMR)
2020-11-20 - Number 25

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number IMA-25

Card sets	Released in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery

Key Takeaways

Iona’s Judgment offers targeted removal, exiling threats and providing decisive board control in games.
At a five mana cost, its inclusion in decks demands strategic resource management and planning.
While potent, it can be countered by spells or hexproof creatures to protect key assets.

Text of card

Exile target creature or enchantment.

Beneath the gaze of angels, only the righteous may stand without fear.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When playing Iona’s Judgment, the ability to exile any target creature or enchantment offers a decisive way to deal with threats. This utility not only disrupts your opponent’s board but also helps maintain your lead by removing key pieces from their game plan without losing any cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: While Iona’s Judgment itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its targeted removal can effectively slow down an opponent’s strategy, giving you the space to develop your resources unhindered. By keeping the board clear, you allow yourself to make plays that set up for future turns and execute your strategy efficiently.

Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Iona’s Judgment requires strategic planning regarding when to deploy it. However, its powerful effect compensates for this by often guaranteeing a one-for-one exchange at minimum, and potentially dealing with a major threat that could be impeding your path to victory.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Iona’s Judgment does not require a discard to play, thus providing no card disadvantage when casting it from your hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Iona’s Judgment requires a specific mana allocation of two white and three other mana, making it more challenging to incorporate into multi-color decks that may not heavily focus on white mana production.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Bearing a total mana cost of five, Iona’s Judgment might be considered costly compared to other removal spells. In many scenarios, players are looking for more mana-efficient solutions to deal with threats on the board.

Reasons to Include Iona’s Judgment in Your Collection

Versatility: Iona’s Judgment is not just a creature removal; it can also exile artifacts and enchantments, giving you an edge by offering a broad answer to multiple types of threats on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to exile targets can complement strategies that benefit from permanent removal or it can be paired with cards that capitalize on opponents losing key pieces. It’s an excellent support spell that synergizes well with white’s suite of ‘tax’ and ‘control’ effects.

Meta-Relevance: With the fluctuating landscape of MTG play, Iona’s Judgment holds relevance by being able to deal with varied popular threats. It’s a solid sideboard option or even main deck material, dependent on the prevalence of indestructible or regeneration abilities in your play environment.

How to Beat Iona’s Judgment

Iona’s Judgment is one of those removal spells in Magic: The Gathering that can take out nearly any threat your opponent has summoned to the battlefield. As a card that exiles target creature or enchantment, it bypasses graveyard interactions and shatters many strategies. Dealing with such a versatile removal can be challenging.

Counterspells are the most straightforward method against Iona’s Judgment, neutralizing it before it can resolve. Cards like Negate or Dovin’s Veto specifically target noncreature spells, making them perfect for safeguarding your important creatures and enchantments. Alternatively, playing spells like Miscast can be an effective and mana-efficient way to protect your game plan from being derailed by removals such as Iona’s Judgment.

Another tactic is to utilize hexproof creatures, which are immune to targeted spells, including Iona’s Judgment. By prioritizing creatures with hexproof or by granting hexproof to your creatures with spells like Lazotep Plating, you ensure that even if Iona’s Judgment is cast, the key pieces of your board remain untouched. Additionally, implementing redundant threats in your deck strategy ensures that even if one is exiled, your game doesn’t hinge on a single target.

Cards like Iona's Judgment

Iona’s Judgment stands out in the realm of white removal spells in MTG. Like its counterpart Pacifism, Iona’s Judgment offers a way to neutralize threats by rendering them ineffective. However, where Pacifism merely immobilizes creatures without dealing with them permanently, Iona’s Judgment steps it up by exiling the target creature or enchantment, ensuring it can’t come back to haunt you later in the game.

When we consider Oblivion Ring, another similar removal option, the flexibility it offers is evident since it can exile any nonland permanent. Yet, unlike Iona’s Judgment, Oblivion Ring’s effect is reversible; should the ring leave the battlefield, the exiled card returns. Finally, there’s Banishing Light, an enchantment with a function similar to Oblivion Ring. Its strength lies in targeting a wider range of nonland permanents. However, Iona’s Judgment holds its ground due to its definitive exile effect, leaving no loophole for the opponent’s permanent to return.

In essence, while there are a variety of removal spells in the MTG universe, Iona’s Judgment carves a niche for itself with its ability to permanently deal with immediate threats, offering white decks a reliable form of board control.

Cards similar to Iona's Judgment by color, type and mana cost

Lonesome Unicorn // Rider in Need - MTG Card versions

Righteous Confluence - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Iona's Judgment MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake and Iconic Masters, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Iona's Judgment and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Iona's Judgment Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2010-02-05 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Mike Bierek.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2010-02-05	Worldwake	WWK	8	2003	Normal	Black	Mike Bierek
2	2017-11-17	Iconic Masters	IMA	25	2015	Normal	Black	Mike Bierek
3	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	142	2015	Normal	Black	Mike Bierek
4	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	IMA-25	2015	Normal	Black	Mike Bierek
5	2020-11-20	Commander Legends	CMR	25	2015	Normal	Black	Mike Bierek