Castle Vantress MTG Card


Castle Vantress allows players to scry 2, refining future draws and improving strategic decision-making during games. It doubles as a mana resource and a utility card, offering flexibility and an uptick in potential plays. The scry ability’s instant speed nature keeps players responsive, utilizing mana efficiently in the opponent’s end phase.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeLand
Abilities Scry

Text of card

Castle Vantress enters the battlefield tapped unless you control an Island. : Add . , : Scry 2.

Without Vantress's knowledge, the realm would lose itself in darkness.


Cards like Castle Vantress

Castle Vantress stands out as a strategic land card amidst the wide selection of lands within Magic: The Gathering. Its similarity to other lands lies in its ability to provide blue mana crucial for casting spells. However, what sets Castle Vantress apart is its powerful scry ability. This card allows players to look at the top two cards of their deck and make informed decisions for upcoming plays by reordering or putting unwanted cards at the bottom of the deck. The operation can be compared to the effects of Temple of Enlightenment, which also offers a scry ability upon entering the battlefield, but unlike Castle Vantress, it doesn’t offer the repeatable scry effect.

Mystic Sanctuary is another land with a synergy reminiscent of Castle Vantress’s strategy. It allows the retrieval of an instant or sorcery card from the graveyard to the top of the deck. While this effect is a onetime use upon entering under certain conditions, Castle Vantress’ ability can be used multiple times, providing continuous deck filtering. Though both lands have a place in blue-centric decks, they serve slightly different strategic purposes.

Ultimately, Castle Vantress shines in its capacity to consistently shape draws, offering blue deck players a significant advantage with its persistent scrying mechanism.

Temple of Enlightenment - MTG Card versions
Mystic Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Temple of Enlightenment - MTG Card versions
Mystic Sanctuary - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Castle Vantress by color, type and mana cost

Island - MTG Card versions
Cephalid Coliseum - MTG Card versions
Magosi, the Waterveil - MTG Card versions
Faerie Conclave - MTG Card versions
Halimar Depths - MTG Card versions
Lonely Sandbar - MTG Card versions
Tolaria West - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Island - MTG Card versions
Jasconian Isle - MTG Card versions
Thriving Isle - MTG Card versions
Glasspool Mimic // Glasspool Shore - MTG Card versions
Sea Gate Restoration // Sea Gate, Reborn - MTG Card versions
Beyeen Veil // Beyeen Coast - MTG Card versions
Memorial to Genius - MTG Card versions
Otawara, Soaring City - MTG Card versions
Rivendell - MTG Card versions
Island - MTG Card versions
Cephalid Coliseum - MTG Card versions
Magosi, the Waterveil - MTG Card versions
Faerie Conclave - MTG Card versions
Halimar Depths - MTG Card versions
Lonely Sandbar - MTG Card versions
Tolaria West - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Island - MTG Card versions
Jasconian Isle - MTG Card versions
Thriving Isle - MTG Card versions
Glasspool Mimic // Glasspool Shore - MTG Card versions
Sea Gate Restoration // Sea Gate, Reborn - MTG Card versions
Beyeen Veil // Beyeen Coast - MTG Card versions
Memorial to Genius - MTG Card versions
Otawara, Soaring City - MTG Card versions
Rivendell - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Castle Vantress. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Azorius Lotus FieldAzorius Lotus Field PioneerAzorius Lotus FieldPioneer Preliminary 2024-04-23
Azorius ControlAzorius Control PioneerAzorius ControlPioneer Challenge 32 2024-04-19
Jeskai ControlJeskai Control ModernJeskai ControlModern League 2024-05-08
Dimir ControlDimir Control PioneerDimir ControlPioneer Challenge 64 2024-04-21
UBUB VintageVintage Preliminary 2024-04-30
Esper ControlEsper Control PioneerEsper ControlPioneer Challenge 32 2024-04-29
UU PioneerPioneer Challenge 64 2024-04-28
Grixis ControlGrixis Control ModernGrixis ControlModern League 2024-04-21

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Castle Vantress provides a strategic advantage by enabling players to scry 2, which can significantly improve card quality and options in future turns.

Resource Acceleration: As a land card, Castle Vantress helps stabilize mana resources while offering an incremental advantage, ensuring players have access to necessary mana without sacrificing card utility.

Instant Speed: Because the scrying ability can be activated at the end of the opponent’s turn, it allows players to utilize mana efficiently and keep up the offensive or defensive momentum.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Castle Vantress doesn’t require a card discard directly, it does demand a significant investment in resources before you can tap into its scrying ability. This upfront cost can be cumbersome, especially when you’re aiming to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Castle Vantress necessitates two blue mana to activate its scry ability, which might not always be conveniently available. This specificity can sometimes lead to a bottleneck situation, particularly in multi-colored decks that rely on a balanced mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Its activation cost, while offering a valuable scry 2 ability, is high when you consider that there are other cards that can scry for less. This steep cost is especially relevant in fast-paced gameplay where mana efficiency can determine the course of the match.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Castle Vantress serves as a land card that fits seamlessly into a multitude of blue decks. Its primary function as a source of blue mana is complemented by its scrying ability, perfect for those seeking to refine their deck’s performance during the game.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combination with strategies that benefit from deck manipulation. Its scry 2 ability can set up the perfect draw or help dig for key components, amplifying the impact of other synergistic cards in your deck.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that values precise deck maneuvering and long-term strategy, Castle Vantress holds its ground by offering consistent deck filtering. This can give players the edge needed against various tempo and control matchups.


How to beat

Castle Vantress is a powerful land card in Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to scry and improve a player’s hand quality. Defeating a deck that utilizes Castle Vantress requires a tactical approach. Consider incorporating land destruction or disruption tactics like Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin to directly target and eliminate the card from play. It’s also effective to apply pressure early in the game, limiting the opponent’s opportunity to take advantage of Castle Vantress’s scrying ability. Additionally, hand disruption spells such as Thoughtseize can help remove key cards before the opponent can set up their defenses with Castle Vantress.

Furthermore, using counterspells or instant-speed removal can mitigate the impact of the opponent’s carefully scried cards. It’s crucial to maintain a clock on your opponent and keep them on the backfoot. By staying aggressive and prioritizing the disruption of your opponent’s strategies, you can neutralize the advantages that Castle Vantress offers and emerge victorious in your matches.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Castle Vantress MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine and Throne of Eldraine, 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 Castle Vantress and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Castle Vantress Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2019-10-04 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by John Avon.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-10-04Throne of EldraineELD 2422015NormalBlackJohn Avon
22019-10-04Throne of EldraineELD 3902015NormalBlackJohn Avon
32022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 8852015NormalBlackJohn Avon
42024-06-14Modern Horizons 3 CommanderM3C 3272015NormalBlackJohn Avon

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Castle Vantress has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-10-04 Although the common lands have basic land types, they aren't basic lands.
2019-10-04 Once the common lands (such as Mystic Sanctuary) enter the battlefield tapped, there's no way to untap them with a spell or ability to make their last ability trigger.