Sanctuary Cat MTG Card
2012-02-03 - Number 19
2018-07-14 - Number 8
2020-08-13 - Number 17
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Cat |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Sanctuary Cat pairs well with equipment and auras, potentially aiding in card draw and advantage.
- Playable early in the game, it preserves mana for later, more impactful moves.
- Its specific mana cost and modest abilities require strategic deck construction to maximize value.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Though Sanctuary Cat may not directly generate card advantage, as a one-drop creature, it synergizes well with equipment and auras that could offer draw effects upon dealing combat damage, enhancing your potential to gain card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While Sanctuary Cat itself does not provide resource acceleration, its low mana cost ensures it can be played early, preserving your mana for more impactful plays in subsequent turns.
Instant Speed: Sanctuary Cat doesn’t operate at instant speed, but this characteristic is essentially about maximizing flexibility. Playing this cat can mean keeping mana open for instant-speed removal or countermagic in the same turn, ready to disrupt opponents’ threats while beginning to establish your board presence.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Cards like Sanctuary Cat could be discarded due to other spells or effects that require you to trim your hand, potentially losing you a creature before benefitting from its play on the battlefield.
Specific Mana Cost: Sanctuary Cat requires a specific white mana to cast, which can be restrictive if you’re running a multicolored deck or are having difficulty accessing the necessary mana type in a timely manner.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a simple 1/2 creature, investing one white mana might not be the most mana-efficient move, as other cards at a similar cost could provide more impactful abilities or synergies. It’s important to consider if the cat’s presence will significantly contribute to your gameplay versus other creature options.
Reasons to Include Sanctuary Cat in Your Collection
Versatility: While not the flashiest card, Sanctuary Cat lends itself to various deck types due to its inherent creature type. As a Cat, it supports tribal synergies, making it a suitable choice for decks that focus on creature type bonuses and buffs.
Combo Potential: Sanctuary Cat can be especially useful in synergy with cards that capitalize on low-cost creatures. Its low mana cost and toughness make it a viable contributor to strategies involving sacrifice for benefit or as fodder for effects that trigger when a creature dies.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggressive strategies may require a swift response, having a one-drop creature like Sanctuary Cat can be crucial for early game board presence. It holds the front as a blocker, potentially deterring early attacks from opponents and contributing to a more stable board state as you build towards your primary strategy.
How to beat Sanctuary Cat
Sanctuary Cat, a humble yet charming creature from the world of MTG, presents itself as a low-threat card with its minimal stats of 1/2. Despite its unassuming nature, it might be easy to overlook that this feline can offer its owner a reliable early blocker or a creature to equip and enhance. To efficiently overcome the Sanctuary Cat, consider employing removal spells that can target low-cost creatures. Spells like Fatal Push or Shock are excellent choices to dispatch this domestic defender without allocating significant resources.
Moreover, as Sanctuary Cat is often utilised in decks that aim to capitalize on its early presence, keeping an eye on the field and maintaining control is key. Use sweepers like Pyroclasm for an efficient clear if your opponent has amassed multiple creatures along with the Sanctuary Cat. Additionally, engaging strategies that outpace the cat’s innate abilities, such as aggressive red deck wins or ramping into larger threats, can easily outmatch the tempo that a Sanctuary Cat deck might attempt to establish.
In essence, the key to besting the Sanctuary Cat rests in recognizing its potential as part of larger synergies and addressing it quickly with direct removal or by rendering it irrelevant through superior board presence and more impactful plays.
Cards like Sanctuary Cat
Sanctuary Cat is a modest yet reliable card for players who appreciate creature-based strategies in Magic: The Gathering. It echoes the simple design seen in other one-mana creatures like Savannah Lions, which sport the same power for one white mana. However, Sanctuary Cat comes with an additional point of toughness, offering more resilience in early-game combat situations.
Another one-mana creature to consider is Elite Vanguard, presenting a slightly different trade-off with a 2/1 stat line. While it doesn’t have the staying power of Sanctuary Cat, it offers more aggressive potential. On a different note, Steppe Lynx stands out with its landfall ability, which can potentially outpace both Savannah Lions and Sanctuary Cat in terms of power during specific turns though its base stats start lower.
Comparing these small creatures, Sanctuary Cat is notable for its balance between durability and strength. This makes it a solid choice for players looking to build a defensive early game or utilize equipment and buffs to turn this feline into a formidable threat on the battlefield.
Cards similar to Sanctuary Cat by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sanctuary Cat MTG card by a specific set like Dark Ascension and Arena New Player Experience Cards, 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 Sanctuary Cat and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Printings
The Sanctuary Cat Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2012-02-03 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by David Palumbo.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012-02-03 | Dark Ascension | DKA | 19 | 2003 | normal | black | David Palumbo | |
| 2 | 2018-07-14 | Arena New Player Experience Cards | OANA | 8 | 2015 | normal | black | David Palumbo | |
| 3 | 2020-08-13 | Arena Beginner Set | ANB | 17 | 2015 | normal | black | David Palumbo |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sanctuary Cat has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
