Stern Judge
Creature — Human Cleric
: Each player loses 1 life for each Swamp they control.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Torment
- Price
- $0.18
- EDHREC rank
- #24390
Stern Judge turns every swamp an opponent controls into a drain trigger — in the right deck, that's four or more life per tap, every turn. The payoff is real, but it only works if you're committed to a Swamp-matters or black-heavy enchantment shell.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Stern Judge actually has a job. In a three or four-player game, opponents running black basics multiply the drain fast, and pairing it with cards that untap it repeatedly makes the life loss punishing. Legacy and Vintage are legal formats, but no competitive list wants a three-mana creature with no immediate board impact and a narrow condition. Stern Judge is a casual Commander card through and through — the format's slower pace and multi-opponent life totals are the only context where its effect scales to a meaningful threat.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.18 bulk tier
At $0.18, Stern Judge is deep bulk — pick it up without thinking twice if the deck wants it. Demand is narrow enough that the price is unlikely to move unless a high-profile build puts it in the spotlight.
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Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.