Animal Sanctuary MTG Card
2020-07-03 - Number 385
2020-07-03 - Number 242
2002-06-24 - Number 82012
2020-09-26 - Number M21-242
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Key Takeaways
- Animal Sanctuary offers gradual creature enhancement, providing long-term board presence and advantage.
- Although not instant speed, it influences opponent’s play by offering reactive potential during the game.
- Its tailored boosts require specific mana investment, suited for decks aligned with its creature focus.
Text of card
: Add . , : Put a +1/+1 counter on target Bird, Cat, Dog, Goat, Ox, or Snake.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Animal Sanctuary card provides a steady pace of growth for your creature-based strategy, allowing for the bolstering of key creatures turn after turn. This is particularly useful for ensuring that your deck consistently builds a presence on the board, which can eventually translate into card advantage as you capitalize on stronger creatures to control the game.
Resource Acceleration: Strategically, this card can function as a form of resource acceleration. Each activation is an investment in your creatures, incrementally increasing their threat level without the need to commit additional cards from your hand. This can free up your resources to maintain a full grip of cards while still developing a formidable board presence.
Instant Speed: While Animal Sanctuary’s abilities do not directly operate at instant speed, its presence on the field provides an ever-present option that must be accounted for by the opponent. It allows for mana allocation flexibility, as you can choose to enhance your creatures after your opponent’s actions have been revealed, ensuring that you are making the most informed decisions possible and can react to threats or opportunities as they arise.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In the case of Animal Sanctuary, while there is no direct discard requirement, the card does not provide immediate card advantage which can be a drawback in fast-paced games where every resource is crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: This land requires a specific mana investment to activate its abilities. Decks that do not run many creatures with the relevant types or cannot afford to spare the mana for incremental advantages may find it less useful.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: To gain full benefit from Animal Sanctuary, investment over multiple turns is essential. This slow buildup can be a liability in a meta where speed and efficiency are often key to victory.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Animal Sanctuary fits into a broad spectrum of decks, enhancing strategies centered around creatures with the types Bird, Cat, Dog, Goat, Ox, and Snake, making it a dynamic addition to decks that capitalize on creature-based synergies.
Combo Potential: Not only does it serve as a land providing mana, but its ability to place a +1/+1 counter on key creatures can be integral to strategies that rely on counters or evolve mechanics. It can turn ordinary creatures into potent threats as the game progresses.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-heavy decks are prevalent, Animal Sanctuary can be a solid choice. Its ability to consistently enhance your creatures makes it relevant, especially in formats where boosting the power and toughness of your creatures can mean the difference between victory and defeat.
How to beat
Animal Sanctuary is a specialized land card in Magic the Gathering, providing a unique advantage to decks that capitalize on creatures with specific types such as Cats, Dogs, and Birds, among others. It stands out by allowing players to put a +1/+1 counter on a target creature of the specified types for a modest investment of mana. Although it seems like a steady stream of growth for your creatures, certain strategies can effectively minimize the Sanctuary’s impact.
Card removal spells are one effective avenue. By keeping the board clear of creatures that can benefit from the Sanctuary’s ability, its potential is greatly diminished. Counter-based disruption, like proliferate or doubling season effects, can also be a way to tilt the balance of power in your favor. Additionally, land destruction or land control cards remove the problem from the board entirely. Efficient creature control tactics, such as consistent board wipes or spells that prevent counter placements, can shut down the incremental advantage that Animal Sanctuary provides before it becomes overwhelming.
Implementing these strategies can ensure that the Animal Sanctuary does not become a significant threat, allowing you to maintain control of the game’s tempo and flow.
Cards like Animal Sanctuary
Animal Sanctuary holds a unique position in the landscape of MTG as a land card designed to empower creature types often overlooked by deck builders. Within its category, it’s akin to other utility lands like Castle Garenbrig, which accelerates mana for green creature spells. Animal Sanctuary steps out with its ability to place a +1/+1 counter specifically on bird, cat, dog, goat, ox, and snake creatures. This tailored approach differs from the broader mana boost provided by Castle Garenbrig.
Exploring others in its league, Haven of the Spirit Dragon comes to mind, catering to dragon and Ugin spells, similar to how Animal Sanctuary spotlights certain creature types. Both are lands that go beyond adding mana, instead offering a form of creature support. Haven of the Spirit Dragon can also return a dragon creature card or Ugin planeswalker to your hand, showcasing a utility setup that is more niche than that of Animal Sanctuary.
Considering the benefits and specialized nature of animal-themed decks, Animal Sanctuary competently holds its ground. It can be a pivotal addition to relevant creature-focused strategies, giving players an edge by steadily bolstering their creature’s strength on the battlefield—a subtle, yet strategic tool, in MTG.
Cards similar to Animal Sanctuary by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Animal Sanctuary MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Core Set 2021, 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 Animal Sanctuary 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 Animal Sanctuary Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-07-03 and 2020-07-03. Illustrated by Alayna Danner.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 82012 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alayna Danner | ||
| 2 | 2020-07-03 | Core Set 2021 | M21 | 385 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alayna Danner | |
| 3 | 2020-07-03 | Core Set 2021 | M21 | 242 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alayna Danner | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | M21-242 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alayna Danner |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Animal Sanctuary has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
