Superior Numbers MTG Card

Instant speed allows for surprising shifts in control during combat or at crucial end-of-turn moments. Discard requirement and specific mana cost can be a hindrance, demanding careful deck construction. Versatility and combo potential make it a formidable addition to creature-heavy green decks.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Released	1996-10-08
Set symbol
Set name	Mirage
Set code	MIR
Number	244
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Geofrey Darrow

Text of card

Superior Numbers deals to target creature 1 damage for each creature you control in excess of the number of creatures target opponent controls.

Cards like Superior Numbers

Superior Numbers joins the ranks of creature removal spells in Magic: The Gathering, drawing parallels with cards like Go for the Throat and Cast Down. Each of these spells provides players with the ability to tackle opposing creatures efficiently. Superior Numbers differentiates itself with its unique scaling potential, allowing for removal potency based on the number of creatures you control, potentially eliminating larger threats if you have a sizeable army.

On the tactical front, Echoing Decay and Echoing Truth also resonate with the theme of leveraging similar game state conditions. While Echoing Decay does not consider your creatures, it can wipe out tokens or identical creatures en masse, and Echoing Truth offers a universal bounce effect for all copies of a targeted nonland permanent. Although they don’t remove creatures per se, their function in managing the board shares conceptual space with Superior Numbers, which can be pivotal during a crowded board state.

All things considered, Superior Numbers showcases its unique stance among creature control options. Its reliance on your creature count can be both an advantage or a limitation, but it provides a toolkit that, in the right circumstances, can be more effective than its counterparts.

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Superior Numbers provides a significant edge by potentially removing several of an opponent’s creatures in one stroke. The ability to swing the creature count in your favor cannot be overstated, as it often translates to greater control over the board state.

Resource Acceleration: While Superior Numbers itself doesn’t directly provide mana or tokens, the swing in creature count can indirectly lead to resource acceleration. By thinning the opponent’s field, you pave the way for your creatures to attack and trigger enter-the-battlefield or attack-related abilities which might produce additional resources.

Instant Speed: The power of acting at instant speed cannot be underestimated. Superior Numbers can be employed as a surprise during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn, shifting the tide of the game unpredictably and forcing opponents to play around your open mana, making it a versatile tool for reactive strategies.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Superior Numbers necessitates that you discard a card to activate its potential which can leave you at a disadvantage when you’re already struggling with a depleted hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands both green mana and generic mana, making it less flexible and more reliant on a strong mana base of a specific color to be played on curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its higher mana cost in relation to its in-game effect, players may find that Superior Numbers becomes a cumbersome choice when alternatives could provide a more immediate board presence or control for less investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Superior Numbers offers flexibility to a variety of green deck builds, as it serves well in matchups where board presence is contested. This card thrives in creature-heavy decks that aim to outnumber opponents, allowing for efficient creature removal.

Combo Potential: In decks that swarm the battlefield with creatures, Superior Numbers can become an integral part of synergistic plays. It can be combined with tokens, buffs, or duplication strategies to take out key threats your opponent controls, often at a low mana cost.

Meta-Relevance: Given its capacity to scale with the number of creatures you have, Superior Numbers can be a strong sideboard card or even mainboard in metas where creature-heavy decks prevail. It adapts well against aggro and midrange decks, providing a cost-effective method to turn the tides in creature-focused matchups.

How to beat

Superior Numbers is a card that can significantly turn the tide of the battlefield with its potential for one-sided creature removal in Magic: The Gathering. It capitalizes on the numbers game, allowing its user to potentially eliminate a key threat by comparing the power of their creatures against a single opponent’s creature. The strategy against such a card revolves around maintaining creature parity or utilizing effects that negate the damage it can inflict.

Opting for indestructible or regeneration abilities can prove invaluable in preserving your creatures against Superior Numbers’ removal power. Additionally, maintaining instant-speed removal or bounce spells gives you a responsive edge to disrupt an opponent’s attempt to outnumber and overpower your creatures. Spells like Path to Exile or Unsummon can remove or return your opponent’s creatures to their hand, mitigating the effectiveness of Superior Numbers.

Control decks might consider sweepers or spells that limit creature count, such as Wrath of God or Spot Removals, which can effectively clear the field or target threats, undercutting the impact of Superior Numbers. By understanding the mechanics and implementing these strategies, players can navigate around the challenges posed by Superior Numbers and maintain control of the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Superior Numbers MTG card by a specific set like Mirage, 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 Superior Numbers and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Superior Numbers has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-08-01	As you cast this, you target a creature and an opponent. The opponent does not have to be that creature’s controller.
2008-08-01	If the creature becomes an illegal target before the spell resolves (but the opponent doesn’t), the spell will be unable to affect that creature. Although the spell will still resolve, it won’t deal any damage.