Judge of Currents MTG Card


Judge of Currents - Lorwyn
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Merfolk Wizard
Released2007-10-12
Set symbol
Set nameLorwyn
Set codeLRW
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number22
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byDan Scott

Key Takeaways

  1. Lifegain at instant speed with Judge of Currents disrupts opponents’ plans by boosting survival mid-battle.
  2. Restrictive mana requirements can hinder deck integration, making it less versatile in non-blue decks.
  3. Essential in merfolk decks, it offers longstanding vitality and combo potential in the right setup.

Text of card

Whenever a Merfolk you control becomes tapped, you may gain 1 life.

Though the currents of the Lanes shift every year, the merrow never lose track of where they are or where they are going.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Judge of Currents provides a consistent life gain mechanism which can translate into card advantage in the long run. Decks that synergize with lifegain strategies can transform this sustained life increase into opportunities for card draw or to activate various abilities, setting you ahead of your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting mana resources, Judge of Currents accelerates your resource durability. Each life point gained is an extra buffer, enabling you to take more risks or survive longer against aggressive strategies, effectively giving you more time to deploy your own resources.

Instant Speed: One of the key strengths of Judge of Currents is its ability to trigger life gain at instant speed, as long as you are tapping a Merfolk creature. This feature allows you to respond to your opponent’s actions during their turn, potentially disrupting their strategies by unexpectedly bolstering your life total, which can be especially advantageous in interactive matches.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Judge of Currents necessitates a specific combination of mana, including blue, which can restrict its integration within multicolored or colorless decks that may not prioritize or support blue mana sources effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that’s slightly higher for its 1/1 body, Judge of Currents may not always represent the most mana-efficient play, especially when compared to other cards with greater impact or stronger abilities at similar mana values.

Discard Requirement: While Judge of Currents itself does not require a discard, utilizing its tap and untap potential often relies on other cards, potentially leading to unfavorable discards or expending valuable cards to activate its life-gaining ability.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Judge of Currents slides seamlessly into various deck types, particularly those centered around Merfolk or tap/untap mechanics. It offers a steady life-gain ability which bolsters your endurance throughout the game.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards enabling multiple creature tap and untap actions, Judge of Currents turns into a life-generating machine. This makes it a fundamental piece for infinite combos that can sway the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where the pace is quick and aggressive, Judge of Currents serves as an excellent defense mechanism. Its ability to gain life with every tapped Merfolk becomes increasingly useful, mitigating damage from quick strikes and preserving your stance on the battlefield.


How to beat

Judge of Currents is an intriguing creature card in Magic: The Gathering, with the unique ability to gain life whenever a Merfolk you control becomes tapped. This can create a sustainable life buffer for players leveraging Merfolk synergies. To counteract this card, the most straightforward tactic is to remove it from play. Employing instant-speed removal spells such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile can swiftly handle the Judge before the life gain becomes overwhelming. Board wipes like Wrath of God can also reset the playing field, eliminating the advantage provided by Judge of Currents and other creatures in a single stroke.

Alternatively, preventing Merfolk from tapping in the first place can nullify Judge of Currents’ impact. Cards like Imposing Sovereign or Cursed Totem can restrict your opponent’s creature abilities, effectively shutting down the lifegain engine. It’s essential to adapt to the speed of Judge of Currents and ensure that it doesn’t slip through your defensive lines to tip the scales in your opponent’s favor.

Ultimately, while Judge of Currents can bolster a Merfolk deck’s resilience, a combination of timely removal and preventative measures can effectively undermine its strengths and maintain equilibrium on the battlefield.


Cards like Judge of Currents

Judge of Currents is an intriguing addition to the repertoire of life-gaining creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It holds its ground next to cards like Soul Warden, which also offers a way to increment life totals. Judge of Currents, however, shines with the specific lifegain trigger from tapping a merfolk. Soul Warden is less restricted, gaining life whenever another creature enters the battlefield, regardless of type.

Another card in this space is Daxos, Blessed by the Sun, offering a similar lifegain capability. Daxos triggers on your creatures entering or dying, which may appeal to a wider strategy but still differs from Judge of Currents’ merfolk-centric mechanism. Furthermore, there’s Anointer Priest, which gains life whenever a token enters under your control, a more specialized scenario than Judge of Currents’ repeatable tap action.

Judge of Currents remains unique with its tribal synergy where it not only enhances life totals but also bolsters merfolk strategies. When comparing these cards, Judge of Currents’ value is notably context-dependent, flourishing in decks designed around its merfolk synergy and tap mechanics. It carves a niche for itself among life-gain creatures in Magic: The Gathering.

Soul Warden - MTG Card versions
Daxos, Blessed by the Sun - MTG Card versions
Anointer Priest - MTG Card versions
Soul Warden - Exodus (EXO)
Daxos, Blessed by the Sun - Theros Beyond Death (THB)
Anointer Priest - Amonkhet (AKH)

Cards similar to Judge of Currents by color, type and mana cost

White Knight - MTG Card versions
Soul Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Soltari Monk - MTG Card versions
Talon Sliver - MTG Card versions
Keeper of the Light - MTG Card versions
Faith Healer - MTG Card versions
Angelic Page - MTG Card versions
Avenger en-Dal - MTG Card versions
Royal Falcon - MTG Card versions
Spirit Weaver - MTG Card versions
Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions
Stoneforge Mystic - MTG Card versions
Drannith Magistrate - MTG Card versions
Leonin Lightscribe - MTG Card versions
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Longbow Archer - MTG Card versions
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions
Flumph - MTG Card versions
Soltari Priest - MTG Card versions
Luminarch Aspirant - MTG Card versions
White Knight - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Soul Shepherd - Weatherlight (WTH)
Soltari Monk - Tempest (TMP)
Talon Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
Keeper of the Light - Exodus (EXO)
Faith Healer - Urza's Saga (USG)
Angelic Page - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Avenger en-Dal - Nemesis (NEM)
Royal Falcon - Starter 2000 (S00)
Spirit Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Voice of the Blessed - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Stoneforge Mystic - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Drannith Magistrate - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Leonin Lightscribe - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silver Knight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Longbow Archer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Flumph - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Soltari Priest - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Luminarch Aspirant - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Judge of Currents MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn, 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 Judge of Currents and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Judge of Currents has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2007-10-01 For the ability to trigger, the creature has to actually change from untapped to tapped. If an effect attempts to tap the creature, but it was already tapped at the time, this ability won’t trigger.
2007-10-01 This is a triggered ability, not an activated ability. It doesn’t allow you to tap the creature whenever you want; rather, you need some other way of tapping it, such as by attacking with the creature.

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