Shrine of the Forsaken Gods MTG Card
2015-10-02 - Number 245
2015-10-02 - Number 245s
2019-08-23 - Number 273
2023-08-04 - Number 1034
2024-02-09 - Number 292
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Key Takeaways
- Shrine of the Forsaken Gods provides ramp, offering a significant edge in casting large spells efficiently.
- Its conditional extra mana benefit is best utilized in decks that aim for late-game dominance.
- Leveraging its potential is key in strategies built around powerful creatures and Eldrazi spells.
Text of card
: Add to your mana pool.: Add to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast colorless spells. Activate this ability only if you control seven or more lands.
The gods known to the merfolk as Ula, Emeria, and Cosi were nothing more than false memories of a monstrous trinity: the Eldrazi titans Ulamog, Emrakul, and Kozilek.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Shrine of the Forsaken Gods can be a crucial part in ramping up to play powerful spells ahead of schedule, which in turn may lead to a significant card advantage over your opponent. With more lands at your disposal, your ability to cast multiple spells or a single game-changing spell increases, potentially allowing you to outpace the opposition in resource availability.
Resource Acceleration: This land shines in decks that favor large, impactful creatures or spells. By providing the extra mana needed when controlling seven or more lands, Shrine of the Forsaken Gods accelerates your game plan. It serves the pivotal role of enabling faster deployment of your threats, which can be critical in securing victory.
Instant Speed: While Shrine of the Forsaken Gods doesn’t inherently operate at instant speed, it does produce mana that can be used to power instant speed interactions. This additional mana source can give you the flexibility to react to an opponent’s moves or to cast your own high-impact instants when most advantageous.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Shrine of the Forsaken Gods does not directly require you to discard as an additional cost, its effectiveness is contingent upon having a certain number of lands in play, which can be challenging if you’re forced to discard land cards due to other gameplay elements.
Specific Mana Cost: This land’s ability to generate additional colorless mana can only be activated if you control seven or more lands, which can be restrictive during the early to mid-game phases. This limitation pits Shrine of the Forsaken Gods against more flexible mana options that do not have such prerequisites.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite Shrine of the Forsaken Gods itself not having a mana cost, the high land requirement to leverage its full potential indirectly imposes a high resource cost. This makes it less beneficial in fast-paced games or in decks that struggle with land acceleration, compared to other land cards that provide immediate value or utility.
Reasons to Include Shrine of the Forsaken Gods in Your Collection
Versatility: Shrine of the Forsaken Gods is a land card that offers a unique advantage to your mana base. As a land, it’s not just another spell—it can be the backbone of your deck, providing colorless mana and later in the game, extra mana specifically for casting powerful Eldrazi spells or activating abilities that require significant colorless mana investment.
Combo Potential: This land plays a crucial role in strategies focusing on big creatures and game-changing plays. Pairing it with cards that allow you to drop enormous creatures or activate costly abilities can turn the tides of the game in your favor. Its ability to tap for additional colorless mana means that it can accelerate your strategy, especially in an Eldrazi-focused deck.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where late-game plays determine the winner, Shrine of the Forsaken Gods can be incredibly relevant. Having access to additional mana in the later stages of the game allows for casting high-cost spells that can dominate the battlefield, making it a useful card against decks that aim to win through resource advantage.
How to beat Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
Shrine of the Forsaken Gods is a land card that can be a potent asset for any player looking to accelerate their mana production and cast big, game-changing spells ahead of the normal curve. This card allows players to tap for colorless mana, and if certain conditions are met, it provides additional colorless mana — a boon for decks with high-cost creatures or game-ending eldritch spells.
Defeating a strategy based around Shrine of the Forsaken Gods involves disrupting the opponent’s mana base. Land destruction spells or effects can remove the Shrine directly from the battlefield, while cards that restrict land abilities hinder the extra mana production. Additionally, speeding up your own game plan to outpace your opponent’s set-up might be crucial, as it reduces the window in which the Shrine’s additional mana can tip the scales.
Controlling the board with counterspells and removal, targeting key spells that benefit most from the Shrine’s mana boost, can also effectively negate the advantage your opponent would gain. Adaptability and a solid understanding of when to attack the mana base or focus on tempo directly influence the likelihood of overcoming the power of Shrine of the Forsaken Gods in any MTG match.
Cards like Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
Shrine of the Forsaken Gods is a unique land in MTG, offering an extra burst of mana to summon powerful Eldrazi titans. It’s often compared to land cards like Temple of the False God. Both lands provide additional mana, but Shrine of the Forsaken Gods allows access to this extra mana as early as the turn it’s played, if you have enough lands. Temple of the False God requires you to control five or more lands to get the same benefit, adding a condition that slows down potential plays.
Another peer in this category is Eldrazi Temple, which also taps for additional mana when casting Eldrazi creatures. However, Eldrazi Temple doesn’t specify a condition of lands to activate its ability, giving it a slight edge in the early game. On the flip side, Shrine of the Forsaken Gods can be more advantageous in the late game when aiming for high-cost Eldrazi, due to its colorless mana production not limited to Eldrazi spells.
Considering versatility and conditions for extra mana, Shrine of the Forsaken Gods is an asset for players looking to ramp into colossal creatures while balancing the conditions required to maximize its potential.
Cards similar to Shrine of the Forsaken Gods by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shrine of the Forsaken Gods MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar and Battle for Zendikar Promos, 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 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods 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 MTG Products
Printings
The Shrine of the Forsaken Gods Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2015-10-02 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by Daniel Ljunggren.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015-10-02 | Battle for Zendikar | BFZ | 245 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daniel Ljunggren | |
| 2 | 2015-10-02 | Battle for Zendikar Promos | PBFZ | 245s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daniel Ljunggren | |
| 3 | 2019-08-23 | Commander 2019 | C19 | 273 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daniel Ljunggren | |
| 4 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 1034 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daniel Ljunggren | |
| 5 | 2024-02-09 | Murders at Karlov Manor Commander | MKC | 292 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daniel Ljunggren |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shrine of the Forsaken Gods has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
