About

Strictly Better offers information about Magic: The Gathering cards that are functionally superior to other cards.

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Using the the site a MTG player may search for better card alternatives for their older deck or cards that may have been printed without putting in too much effort. For example, they may want to upgrade their Murder to Hero's Downfall.

The site also has a public API, so other developers may further use the suggestion data as they wish.

Where is the data coming from?

The suggestions listed on the site are added via Add Suggestion page by anonymous Magic the Gathering players.
Adding new suggestions and voting for them requires no login or account.

Some suggestions are also generated programmatically. Due to complex rules of the cards, only cards with identical rules are considered when evaluating strict-betterness this way.

The card database is downloaded from Scryfall using their bulk-data files

Adding new suggestions

New suggestions have to pass a few automated checks, however, rules texts of the cards are not evaluated automatically (except for functional reprints).
As a community run site, the validation of card "betterness" is ultimately left to users and the voting system.

Any suggestions with following conditions are automatically rejected

• The supposed better card has higher CMC (Some alternative casting costs are also checked)
• The supposed better card has manacolors in manacost the worse card doesn't have. (Hybrid mana is an exception, alternative casting costs are checked too)
• The supposed better card can't be cast at same "speed" than the worse card. (Instant, Flash or other instant-speed ability)
• The supposed better card doesn't have immediate effect like the worse Instant or Sorcery.
  (This can be achieved via "Enters the Battlefield", self sacrifice or cycling effects)
• The cards belong to same functionality group. (Ie. Llanowar Elves vs Elvish Mystic)

Labels and searching

When browsing, you may see labels on card suggestions indicating cases the suggestion is not a strictly better choice.
Such suggestions are still listed as they may still be useful when considering alternatives, but you can hide them via filters menu on the Browse page.

List of current labels:

• ⚠️More colors - Suggested card has more colors. (ie Dryad Militant vs Eager Cadet)
• ⚠️Costs more colored - Suggested card costs more colored mana, but must still not have higher cmc. (ie Counterspell vs Mana Leak)
• ⚠️Supertype variation - Suggested card has different supertypes (Legandary, Snow, ...)
• ⚠️Type variation - Suggested card has different types (Instant vs Sorcery, Artifact Creature vs Creature)
• ⚠️Tribe variation - Suggested card has different subtypes (Elf vs Elf Druid)
• ⚠️Less colors - Suggested card has less colors (ie. Devoid spells do not have a color, but may otherwise be better than a colored counterpart)
• ⚠️Downvoted - Number of downvotes exceeds upvotes by 10 votes

The "strictly better" controversy

People have disagreements about what constitutes as "strictly better". So it is good to remember the site is primarily a tool for finding better options. Other than few automated rules and ⚠️labels mentioned above, StrictlyBetter makes no ruling over what is truly strictly better, as I believe it is better to have the voters decide.

Personally I prefer card suggestions that are better when considered in a vacuum. (Without knowledge of the deck it is played in or decks it's facing)
This outlines a few base rules like: opponents card to exile > graveyard, "each" > "target 3", double strike > first strike
In addition issues already noted by the ⚠️labels listed above should be ignored and suggestions added anyway, because the search options allow to narrow down the results when it truly matters.

Legal

Strictly Better is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.

How to contact the developer

Site is run by Henri Kulotie. You may contact me at henri.kulotie@gmail.com

If you want to see how this all works or help with development, you may see the project on GitHub
You can also donate to support the site' development and maintenance.

There is also a Reddit thread about the site.