Firja, Judge of Valor MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Creature — Angel Cleric
Abilities Flying,Lifelink
Power 2
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Firja ensures sustained card quality with each attack, filtering through the deck for top card picks.
  2. Mana consistency is crucial for casting Firja, demanding careful deck construction in multicolored decks.
  3. Offers a unique selective draw mechanism, enhancing strategic decisions and future play setups.

Text of card

Flying, lifelink Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Firja, Judge of Valor allows players to sift through their decks effectively, drawing and filtering cards to maintain a strong hand throughout the match.

Resource Acceleration: Although Firja doesn’t directly produce additional resources, she enables acceleration by allowing you to play powerful spells from your graveyard, essentially expanding your available resources each turn.

Instant Speed: While Firja herself isn’t an instant, her triggered ability can be leveraged during any turn, offering the flexibility to cast or utilize spells at instant speed, thus keeping opponents guessing and increasing strategic depth in gameplay.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Firja, Judge of Valor requires players to discard a card to activate its ability. For those running a tight hand, this could be a detrimental setback, forcing crucial decisions on resource management throughout the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a mix of white, black, and generic mana to cast, which could pose a challenge in multicolored decks that might struggle with mana consistency. Players must consider their base carefully to ensure that Firja can be played when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of five mana, including two specific colors, Firja, Judge of Valor sits on the higher side of the curve. This can slow down gameplay for aggressive or fast-paced decks looking to maintain momentum against their opponents.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Firja, Judge of Valor has a flexible role in multiple deck types. Whether you’re running Orzhov control or a cleric tribal theme, Firja’s ability to provide card selection and card advantage makes her a valuable inclusion in many strategies.

Combo Potential: With each attack triggering her ability, Firja can potentially unearth powerful combo pieces by sifting through the top cards of your deck, making her a linchpin in combo-oriented lists that aim for a definitive finish.

Meta-Relevance: Firja’s capacity for card selection can help navigate through increasingly complex metas, making her a strong choice for formats where being able to consistently access key cards is critical to staying competitive.


How to beat

Firja, Judge of Valor is a unique card that can offer powerful card advantage in Magic: The Gathering. Piloting a deck that features Firja means capitalizing on the ability to sift through the deck efficiently with each successful spell cast. Firja’s trigger from casting a second spell allows a player to look at the top three cards of their library, potentially burying undesirable cards while keeping the essentials, which solidifies their game plan.

When facing Firja, Judge of Valor, the strategy shifts towards disruption. Ensuring that your opponent can’t comfortably cast two spells in a turn is key. This may involve holding up mana for counterspells or instant-speed removal to handle Firja before it can become a repetition engine. It is also effective to deploy hand disruption to throw off your opponent’s sequencing, preventing the setup necessary for Firja’s ability to activate. Ultimately, maintaining control over the pace of the game is essential. Prompt removal of Firja, Judge of Valor, or hindering your opponent’s ability to cast multiple spells in their turns can significantly minimize the impact of this potent card on the game state.

Understanding the dynamics at play when Firja hits the board is crucial for a robust defense. Preventing the card advantage engine from starting up ensures you don’t fall behind in resources and keeps you in a commanding position throughout the match.


Cards like Firja, Judge of Valor

Firja, Judge of Valor offers a unique spin on the Orzhov archetype in Magic: The Gathering, blending the mechanics of life gain and card advantage. When compared to Kambal, Consul of Allocation, both cards leverage their interactions with opponent’s spells for benefits. Although Kambal provides consistent life drain and gain, Firja requires a more strategic setup, rewarding players with selective card draw that can result in powerful card selection.

Morbid Opportunist presents another point of comparison, providing card draw upon creature deaths. Despite being less conditional than Firja, the draw mechanic is more passive and lacks the selective advantage of scrying. Furthermore, whenever Firja attacks and you cast your second spell each turn, her ability grants the combination of scrying and drawing, a compound value not found in Morbid Opportunist’s kit.

Ultimately, Firja, Judge of Valor stands out in MTG due to her potential for setting up game-changing future plays. Offering selective card advantage with a build-around-me quality that appeals to players who enjoy planning and synergy within their deck construction strategies.

Kambal, Consul of Allocation - MTG Card versions
Morbid Opportunist - MTG Card versions
Kambal, Consul of Allocation - Kaladesh Promos (PKLD)
Morbid Opportunist - Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID)

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Agent of Masks - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
Revenant Patriarch - Duel Decks: Sorin vs. Tibalt (DDK)
Deathbringer Liege - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Evershrike - Eventide (EVE)
Divinity of Pride - Commander 2013 (C13)
Vizkopa Confessor - Gatecrash (GTC)
Obzedat, Ghost Council - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
Blood Baron of Vizkopa - Iconic Masters (IMA)
Maw of the Obzedat - Dragon's Maze (DGM)
Sentry of the Underworld - Theros (THS)
Knights of the Black Rose - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)
Vona, Butcher of Magan - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC)
Arvad the Cursed - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)
Regal Bloodlord - Core Set 2019 (M19)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Firja, Judge of Valor MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Kaldheim Art Series, 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 Firja, Judge of Valor and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Firja, Judge of Valor Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2023-04-21. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 883842015normalblackGodMachine
22021-02-05Kaldheim Art SeriesAKHM 562015art_seriesborderlessLivia Prima
32021-02-05KaldheimKHM 3222015normalblackGodMachine
42021-02-05KaldheimKHM 2092015normalblackLivia Prima
52023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 402015normalblackWolfSkullJack
62023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 170z2015normalblackWolfSkullJack
72023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 1702015normalblackWolfSkullJack
82023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 1052015normalblackLivia Prima

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Firja, Judge of Valor has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Firja, Judge of Valor card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2021-02-05 The triggered ability can trigger only once each turn. The ability will resolve before the second spell does. It doesn't matter if the first spell you cast that turn has resolved, was countered, or is still on the stack.
2021-02-05 The triggered ability triggers only if the creature that has it is on the battlefield as you cast your second spell. Spells you cast in a turn before that creature entered the battlefield will count. In other words, the ability won't trigger if the creature with the ability is the second spell you cast during a turn or if you have already cast two or more spells by the time that creature enters the battlefield that turn.

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