The 34 Best Azorius Card Draw Cards In Magic Ranked

Sphinx's Revelation | Illustration by Slawomir Maniak

Blue is great for card draw, but mixing it with white, which is great at lifegain and mass removal, makes it even better. Blue and white is better known as Azorius, which represent the members of that guild who administer law-abiding principles for the safety of the city of Ravnica.

And Azorius card draw can definitely keep you safe through the game by giving you more resources, lifegain, and other added benefits along the way.

Let’s jump in!

What Is Azorius Card Draw in MTG?

Senate Guildmage | Illustration by G-host Lee

Azorius card draw includes any white and blue multi-colored cards that allow you to draw one or more cards. The most popular ones are creatures that usually help you draw cards on ETB or instant spells that draw one or more cards. Note that we’re talking about cards with a color identity, so they don’t necessarily need and in their mana costs, as long as those symbols appear somewhere on the card.

Here are the best Azorius card draw spells to put in your next + deck to be sure you have access to the resources you need to come out on top!

#34. Hindering Light

Hindering Light offers so much utility for a 2-drop Azorius instant spell. You can stop an opponent from casting targeted removal on one of your permanents or trying to throw a burn spell your way by casting Hindering Light. The bonus of drawing a card while countering a spell at instant speed is the icing on the cake.

#33. Opaline Sliver

Opaline Sliver may not net you too many drawn cards because it’s dependent upon an opponent targeting it with a spell. However, you can bait your opponents to target Opaline Sliver and possibly increase how many cards you draw off it.

It also extends that ability to your other slivers, so if you can make any of your slivers a juicy target for removal, you can bait you opponents into targeting them, then respond with a protection spell like Everybody Lives! or Moment of Valor. This will make an opponent wait for another removal spell to try again.

#32. Sphinx's Revelation

Sphinx's Revelation is an Azorius control deck staple that can refill your hand and keep your life total up all at instant speed. Cast it mid-game for a reasonably X cost to command how much life you gain and how many cards you draw. This Azorius card draw resource made waves in Standard when Return to Ravnica debuted, but now it’s more popularly utilized in Commander decks.

#31. Faramir, Prince of Ithilien

Faramir, Prince of Ithilien is most efficient mid-game when you’re playing in pods with two to three other players. However, it’ll take some strategic know-how to draw a card from this legendary creature’s ability. You’ll have to choose an opponent that you know doesn’t have the resources to attack you so you can draw a card on their end step. You can increase how many cards you can draw in one sitting from Faramir, Prince of Ithilien with staples like Consecrated Sphinx and Teferi's Ageless Insight.

#30. Staggering Insight

Staggering Insight is great for Azorius aggro decks with a density of cheap, evasive attackers. At only 2 mana to cast, it can be a great early-game card draw resource that can keep on giving as you land more combat damage with the enchanted creature.

#29. Senate Guildmage

Senate Guildmage offers you the choice of life gain or drawing and discarding with its activated abilities. It’s flexible, giving you a loot ability that helps draw the answers you need, or an ability that buffers your life total.

This creature is a good backup card draw resource to have in your Azorius decks if you’re still waiting on your card draw beasts like Blue Sun's Zenith and Rhystic Study. You can get more activations of Senate Guildmage’s abilities by untapping it with Fatestitcher, Pestermite, and/or Dramatic Reversal.

#28. Metropolis Angel

Metropolis Angel’s card draw ability triggers no matter what type of counters are on the attacking creatures. Running cards that place counters on all your creatures at once makes sure you always control a creature with a counter on it. Cards like Cathars' Crusade or Felidar Retreat can get you +1/+1 counters on all your creatures to ensure Metropolis Angel is always triggering.

#27. Gregor, Shrewd Magistrate

Just on its own, Gregor, Shrewd Magistrate can yield only one card each time it deals combat damage, which is easier to do because of its skulk ability. You can pump the creature up slowly with human anthem effects like Sanctuary Lockdown or auras like Staggering Insight. The slow pumping strategy will keep Gregor, Shrewd Magistrate’s power level low enough to still be able to land combat damage with skulk later in the game with the added benefit of drawing more cards off of it in one sitting.

#26. Ephara, God of the Polis

As long as you keep a steady stream of creatures entering your side of the battlefield every turn, then Ephara, God of the Polis can be one of your longer-lasting card draw resources because of its indestructibility. Blinking creatures with Soulherder while Ephara, God of the Polis is on the battlefield also counts as a creature entering on your last turn because Soulherder’s ability triggers on your end step. Note that you’ll draw even more cards if you can get creatures into play on your opponents’ turns.

#25. Kwain, Itinerant Meddler

Kwain, Itinerant Meddler is your quintessential Azorius group hug staple, as it benefits everyone’s hands while buffing all players’ life totals simultaneously. Don’t let this furry rabbit fool you with its group hug tendencies, as it’s a part of many combos that can achieve infinite card draw for all players.

One such combo includes Tolarian Kraken, Palladium Myr, and Drogskol Reaver while Kwain, Itinerant Meddler is on the battlefield. If you go this alternate win condition route that pretty much mills everyone, be sure to have a Laboratory Maniac or Jace, Wielder of Mysteries on the battlefield to protect yourself and win the game before you begin the combo.

#24. Spoils of Adventure

Spoils of Adventure is best cast when you have a full party of the four qualifying creatures to reduce the spell’s mana cost from 6 to 2. Being able to draw that many cards and gain that much life for only 2 mana is so much value for any Azorius deck!

#23. Azorius Aethermage

Azorius Aethermage is a useful card draw resource if you’re running an Azorius deck where you’re returning many permanents to your hand and recasting them for added value. Activating level 2 of Monk Class or casting Boomerang or Void Snare can allow you to take advantage of Azorius Aethermage’s card draw ability.

#22. Cloudblazer

Cloudblazer is one of the best Azorius cards for card draw because it fits well into decks flickering creatures for value. Gaining life to stay ahead of aggro decks and drawing cards for a steady stream of resources at your disposal are great advantages of running this card in a flickering-themed deck. Charming Prince, Felidar Guardian and Flickerwisp are all good resources for flickering creatures like Cloudblazer.

#21. Dovin, Architect of Law

Dovin, Architect of Law is a perfect addition to Azorius control decks. Gaining 2 life and drawing a card in the same activation is essential for rebounding from an attack and reforming your strategy. Tapping down an opponent's largest creature with the second loyalty ability can give you an opportunity to comfortably attack. The last epic -9 activation can take many turns to achieve so have proliferate spells like Inexorable Tide and Guildpact Informant to expedite it.

#20. Elite Guardmage

Elite Guardmage is another Azorius card draw creature like Cloudblazer that benefits best in a flickering deck to constantly gain life and draw cards on its ETB trigger. Try spells like Semester's End, Teleportation Circle, and Eerie Interlude as other options for flickering creatures with useful ETB abilities.

#19. Swans of Bryn Argoll

Sure, Swans of Bryn Argoll will reward an opponent with card draw if you block an opponent’s attack and prevent that damage. However, you can benefit and draw cards from this bird spirit creature by making Swans of Bryn Argoll the target of burn spells like Psionic Blast or Lightning Bolt.

#18. Tolarian Geyser

Tolarian Geyser lets you pay a kicker cost for the added benefit of lifegain. It's a nice way to hinder your opponent's value engine for a turn by returning one of their most powerful creatures to their hand. This sorcery card can also act as a resource in a bounce/flicker deck by letting you pick up and replay a creature with a good ETB effect.

#17. Faithful Mending

For just 2 mana, Faithful Mending buffs you life total and loots two cards. Plus, its flashback ability is essential for getting out of a pinch when you’re out of card draw resources.

#16. Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset

Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset can untap three specific permanents of yours while tapping the same kinds of permanents for your opponents. Plus, fetching a card from the top three with its first minus ability can change the course of any game if you draw into one of your key resources.

If you can go as far as to obtain this planeswalker‘s emblem, you can draw at least an additional three cards per turn cycle in a 4-player pod making it easier to find your wincons. Being able to untap all your permanents on every opponent's untap step can make the battle more interactive in your favor as long as you fill your deck primarily with instant-speed spells.

#15. Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

Teferi, Hero of Dominaria enhances your access to card draw and your ability to cast extra spells on opponents’ turns by untapping a couple of your lands on your end step. You can cause shenanigans by forcing your opponent to recast a permanent after Teferi's minus ability puts it third from the top.

#14. Teferi, Time Raveler

Teferi, Time Raveler shuts down opponents from casting spells at instant speed so that you have the advantage as the only player able to do so. Plus, giving your sorcery spells “flash” allows you to cast board wipes like Austere Command and Farewell or mill spells such as Fractured Sanity and Traumatize whenever you want. The card draw and bounce ability can turn the tides of the game in a considerably different direction.

#13. Vega, the Watcher

Vega, the Watcher gives you card draw when you cast spells from zones other than your hand. Cards that let you play from the top of your library like Future Sight and cards with flashback and foretell can help to increase your card draw output with this commander. Plus, casting spells from anywhere other than your hand gives you more options to keep your value engine going.

#12. Hylda of the Icy Crown

Hylda of the Icy Crown gives you your choice of scrying and card draw, creature pumping, or creature token creation when you tap down an opponent's creature and pay the for its ability. Spells like Cryptic Command and Kiora Bests the Sea God give you the most card draw as long as you’re able to pay for each creature you’re tapping on your opponent’s side. Don't forget Hylda's Crown of Winter, which taps a creature for free on your turn.

#11. The Second Doctor

The Second Doctor is a group hug Azorius commander that not only nets you an extra card for yourself on every end step but also hinders other players from attacking you if they choose to draw a card with you. Hence, The Second Doctor takes the attention off of you and places it on another player so that they can keep this Time Lord Doctor around as long as possible and draw extra cards.

#10. Dovin’s Acuity

Dovin's Acuity can easily be returned to your hand as long as you cast an instant spell during your main phase, making it easy to recast later in your turn for more life gain and card draw. As long as you have the mana and spells available, you could cast Dovin's Acuity twice in one turn to gain 4 life and draw 2 cards.

#9. Azorius Charm

Azorius Charm offers so much possible utility for a 2-mana instant-speed spell that can do more than just draw you a card when running an Azorius control deck. You can force your opponent to recast a creature they’re attacking or blocking with to hinder their battle strategy. Alternatively, you can escape a life total pinch by giving your big army of attacking creatures lifelink to keep yourself in the game. Or, you can just cycle it away to draw a new card.

#8. Niambi, Esteemed Speaker

Niambi, Esteemed Speaker thrives off a build of primarily legendary cards so you can discard them with its activated ability. Fatestitcher can help you get an additional card draw activation on your turn by untapping Niambi, Esteemed Speaker. Yomiji, Who Bars the Way can be a key component in getting your discarded legendary permanents immediately back to your hand.

#7. Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart

Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart is best operated as an Azorius card draw deck with a creature token sub theme so that you always have creatures to tap and draw a card with after casting an instant or sorcery spell. Once you build a formidable army and have enough resources from card draw, you can utilize this wizard's activated ability for a creature pump and vigilance so they all stand at the ready for offense and defense.

The new creature token tripler from The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, Ojer Taq, Deepest Foundation would be a great addition to the deck to add more value for creature token generators like Ancient Gold Dragon and Grand Crescendo.

#6. Depose // Deploy

Playing Depose // Deploy at instant speed before blockers are declared can tap down your opponent’s best creature as a further guarantee for combat damage. The added benefit of drawing a card can help you find lands if you missed a land drop, and you can alternatively cast Deploy if Depose isn’t necessary..

#5. Tameshi, Reality Architect

Tameshi, Reality Architect bounces lands, artifacts, enchantments and noncreature permanents for the benefit of drawing a card. This takes a different approach to building a bounce deck, rewarding you for playing noncreature spells with ETBs. Since you have to return a land to get an artifact or enchantment back to the battlefield, building around a landfall sub theme would be beneficial while the main theme is sacrificing and discarding so you have resources to bring back with this commander's ability.

#4. Sky Hussar

Sky Hussar gives you steady card draw on your upkeep as long as you have two white or blue creatures to tap for its ability and as long as you aren't forced to discard it. This is a great resource to have if your other card draw spells aren’t coming up for you. When you’ve gotten all the card draw you need from Sky Hussar, you can get blockers ready to go against your opponents’ attacks since it untaps all your creatures when it enters.

#3. Emergency Powers

Emergency Powers is an awesome reset for all players, since everyone draws a new hand and shuffles all their resources from the graveyard back into their library. You want to cast it during your main phase to put a qualifying permanent into play for free. Imagine drawing an entire new hand and putting something like Agent of Treachery, Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant, or Akroma, Vision of Ixidor into play for free.

#2. Shorikai, Genesis Engine

Shorikai, Genesis Engine is unique because it's the only legendary artifact vehicle that can act as your commander. It gets you two draws and a discard to fix your hand, and a creature token all for a 1 mana and a tap activation. Threefold Thunderhulk and Myrel, Shield of Argive can generate a steady stream of artifact creature tokens to tap and crew this commander, turning it into an artifact creature. Fatestitcher and Pestermite can help you get more card draw and creature tokens in one turn.

#1. Urza, Planeswalker

Urza, Planeswalker gives you a variety of choices besides card draw based on your strategy. The best part is that you can activate any of the planeswalker abilities in any combination twice rather than once. Hence, you can draw four cards and discard two if you wanted to. Plus, it's ultimate ability can set up a swing for the win as long as you control all artifact creatures. Of course, the trouble is melding Urza, Lord Protector and The Mightstone and Weakstone in the first place, but the challenge is worth it.

Best Azorius Card Draw Payoffs

As you draw more cards while operating an Azorius deck, the best payoffs can be winning via self-mill and running cards that give you no maximum hand size to always have access to all your resources. Laboratory Maniac, Thassa's Oracle, and Jace, Wielder of Mysteries are the main staples to win with self-milling.

If you can manipulate your spell casting to have at least 13 cards on an upkeep, you can win with Triskaidekaphile, which is also a no maximum hand size staple. Having at least three to four spells in your deck that can give you no maximum hand size is the best bet for increasing your chances of drawing into this benefit.

Other spells that can grant you no maximum hand size include:

• Wizard Class
• Decanter of Endless Water
• Sea Gate Restoration
• Curiosity Crafter
• Venser's Journal
• Spellbook

Wrap Up

Shorikai, Genesis Engine – Illustration by Wisnu Tan

I hope you enjoyed this line-up of the best Azorius card draw spells. They not only give you card draw you need to stay in the game, but the added perks of removal, lifegain, and so much more utility.

Do you like other color combinations besides Azorius? I'm a Selesnya girl myself! If so, visit the Draftsim blog to view our latest content on the best cards in each of the Magic guilds. Stay updated on all our content by following the Draftsim Facebook page.

Until next time, keep your play strategy options open as you never know which color combination may strike your fancy next!