Azor, the Lawbringer MTG Card


Azor, the Lawbringer - Rivals of Ixalan
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Sphinx
Abilities Flying
Released2018-01-19
Set symbol
Set nameRivals of Ixalan
Set codeRIX
Power 6
Toughness 6
Number154
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byRyan Pancoast

Key Takeaways

  1. Azor grants card advantage and life gain, shaping the duel in your favor.
  2. Spell-casting restrictions on opponents can skew game tempo to your benefit.
  3. Instant-speed play setups allow for flexible responses to threats.

Text of card

Flying When Azor, the Lawbringer enters the battlefield, each opponent can't cast instant or sorcery spells during that player's next turn. Whenever Azor attacks, you may pay . If you do, you gain X life and draw X cards.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Azor the Lawbringer enters the battlefield, you get to essentially cast a free Sphinx’s Revelation—the ability to gain life and draw cards equal to the mana spent. This sets the stage for significant card advantage, ensuring that your hand remains full while dictating the flow of the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Azor doesn’t directly ramp your mana, his coming into play can impact resource acceleration by delaying your opponents’ plans. Every turn that an opponent cannot cast instant or sorcery spells is an opportunity for you to develop your board and outpace them resource-wise without interference.

Instant Speed: Azor’s triggered ability is not instant speed itself, but it can set you up to act at instant speed by filling your hand with responses. Moreover, being in colors that support counterspells and flash effects, Azor encourages a playstyle where you can react on the fly to the developing state of the game and capitalize on the breathing room his presence provides.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Azor the Lawbringer does not specifically require discarding as a cost, it’s important for players to be aware that any additional cards they discard to maximize his ability may deplete their hand, leading to a potential disadvantage in later stages of the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Azor the Lawbringer demands a precise combination of white, blue, and colorless mana to cast, which may not align with the mana base of multicolored or splash color decks, thereby limiting his inclusion to predominantly white-blue builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes two white and two blue mana, Azor’s six total mana investment is quite steep, potentially slowing down your game tempo as you may need to wait until the later turns to play him, leaving you vulnerable in the early game.


Reasons to Include Azor the Lawbringer in Your Collection

Versatility: Azor the Lawbringer fits seamlessly into control and midrange decks. Its ability to dictate the pace of the game while providing a substantial presence on the battlefield makes it an asset in varied settings.

Combo Potential: Combining Azor’s enter-the-battlefield ability with flicker or bounce mechanics allows for repeated usage, disrupting opponents and ensuring card advantage. It can easily become the linchpin of a powerful and synergistic strategy.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta dominated by spell-heavy decks, Azor provides a unique answer with its cant-cast-spells ability. This can stymie opponents at critical moments, securing Azor a valued position as a strategic counter in many collections.


How to beat Azor the Lawbringer

Azor the Lawbringer emerges in the MTG arena as a formidable card, offering both a flying body and a disruptive ability that inhibits opponents from casting instant or sorcery spells the next turn. Carrying these features, Azor presents a challenge that requires strategic planning to overcome. To tackle this sphinx successfully, it’s crucial to avoid playing directly into its ‘silence’ effect. Holding removal spells like Supreme Verdict or Doom Blade to deal with Azor after it lands can be quite effective.

Alternatively, lean on permanents with activated abilities or creatures with enter the battlefield (ETB) effects that aren’t hindered by Azor’s ability, such as Shriekmaw or Reclamation Sage. Counterspells also work wonders; if you counter Azor as it’s cast or use a flash creature like Vendilion Clique to disrupt your opponent’s strategy mid-combat, you stay ahead without falling prey to its spell-proofing effect. Lastly, outracing Azor with an aggressive deck that puts pressure on the opponent before they reach six mana can render this powerful card just too slow to alter the game’s outcome.


BurnMana Recommendations

Immersing yourself in the MTG realm with Azor the Lawbringer can be a strategic journey, balancing between soaring heights and intricate game plans. This multifaceted sphinx not only provides card advantage and shapes the battlefield to your benefit but also poses a remarkable presence in both control and midrange archetypes. While the considerations of its mana demands and timing of play require thoughtfulness, the reward is a powerful ally that can turn the tide of any game. Ready to unlock the full potential of Azor the Lawbringer in your deck? Engage with us to discover advanced strategies, optimize your deck list, and assert dominance over the match with this commanding legendary creature.


Cards like Azor, the Lawbringer

In MTG, Azor the Lawbringer stands out as a unique legendary sphinx with a blend of abilities akin to a potent control piece. Its entry into the battlefield stifles opponents’ sorcery spells on their next turn, echoed by cards like Teferi, Time Raveler, which limits the timing of opponents’ spells. However, Azor’s combination of flying, life gain, and card draw when it attacks offers a strategic edge beyond just spell control. Lavinia, Azorius Renegade shares a similar disruptive theme but without Azor’s aggressive capabilities.

An analogous card is Dragonlord Ojutai. Ojutai also provides card advantage on attack and boasts the protection of hexproof, as long as it’s untapped. Nevertheless, Azor’s trump card lies in its Sphinx’s Revelation-inspired ability, allowing players to gain life and draw cards in amounts dictated by their mana investment. Conversely, Dream Trawler is a flying life-linker that yields card draw during combat, but it lacks Azor’s imposing command of the board.

Considering overarching functionality and synergy in control decks, Azor the Lawbringer delivers a valuable fusion of influence and resilience, catering to a strategy that favors delaying enemy tactics while advancing one’s own game plan through accruing life and resources.

Teferi, Time Raveler - MTG Card versions
Lavinia, Azorius Renegade - MTG Card versions
Dragonlord Ojutai - MTG Card versions
Sphinx's Revelation - MTG Card versions
Dream Trawler - MTG Card versions
Teferi, Time Raveler - War of the Spark (WAR)
Lavinia, Azorius Renegade - Ravnica Allegiance Promos (PRNA)
Dragonlord Ojutai - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)
Sphinx's Revelation - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Dream Trawler - Theros Beyond Death Promos (PTHB)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Azor, the Lawbringer MTG card by a specific set like Rivals of Ixalan, 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 Azor, the Lawbringer and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Azor, the Lawbringer has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-01-19 If multiple effects say that an opponent can’t cast instant or sorcery spells during that player’s next turn, they all apply to the same turn.

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