Botanical Sanctum MTG Card
2016-09-30 - Number 244s
2016-09-30 - Number 244
2020-11-12 - Number 281
2024-04-19 - Number 301
2024-04-19 - Number 267
2024-04-20 - Number 267p
2024-04-20 - Number 267s
2019-12-02 - Number 1376
| Card sets | Released in 8 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
Botanical Sanctum enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands. : Add or .
Life inspires technology, which expands life's domain.
Cards like Botanical Sanctum
Botanical Sanctum has carved out its place as an efficacious mana source within Magic: The Gathering. Its closest relatives in utility are the other fastlands like Spirebluff Canal and Blooming Marsh. These lands share the trait of entering the battlefield untapped if you control two or fewer other lands. Botanical Sanctum stands out because it caters specifically to green and blue mana combinations, which is ideal for the Simic guild.
Comparatively, we see Hinterland Harbor—a land with a different condition for entering untapped; it requires you to control a Forest or an Island. While the condition might be easier to satisfy in the later stages of the game, Botanical Sanctum assures you swift access to mana in your initial turns. Breeding Pool is another land that can produce both green and blue mana, but it comes at the cost of two life to enter untapped.
Each card offers advantages based on the deck strategy and the game’s phase, but Botanical Sanctum’s advantage in early gameplay is undeniable. It’s the preferred choice for players looking to deploy key spells without the delay or life cost other similar cards may impose.
Cards similar to Botanical Sanctum by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Botanical Sanctum. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Bant Vannifar | Pioneer | Bant Vannifar | Pioneer Preliminary 2024-05-07 |
 | Hidden Strings | Pioneer | Hidden Strings | Pioneer Preliminary 2024-05-04 |
 | Bant Poison | Standard | Bant Poison | Standard Challenge 32 2024-05-04 |
 | Temur Phoenix | Pioneer | Izzet Phoenix | Pioneer Preliminary 2024-05-07 (1) |
| Simic Artifact Aggro | Standard | Simic Artifact Aggro | Standard Challenge 64 2024-05-05 |
 | WURG | Pioneer | Pioneer Preliminary 2024-05-07 (1) | |
 | Living End | Modern | Living End | Modern Challenge 64 2024-05-06 |
 | Simic Heroic | Standard | Simic Heroic | Traditional Standard Ranked Decklists: May 6, 2024 |
 | Izzet Aggro | Standard | Izzet Aggro | Traditional Standard Ranked Decklists: May 6, 2024 |
| Simic Merfolk | Pioneer | Simic Merfolk | Pioneer League 2024-05-05 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Botanical Sanctum may not directly allow you to draw additional cards, but it does facilitate a smoother gameplay by providing the right kind of mana without costing you an extra draw. Instant access to two colors of mana keeps your hand flowing smoothly and preserves card quality.
Resource Acceleration: This card excels in helping you speed up your resources. By entering the battlefield untapped as long as you control two or fewer other lands, it allows for an early acceleration that can be crucial for establishing a lead or executing your strategy more efficiently.
Instant Speed: While Botanical Sanctum itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it enables the casting of instant-speed spells by ensuring the necessary mana is available when you need it. This dual land supports your ability to react to an opponent’s plays without missing a beat.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Botanical Sanctum doesn’t directly have a discard requirement, but it’s important to note for other cards in your deck that the dual land capacity may pressure you to choose between playing a land or holding a key card for later strategic use.
Specific Mana Cost: As a land that caters specifically to green and blue mana, Botanical Sanctum can be limiting in decks that also use other colors. Mana flexibility is reduced, potentially impacting your ability to cast spells outside the land’s provided colors effectively.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite entering the battlefield untapped if you control two or fewer other lands, Botanical Sanctum can be less favorable than other lands later in the game when its condition is more difficult to meet, effectively functioning as a land with a higher comparative “cost” in terms of utility.
Reasons to Include Botanical Sanctum in Your Collection
Versatility: Botanical Sanctum is a land card that taps for both green and blue mana without entering the battlefield tapped if it’s one of your first three lands. This flexibility allows it to slide seamlessly into a variety of decks, particularly those in the Simic combination (green-blue) that require quick setup for an effective mana base.
Combo Potential: This card can be a key element in decks that use landfall triggers or other mechanics that require lands entering untapped earlier in the game. It also supports multicolored spells or adaptability in complex mana requirements, making it a staple for innovative combo decks.
Meta-Relevance: As the game meta frequently shifts, having reliable dual-lands like Botanical Sanctum ensures your deck can adapt to various competitive formats. Its efficiency in providing the right mana at the right time can be crucial in matches where speed and resource availability make the difference.
How to Beat Botanical Sanctum
Botanical Sanctum has established its presence in MTG as a powerful land card that provides both green and blue mana without any life loss if played early, making it a staple for fast mana fixing in multicolored decks. However, to outmaneuver an opponent leveraging Botanical Sanctum’s advantages, consider strategies that involve land disruption or denial.
One approach is using land destruction cards to directly remove Botanical Sanctum from play. Cards like Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin can not only remove the land but also inhibit your enemy’s mana curve. Alternatively, causing your opponent to sacrifice lands through effects from cards like Crack the Earth can stall their early game, where Botanical Sanctum shines the most.
Dampening land advantages is another potential tactic. Blood Moon transforms all non-basic lands into Mountains, nullifying Sanctum’s dual mana capabilities. Plus, Aven Mindcensor can prevent players from effectively searching their library for lands, countering strategies that rely heavily on land tutoring to gain Botanical Sanctum. By anticipating and neutralizing the land-based strategies your opponent might deploy, you can diminish the impact of Botanical Sanctum on the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Botanical Sanctum MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh Promos and Kaladesh, 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 Botanical Sanctum and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Botanical Sanctum Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2024-04-20. Illustrated by 4 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-09-30 | Kaladesh Promos | PKLD | 244s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Christine Choi | |
| 2 | 2016-09-30 | Kaladesh | KLD | 244 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Christine Choi | |
| 3 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 1376 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Nino Is | ||
| 4 | 2020-11-12 | Kaladesh Remastered | KLR | 281 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Christine Choi | |
| 5 | 2024-04-19 | Outlaws of Thunder Junction | OTJ | 301 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Piotr Dura | |
| 6 | 2024-04-19 | Outlaws of Thunder Junction | OTJ | 267 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jorge Jacinto | |
| 7 | 2024-04-20 | Outlaws of Thunder Junction Promos | POTJ | 267p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jorge Jacinto | |
| 8 | 2024-04-20 | Outlaws of Thunder Junction Promos | POTJ | 267s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jorge Jacinto |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Botanical Sanctum has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Botanical Sanctum card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-09-20 | If one of these lands enters the battlefield at the same time as one or more other lands (due to Oblivion Sower or Warp World, perhaps), it doesn't take those lands into consideration when determining how many other lands you control. |
| 2016-09-20 | If one of these lands is your first, second, or third land, it enters the battlefield untapped. If you control three or more other lands, however, it enters the battlefield tapped. |