When it comes to being a master of the mystic arts in the Marvel Universe, people's minds usually wander to Doctor Strange. That's understandable, though. If he has business cards, they most likely do say "Master of the Mystic Arts" on them.
But there are more than a few beings in Marvel that chafe at the idea of such a boastful title being applied to a mere human. Loki would certainly be one of them. Not only is Loki a god, he is a talented mage and warrior, as well. In a full-on mystical battle between them, there can only be one winner, though.
11 DOCTOR STRANGE: Has Faced Tougher Foes
Over his many years as the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange has faced a lot of incredible challenges. That includes the seemingly endless array of foes he's taken on alongside teams like the Avengers and the Defenders.
But on multiple occasions, he has defeated interdimensional powerhouses like Dormammu in combat. Doctor Strange is experienced at facing down reality destroying threats from every corner of his universe, not to mention multiple others.
10 LOKI: Genius
When people think of Loki's most potent abilities, they almost automatically focus on the fact that he's a Norse god and a sorcerer. But that's not the only aspect of his diverse arsenal of tricks and deceptions. His mind is also a weapon.
Loki is genuinely brilliant. He is more than capable of developing involved, intricate strategies that put his powers to good use. Loki has been known to implement plans that have unfolded over hundreds of years. If nothing else, no one can accuse Loki of never taking the long view.
9 DOCTOR STRANGE: Trained Martial Artist
It's easy to fixate on Doctor Strange's impressive mystical abilities. He has spent seemingly endless years honing those formidable skills. Thanks to his martial arts training, his skills run much deeper than that.
While no one would suggest that Strange is one of the top hand to hand combatants in Marvel, that training still gives him an edge in any fight when combined with his mystical proficiency. Doctor Strange has been known to wade into a fight with a battle ax and do some damage when necessary.
8 LOKI: Shapeshifter
Being a master of lies and deceit is not just a marketing ploy. Loki has earned that description thanks to millennia after millennia after millennia of lying to quite literally every person, god, and anything else that he met.
His lying ways are only enhanced by his shapeshifting abilities which allow him to change his form, perpetuating those lies in an exceedingly tangible way. Keeping that in mind, Loki is such a talented liar that he doesn't really need to change his form to make them believable. It still helps, though.
7 DOCTOR STRANGE: Mystical Objects And Artifacts
Part of being Doctor Strange means having access to an incredible arsenal of mystical objects, weapons, and artifacts. Having them is one thing but using them is another, and Doctor Strange is an expert with every single object at his disposal.
Fans are most familiar with items like the Cloak of Levitation, the Eye of Agamotto, and the Wand of Watoomb, but they're only the tip of the iceberg. The depth of his mystical utility belt should never be underestimated.
6 LOKI: Creates Powerful Illusions
In the various realms that Asgard protects and fights, Loki is generally regarded as one of the most powerful sorcerers around. He might not be the Sorcerer Supreme, but his magic game is still pretty tight.
This allows him to create incredibly immersive illusions that only serve to perpetuate the lies he loves to tell. Thor has fallen victim to them on multiple occasions over the centuries, as have the Avengers.
5 DOCTOR STRANGE: Access To Nearly Infinite Spells
As odd as this sounds, one of Doctor Strange's most dangerous weapons is his library. He has access to one of the greatest collections of mystical tomes in his reality or any other one. The number of spells contained within is, frankly, incomparable.
The Book of Vishanti is definitely his go-to but he certainly has a lot of options available to him. Hopefully, he can handle the Necronomicon better than Ash did. All the guy had to do was remember three words to avoid a lot of big, ongoing problems.
4 LOKI: Frost Giant Abilities
While he might not look the part, Loki is a Frost Giant by birth and not an Asgardian. His true heritage has afforded him an incredible array of abilities unique to the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, powers that make him difficult to defeat.
Those abilities include enhanced durability, stamina, and strength. He's also immune to most poisons, ages incredibly slowly, and is surprisingly resistant to mystical attacks. Apparently, being a Frost Giant has several huge upsides.
3 DOCTOR STRANGE: He's The Sorcerer Supreme
When it comes right down to it, Doctor Strange's biggest advantage is the fact that he is the Sorcerer Supreme. He earned that title by being able to command a larger portion of the mystical energy in his reality than anyone else.
Very few mystical threats have the power to take him down if he truly decides to use his abilities to their fullest extent. And on the rare time that he has made that choice, the effects have been devastating to his opponents.
2 LOKI: He's A God
Regardless of his real heritage, Loki is still an Asgardian god and reaps the benefit of everything that comes with that status. He is the God of Mischief, a lofty and incredibly accurate title to say the least.
Being part of Asgard gives Loki access to an impressive array of powerful weapons and artifacts, not to mention dangerous monsters. Plus, he can also draw on the wellspring of mystical energies that only exist there.
1 WHO WOULD WIN?
This is a hard match to call but the big winner would most likely be Doctor Strange. He didn't become his universe's most powerful mage just to be taken down by Odin's adopted son. Loki is not without his own impressive skills and abilities but Doctor Strange simply has a much deeper toolkit to work with. If he can handle the likes of Dormammu, he can certainly handle someone like Loki.