Sunrise Sovereign MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Giant Warrior
Power 5
Toughness 5

Key Takeaways

  1. Empowers Giants with +2/+2 and trample, strengthening your board presence and tactical advantage.
  2. Dedicated red mana cost and high casting can limit deck-building options but offer formidable power.
  3. Crucial for Giant tribal decks, turning even modest Giants into significant threats against opponents.

Text of card

Other Giant creatures you control get +2/+2 and have trample.

A hundred generations has he mentored, a hundred armies has he crushed beneath his feet, yet only a hundred words has he ever spoken, each more revered than a hundred books.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sunrise Sovereign is a potent addition to any player’s hand due to the way it bolsters every other Giant you control. This synergy creates a form of card advantage, as each Giant becomes a more significant threat, effectively getting more value out of the cards you’ve already played.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting mana resources, Sunrise Sovereign can be a game-changer in speeding up your win condition. By granting your Giants +2/+2, this card escalates the pace at which you can reduce your opponent’s life total, often requiring them to deal with your creatures more urgently, potentially diverting resources they would have otherwise used to develop their own board state.

Instant Speed: Though Sunrise Sovereign itself does not operate at instant speed, its continuous buff to your Giants means each creature you play afterwards may have an immediate impact on the game state. Additionally, commanders that are Giants benefit instantly upon hitting the battlefield, ready to swing in with increased vigor thanks to Sunrise Sovereign’s static ability.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Sunrise Sovereign does not require you to discard cards, this area highlights a general con for those cards that do – a setback that Sunrise Sovereign deftly avoids, allowing you to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This giant leader has a dedicated color alignment, demanding red mana. This could restrict deck-building options, requiring a commitment to red or a mana base capable of consistently producing red mana to cast it effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sunrise Sovereign enters the battlefield for a significant mana investment. This high cost aligns with its potent board presence, yet the six mana needed to cast it can be restrictive, especially in formats where speed and efficiency are paramount.


Reasons to Include Sunrise Sovereign in Your Collection

Versatility: Sunrise Sovereign serves as an excellent addition to decks that focus on the Giant tribe, as well as those that leverage Red’s aggressive nature. Its ability to give other Giant creatures you control +2/+2 and trample adds a significant power boost, catering to both Giant tribal strategies and decks looking for strong finishers.

Combo Potential: In a deck with numerous Giants, Sunrise Sovereign’s ability can turn an ordinary board state into a formidable one. This turns even your smallest Giants into much larger threats, synergizing well with cards that benefit from creatures with power 5 or greater to maximize on the battlefield impact.

Meta-Relevance: Giants continue to be a popular tribe and can disrupt many common meta strategies. With Sunrise Sovereign enhancing your creature’s stats and abilities, it becomes a key piece in any Giant-themed deck, allowing it to stand toe-to-toe with various competitive decks in the format.


How to beat Sunrise Sovereign

Sunrise Sovereign is a powerful Giant tribal card that bolsters giants on the battlefield, granting your towering creatures sizable advantages in battle. Understanding its impact is key when facing decks that capitalize on the might of giants. When confronting a card like Sunrise Sovereign, control strategies become crucial. Utilizing removal spells that can bypass the Sovereign’s enhanced creatures is essential – consider spells that either exile or destroy without targeting, such as board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation which circumvent the buffs Sunrise Sovereign provides to giants.

Another effective strategy is to minimize the Sovereign’s influence by countering it upon casting. Spells such as Negate or Essence Scatter can stop the Giant lord before it has the chance to assert dominance. Moreover, reducing the number of giants on field by employing spot removal or instant-speed interaction disrupts the synergy and makes the giant’s enhanced power and trample less threatening.

Ultimately, while Sunrise Sovereign can be a formidable force, timely removal and disruption tailored to the Giant archetype can effectively neutralize the card’s advantage, helping you maintain control and paving the way to victory in your matches.


Cards like Sunrise Sovereign

Sunrise Sovereign is a potent force in MTG, offering a substantial boost to other Giants you control. It’s akin to other tribal lords such as Goblin King, which also grants bonuses exclusively to creatures of its kind. While Goblin King empowers goblins with a +1/+1 increase and mountainwalk, Sunrise Sovereign specifically caters to Giants, bestowing them with not only a +2/+2 enhancement but also trample, ensuring that their mighty size can breach defenses for potentially devastating attacks.

Another card with a similar influence is the Elvish Archdruid, a boon to Elf decks, providing both a +1/+1 bonus and a mana acceleration ability. Although Elves generally benefit from being numerous and cheap to play, Sunrise Sovereign’s emphasis is on elevating already formidable Giants, making it a key card in a Giant tribal deck. Then, consider Thundercloud Shaman, offering a one-time damage spell upon entry targeting non-Giant creatures. While it serves as a board sweeper in a Giant-centric deck, Sunrise Sovereign provides a lasting advantage, bolstering Giants’ strength in a significant and enduring way.

Comparing these tribal lords highlights the unique role of Sunrise Sovereign in red’s portion of the color pie, emphasizing raw power and aggression to overwhelm opponents, and asserting its position as a cornerstone in Giant-themed decks within MTG.

Goblin King - MTG Card versions
Elvish Archdruid - MTG Card versions
Thundercloud Shaman - MTG Card versions
Goblin King - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Elvish Archdruid - Magic 2010 (M10)
Thundercloud Shaman - Lorwyn (LRW)

Cards similar to Sunrise Sovereign by color, type and mana cost

Shivan Dragon - MTG Card versions
Firestorm Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Crater Hellion - MTG Card versions
Callous Giant - MTG Card versions
Halam Djinn - MTG Card versions
Bloodshot Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Worldgorger Dragon - MTG Card versions
Two-Headed Dragon - MTG Card versions
Iron-Barb Hellion - MTG Card versions
Ryusei, the Falling Star - MTG Card versions
Patron of the Akki - MTG Card versions
Ronin Cavekeeper - MTG Card versions
Oni of Wild Places - MTG Card versions
Thundermare - MTG Card versions
Pardic Dragon - MTG Card versions
Tectonic Fiend - MTG Card versions
Etali, Primal Storm - MTG Card versions
Kamahl, Pit Fighter - MTG Card versions
Lu Bu, Master-at-Arms - MTG Card versions
Frost Giant - MTG Card versions
Shivan Dragon - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Firestorm Phoenix - Legends (LEG)
Crater Hellion - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Callous Giant - Invasion (INV)
Halam Djinn - Invasion (INV)
Bloodshot Cyclops - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Worldgorger Dragon - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Two-Headed Dragon - From the Vault: Dragons (DRB)
Iron-Barb Hellion - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Ryusei, the Falling Star - Iconic Masters (IMA)
Patron of the Akki - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Ronin Cavekeeper - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Oni of Wild Places - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Thundermare - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Pardic Dragon - Time Spiral (TSP)
Tectonic Fiend - Time Spiral (TSP)
Etali, Primal Storm - Dominaria United Commander (DMC)
Kamahl, Pit Fighter - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Lu Bu, Master-at-Arms - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Frost Giant - Masters Edition III (ME3)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sunrise Sovereign MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn and Commander 2015, 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 Sunrise Sovereign and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Sunrise Sovereign Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2007-10-12 and 2018-06-08. Illustrated by William O'Connor.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-10-12LorwynLRW 1922003normalblackWilliam O'Connor
22015-11-13Commander 2015C15 1662015normalblackWilliam O'Connor
32018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 1212015normalblackWilliam O'Connor

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sunrise Sovereign has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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