The 13 Best You Can’t Lose the Game Cards in Magic Ranked

Everybody Lives! | Illustration by Alice Xia Zhang

Winning a game of MTG is somewhat trivial if you have a good board and are smashing your opponent’s face. But what if the rules change in the middle of the game? Suddenly, you can’t win anymore because your opponent… can’t lose. What trickery is this?

In fact, MTG has a few cards that change the rules of the game abruptly, either establishing alternative win conditions or preventing players from losing. These are important especially in the face of game-winning combos, very present in cEDH. So, today we’re going to talk about spells that prevent you from losing, and that can be very relevant when it comes to preventing Approach of the Second Sun, Thassa's Oracle, and other similar all-in combos. Let’s go!

What Are You Can’t Lose the Game Cards in MTG?

The Golden Throne | Illustration by Games Workshop

As the name implies, “you can’t lose the game cards” are cards that don’t allow you to lose while they’re in play. The main condition for losing a game of Magic is to reach 0 or fewer life. The second most common way of losing is when you need to draw a card and you don’t have any cards left in your library. In short, if I have a card in play that states that I can’t lose, it means that I can have -50 life and 0 cards in my library and the game goes on. In this situation, I’ll only lose if my opponents can remove the card or effect that prevents me from losing, or in some cases, if they can win via an alternate wincon.

Note that we’re specifically talking about cards that use “can’t lose the game” text. There are some adjacent effects like those on Enduring Angel and Transcendence that keep you alive if your life total reaches 0, but we want effects that keep you alive through anything. Take that, mill and poison players!

Cards that prevent players from losing like this are very few and far between, and now we’re going to rank them!

Honorable Mention: Nine Lives

Nine Lives doesn't outright say you can’t lose the game, but it’s an interesting way to avoid losing the game. The idea is to combine it with Solemnity and each time you receive damage, Nine Lives won’t get any counters and you won’t receive any damage. Phyrexian Unlife can serve a similar purpose as well.

#13. Lich

Lich is an “ancient enchantment in MTG” that will replace your life with cards. So if you take damage you’ll sacrifice permanents/discard cards until you sacrifice Lich itself and lose. It’s almost strictly worse than Lich's Mastery, lacking hexproof. Sadly, it has the same downsides as that card, and it’s on the Reserved List, meaning that it’ll hurt your wallet in a big way if you don’t already own the card.

#12. Lich’s Mastery

Lich's Mastery costs a whopping 6 mana, and while it’s in play you can’t lose, period. So forget about combos from your opponents. The thing is, you’re dealing with your life in cards and permanents from now on. You’ll draw when gaining life and sacrifice permanents or cards when losing life. The sad part about this card is that mass exile effects exist, so it upgrades your opponents’ Farewells into player removal. something like an Invoke Despair can make this backfire too.

#11. Lich’s Mirror

Lich's Mirror is one of the insurance cards on the list, allowing you to avoid losing once. If you do, you’ll start a new game from scratch, with no board, 20 life, and seven cards. Unfortunately you won’t get that far with hardly any board left, especially in an EDH game.

#10. Stunning Reversal

Stunning Reversal is very similar to The Golden Throne, in that you’ll stay alive with only 1 life, but at least with seven cards in hand. Also, you can cast the card at instant speed so at least they won’t know for sure it’s coming.

#9. The Golden Throne

The Golden Throne is primarily used to cash in a creature for 3 colored mana. Granted, there are similar cards like Ashnod's Altar that don’t require you to tap it. You can also avoid losing the game in a given turn, but it’s not that safe since you’ll return to the game with only 1 life. At least it’s better than losing outright anyway.

#8. Courageous Resolve

Courageous Resolve is a nice way to avoid losing in a turn as well as to push damage using your commander. However, the card is low on the list simply because it only works for this purpose if you’re losing badly. It’s a nice Ad Nauseam partner since you can get as low as 5 life easily, or just win with a 12/12 Death's Shadow that can’t be blocked.

#7. Platinum Angel

While Platinum Angel is in play you can’t lose and they can’t win. That is, you’ll get the whole package. It’s also an artifact so it can go into every EDH deck. In 2024 MTG however, there’s lots of removal that deals with an artifact that’s also a 4/4. Still, Plat Angel still sees plenty of play in EDH as a way to circumvent “you lose the game” cards, , in artifact/angel decks, and more.

#6. Exquisite Archangel

Exquisite Archangel is 7-mana life insurance in the form of a creature. It’s also a nice win condition too. Unfortunately, there are many ways in which opponents can remove your creature before you lose the game.

#5. Gideon of the Trials

Gideon of the Trials is a good planeswalker that has seen play in various formats including Standard and MTG Arena‘s Explorer. With some other Gideons around, this emblem can effectively prevent you from losing. You can also attack with this Gideon freely and pressure other planeswalkers too. Just beware of exile-based removals like Settle the Wreckage or Path to Exile.

#4. Cloudsteel Kirin

Cloudsteel Kirin is the 2023 version of Platinum Angel. It can be a 3-drop 3/2 flyer and also an artifact with the “can’t lose the game” clause. Although it’s a little under the rate of playable card, it’s best in EDH Voltron decks, or decks that can take the artifact/equipment factor into consideration.

#3. The Book of Exalted Deeds

The Book of Exalted Deeds saw some play in Standard white devotion decks as a way to avoid losing the game together with Faceless Haven. While the land is in play with the enlightened counter, players without land destruction can’t win the game. The Book is also tailor-made for lifegain/Food decks, as making a 3/3 flyer whenever you gain 3 life is a very good rate.

#2. Angel’s Grace

Due to having split second, Angel's Grace is one of the best ways to avoid losing a game, because combo players will usually have some countermagic to protect their combos. Especially if you’re facing blue players and Thassa's Oracle. You can also imprint the card on Isochron Scepter to reuse the effect.

#1. Everybody Lives!

Everybody Lives! is one of the premium ways to avoid losing a game of MTG, as well as to avoid losing your board. Or to make a good attack. The card can also be used in group hug EDH decks as a way to gain political advantages, to avoid game-winning combos, or to protect a stable board from a sweeper.

Does You Can’t Lose Prevent the You Win the Game Cards?

It depends. For example, cards that say “you can’t lose the game”, like Lich's Mastery, are trumped by cards that make your opponent win the game. However, if I have a card like Platinum Angel in play that says: “I can’t lose and they can’t win,” then none of these conditions can happen. Most of the cards that say that a player can’t lose also say that their opponents can’t win just to prevent the rules confusion. So, Platinum Angel trumps Thassa's Oracle, but Thassa’s Oracle trumps Lich's Mastery.

Wrap Up

Angel's Grace | Illustration by Zoltan Boros

That’s all from me on ways to avoid losing the game, guys. As MTG evolves and WotC continues pushing the boundaries of card design, we’ll see plenty more cards that say you can’t win or lose, or alternate win conditions, especially in EDH-related design. Gone are the days where there were only some weird cards like Lich and win conditions like Mortal Combat and Battle of Wits.

Let me know what cards from this list you play in your Constructed decks, or leave us a tweet at our Draftsim Twitter. Thanks for reading, and stay safe out there!