Best Board Wipes in MTG: Commander & Beyond
The best board wipe in Magic: The Gathering is Cyclonic Rift for Commander, because it’s instant-speed, hits every nonland permanent your opponents control, and the overload cost bypasses most protection and indestructibility. For other formats, Supreme Verdict is the top pick for control decks because it can’t be countered, and Farewell is the most flexible for any deck that can cast it.
What to Look For
Not all board wipes are created equal. Here are the criteria that actually matter when choosing one for your deck:
- Mana cost and color flexibility: A wipe that costs 4-5 mana is ideal. The more colored pips, the harder it is to cast in multi-color decks. Wrath of God (1WW) is easier than Farewell (4WW) in a two-color deck.
- Speed and timing: Instant-speed wipes like Cyclonic Rift and Settle the Wreckage let you respond to combat or an opponent’s combo. Sorcery-speed wipes are more common and cheaper.
- What it hits: Do you need to clear creatures only, or also artifacts, enchantments, planeswalkers, and graveyards? Farewell hits everything but lands; Damnation only hits creatures.
- Uncounterability and protection: Supreme Verdict can’t be countered. Cyclonic Rift overloaded bypasses hexproof and indestructible because it doesn’t target or destroy.
- Recursion and synergy: Some wipes let you keep your own stuff (e.g., Austere Command modes) or have upside like drawing cards (Winds of Rath).
- Format legality: Wrath of God is legal in Commander, Modern, and Legacy. Supreme Verdict is legal in Commander and Modern. Cyclonic Rift is banned in 1v1 Commander but legal in multiplayer.
Cyclonic Rift
Strengths: The gold standard in Commander. For 7 mana (overload), you return every nonland permanent your opponents control to their hands. It’s instant-speed, so you can do it at the end of the turn before yours, leaving them with no blockers or answers. It also bypasses indestructible, hexproof, and “can’t be destroyed� effects because it returns, not destroys.
Trade-offs: It costs 7 mana to overload, which is steep. The non-overload mode (2U) only hits one permanent, so it’s not a true wipe early. It doesn’t hit lands, and it doesn’t remove things from the battlefield permanently—opponents can replay them.
Who it suits: Any blue deck in Commander, especially control, tempo, or combo decks that need a reset button. It’s also excellent in spellslinger decks that benefit from casting instants.
Supreme Verdict
Strengths: Uncounterable. This is the defining feature. In control mirrors or against counterspell-heavy decks, you can always land this. It destroys all creatures for 4 mana, which is efficient. It’s also in the best control colors (Azorius).
Trade-offs: It only hits creatures, not artifacts, enchantments, or planeswalkers. It’s sorcery speed. It also destroys your own creatures, so it’s not great for token or creature-heavy decks.
Who it suits: Control decks in Commander, Modern, and Legacy that need a reliable, uncounterable reset. It’s also good in “superfriends� decks that don’t care about creatures.
Farewell
Strengths: The most flexible board wipe ever printed. For 6 mana, you choose any number of modes: exile all artifacts, all creatures, all enchantments, and all graveyards. You can exile only your opponents’ stuff by choosing the modes that hurt them most. It exiles, so it bypasses indestructible and death triggers.
Trade-offs: It costs 6 mana and is sorcery speed. It also exiles your own permanents if you choose those modes, so you need to plan. It’s white-heavy (4WW), which can be tough in multicolor decks.
Who it suits: White-based control or midrange decks in Commander that need a catch-all answer. It’s also great in graveyard-hate strategies.
Wrath of God
Strengths: The classic. Four mana, destroys all creatures, and prevents regeneration. It’s simple, efficient, and available in white. It’s legal in nearly every format and is a staple in budget builds.
Trade-offs: It only hits creatures, and it destroys (so indestructible survives). It’s also sorcery speed. It hits your own creatures too.
Who it suits: Any white deck that needs a low-cost, reliable creature wipe. It’s perfect for budget players and for decks that don’t need the extra utility of more expensive options.
Damnation
Strengths: The black version of Wrath of God. Four mana, destroys all creatures, and prevents regeneration. It’s the go-to for black-based control and midrange decks. It’s also a great include in any deck with black for flavor and function.
Trade-offs: Same as Wrath of God—only creatures, sorcery speed, destroys. It’s also pricey in paper (though reprints have helped).
Who it suits: Black decks that need a creature wipe. It’s especially good in mono-black or black-white control.
Blasphemous Act
Strengths: In Commander, this often costs just 1 mana because it costs {1} less for each creature on the battlefield. It deals 13 damage to all creatures, which kills most things. It’s red, so it fits in red decks that lack other wipes.
Trade-offs: It only hits creatures, and it deals damage, so indestructible and protection from red survive. It also hits your own creatures. It’s sorcery speed.
Who it suits: Red decks, especially mono-red or Boros, that need a cheap, effective creature wipe. It’s also great in creature-heavy metas where it’s almost always discounted.
How to Choose
Start with your deck’s colors and strategy. If you’re in blue, Cyclonic Rift is almost always worth a slot. If you’re in white, Wrath of God or Farewell are top choices. If you’re in black, Damnation is the standard. Red gets Blasphemous Act.
Consider your budget: Wrath of God and Blasphemous Act are cheap (under $5). Damnation is around $10-20. Cyclonic Rift is $20-30. Farewell is $10-15. Supreme Verdict is $5-10. If you can only afford one, Wrath of God is the best value.
Think about what you need to answer: If your meta is full of artifacts and enchantments, Farewell or Austere Command are better. If you need to beat counterspells, Supreme Verdict. If you want to avoid indestructible, Cyclonic Rift or Farewell (exile) work.
Finally, consider your own board: If you run tokens or creatures, you want a wipe that doesn’t hit yours, like Dusk // Dawn or Slaughter the Strong. If you don’t care about your creatures, any wipe works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What’s the best board wipe in Commander?
A: Cyclonic Rift is widely considered the best because it’s instant-speed, hits all nonland permanents, and bypasses most protection. Farewell is a close second for its flexibility.
Q: What’s the cheapest good board wipe?
A: Wrath of God is the best budget option at around $3-5. Blasphemous Act is also cheap and often costs 1 mana in Commander.
Q: What board wipe hits indestructible creatures?
A: Cyclonic Rift (returns to hand), Farewell (exiles), and Black Sun’s Zenith (puts -1/-1 counters) all bypass indestructible. Supreme Verdict does not.
Q: Are board wipes worth running in Modern?
A: Yes, but only in control decks. Supreme Verdict and Wrath of God are sideboard staples against creature decks.
Q: Can I run multiple board wipes?
A: Yes, most control and midrange decks run 3-5. Just be careful not to overload on 6-mana wipes; include a mix of cheap and flexible ones.
Q: What’s the best board wipe for a token deck?
A: You want one that doesn’t destroy your tokens. Dusk // Dawn (only hits high power), Slaughter the Strong (you choose), or Winds of Rath (if you have an indestructible creature).
Bottom Line
For Commander, Cyclonic Rift is the best overall board wipe, but Farewell is the most versatile and Wrath of God is the best budget pick. For other formats, Supreme Verdict is the top choice for control. Choose based on your colors, budget, and what you need to answer—there’s a wipe for every deck.
Related
Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.