Safana, Calimport Cutthroat MTG Card


Safana offers card advantage and adapts to game changes with its instant speed capabilities. Her specific mana cost and discard requirement may limit playability in some decks. Versatility and combo potential make Safana a valuable pick for rogue strategies.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Rogue
Abilities Choose a background,Menace,Treasure
Power 3
Toughness 2

Text of card

Menace At the beginning of your end step, if you have the initiative, create a Treasure token. Create three of those tokens instead if you've completed a dungeon. Choose a Background (You can have a Background as a second commander.)


Cards like Safana, Calimport Cutthroat

Safana, Calimport Cutthroat enters the competitive landscape of MTG rogue creatures with a splash. It shares the stealthy nature of other cards like Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive, who also makes creatures unblockable. Safana distinguishes herself with an ability that capitalizes on dealing combat damage to players, offering card advantage and battlefield control.

Another rogue with a similar trick is Thada Adel, Acquisitor. She too thrives on dealing combat damage, allowing you to exile an artifact card from an opponent’s deck. However, the sheer advantage of playing an opponent’s cards with Safana gives her a uniquely strategic position. Yet, both serve as key players for any rogue-centric deck aiming at utilizing opponents’ decks to their advantage.

Comparatively, we can also reference Invisible Stalker, a straightforward card granting unblockability and hexproof to itself. While Safana lacks the indestructibility that hexproof offers, her ability to pilfer cards from the top of an opponent’s library is unmatched. When evaluating rogue creatures and their contributions to the game, Safana undoubtedly claims a spot for her exceptional utility in seizing control over the enemy’s resources.

Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive - MTG Card versions
Thada Adel, Acquisitor - MTG Card versions
Invisible Stalker - MTG Card versions
Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive - MTG Card versions
Thada Adel, Acquisitor - MTG Card versions
Invisible Stalker - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Safana, Calimport Cutthroat by color, type and mana cost

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Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Wall of Bone - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Lasher - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Husk - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Safana, Calimport Cutthroat ensures a steady flow of options by letting you potentially sift through your deck and pick the tools that can keep you ahead in the game.

Resource Acceleration: By potentially reducing the cost of your next spell, this card effectively acts as a catalyst to bring your powerful plays into the game much sooner than expected.

Instant Speed: The instantaneity of this card’s abilities means you have the flexibility to adapt on the fly, responding to threats or opportunities at the most strategic moments without skipping a beat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside to the Safana Calimport Cutthroat card is the discard requirement to activate its key abilities. This can sometimes backfire, especially if your hand is already depleted, forcing you to forego valuable cards from your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card has a very specific mana cost that could be a stumbling block. Decks that don’t run on a black mana base may find it challenging to accommodate Safana Calimport Cutthroat without potentially compromising their mana curve and overall fluidity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana demand, it’s worth considering other options within the same mana range. Players may find that in comparison, there are alternatives that could offer a more immediate impact on the game state or provide more value in the long run.


Reasons to Include Safana, Calimport Cutthroat in Your Collection

Versatility: Safana, Calimport Cutthroat brings flexibility to any deck due to her ability to disrupt opponent strategies by exiling cards from their hand. She fits well in various builds, from aggressive to control styles, adapting to your gameplay needs.

Combo Potential: Her synergy with strategies revolving around hand disruption can be potent, especially when combined with cards that capitalize on opponents having fewer options. Safana can work as a linchpin in decks designed to dismantle the opponent’s plans piece by piece.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where players rely heavily on specific cards or combos, Safana’s targeted discard ability can be crucial. She enables you to remove key pieces from your opponent’s hand, thus increasing your chances of disrupting their strategy and gaining an advantage in the game.


How to beat

Safana, Calimport Cutthroat has carved her niche in the rogue’s gallery of Magic: The Gathering with a special ability that can disrupt your game plan. Players often struggle to handle her sneaky tactics and the value she can generate for your opponent. But every card has a counter, and knowing how to handle this elusive threat can be the difference between victory and defeat.

One effective strategy is to maintain control over the board. Removal spells are your best allies against Safana. Instant-speed removals like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can take her out before she can use her abilities to benefit your opponent. Moreover, cards that prevent creatures from entering the battlefield, such as Grafdigger’s Cage, can also help by hindering her ability to summon powerful allies from the deck.

Additionally, adjusting your playstyle could thwart her attempts to hamper your game. Applying continuous pressure and being aggressive with your creatures can divert your opponent’s focus away from maximizing Safana’s potential. Lastly, employing hand disruption tools like Thoughtseize allows you to preemptively remove her from your opponent’s hand, ensuring she never even touches the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

Unraveling the depths of Magic the Gathering is an ongoing quest filled with unexpected turns and shrewd strategy. If you’re captivated by cards that leap beyond the ordinary and demand tactical finesse, Safana, Calimport Cutthroat might be the edge your deck needs. With her mix of deck sifting and resource acceleration, she’s a powerful contender that rewards the savvy player. Dive deeper into the synergy and potential of this card in your collection; understand when to play her and when to hold back, and unlock the secrets to leveraging her abilities to their fullest potential. Ready for a game-changing experience? Delve into our content for a rich well of insights and take your MTG gameplay to the next level.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Safana, Calimport Cutthroat MTG card by a specific set like Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate and Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Safana, Calimport Cutthroat and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Safana, Calimport Cutthroat Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-06-10 and 2022-06-10. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 4962015NormalBlackWisnu Tan
22022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 3902015NormalBlackJustine Mara Andersen
32022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 1432015NormalBlackWisnu Tan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Safana, Calimport Cutthroat has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Safana, Calimport Cutthroat card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2022-06-10 An effect that checks whether you control your commander is satisfied if you control one or both of your two commanders.
2022-06-10 Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards (or 58 cards in a Commander Draft game) of your deck are shuffled to become your library.
2022-06-10 Choose a Background is a variant of the partner ability. You may have two commanders if one of them is a legendary creature with the choose a background ability and the other is a legendary Background enchantment. Backgrounds and cards with choose a Background do not interact with cards which have any other partner ability.
2022-06-10 If a card refers to a commander creature you own, a Background won't usually be counted or included for that effect. If another spell or ability causes your Background to become a creature, however, it will be included. Any effect that refers to your commander or a commander you own or control without specifying creature will apply to a Background that is your commander, as appropriate.
2022-06-10 If something refers to your commander while you have two commanders, it refers to one of them of your choice. If you are instructed to perform an action on your commander (e.g. put it from the command zone into your hand due to Command Beacon), you choose one of your commanders at the time the effect happens.
2022-06-10 If you control a Background that grants an ability to commander creatures you own, and you own more than one commander creature, each of them will have that ability.
2022-06-10 If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can include only cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders’ combined color identities.
2022-06-10 If your commander loses the choose a Background ability or stops being a Background during the game, as appropriate, it is still your commander.
2022-06-10 Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won’t have to pay an additional the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 combat damage from any one of them, not from both of them combined (although your Background won’t usually be a creature anyway).
2022-06-10 Safana's second ability triggers only if you have the initiative as your end step begins. If the ability does trigger, it will check if you have the initiative again as it tries to resolve. If you don't still have the initiative at that time, the ability won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. Notably, if you don't have the initiative as your end step begins but you have completed a dungeon, the ability won't trigger and you won't create any Treasures.
2022-06-10 You can choose two commanders that are the same color or colors.