I would like to present few comments on what factors I used to decision process. The main traits examined were power, utility, playability, adaptability. Power is simple enough. Game winning cards, or game breaking cards have high power ranks. These cards have enormous output. They are often cards one hopes to topdeck. Second is utility, cards that are useful to player. These cards may aid you in whatever goal you hope to achieve. They can allow you to gain a superior position, or they might help you get out of tough situations. Next is playability. Most often this has to do with the card's costs. This includes casting costs, activation costs, as well as drawbacks it has. Last is adaptability, which is how well the card fits into an average deck. Adaptable cards are often called staple cards, since many decks that can play those cards often do. They are also fit into decks many decks that can vary in themes. Tolarian Academy, though extremely powerful and broken, has a fairly limited scope of decks that it is appropriate for. Counterspell however, fits well into miriads of control and aggrocontrol decks, and can even go into decks that have nothing to do with the control theme.

In analyzing permanents, I looked at two additional characteristics. They are endurance and effectiveness. The advantage of a permanent is that it is a reusable resource. The disadvantage is that it can be removed, sometimes before it can even provide a use. So of course it would be great for a permanent to have endurance, by either having the ablility to protect itself from removal or have staying power. Hypnotic Specter is a phenomenal card, but it's defense is nothing compared to the 4 toughness and regeneration of a Masticore. Another good trait is effectiveness, or the ability to provide a use despite removal. For example if Aluren were targeted with a removal spell, players can still drop cheap creatures for free instantly in response. Or if someone tried to destroy your Yawgmoth's Bargain, you can still make use of the dark enchantment's card drawing capabilities before it goes away. Removal does not stop an effective permanent from generating an effect. But yet it is often more of a threat if these permanents were allowed to stay in play.

Well after my analysis the cards in the following list comprise what I award to be the supreme cards of Magic. I tried to keep variety in the collection, and leave my biases out. For that reason it did not seem appropriate for me to rank them. I sort of wish that I can include at least one more creature in the list. But which creature would it be, and what card would I replace for it?