Sheltering Boughs MTG Card
2021-11-19 - Number 218
2022-01-28 - Number 485
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Key Takeaways
- Offers card advantage by creating enduring enchantments that can shift the momentum on the battlefield.
- Accelerates resources, granting the ability to cast more impactful spells earlier in the game.
- Instant speed application allows for surprising and effective gameplay adaptation against opponents.
Text of card
Enchant creature When Sheltering Boughs enters the battlefield, draw a card. Enchanted creature gets +1/+3.
"We're not at odds with the woods. How could we be, when we share so many enemies?" —Marel, Dawnhart witch
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sheltering Boughs offers players a significant boost in the battlefield strategy by placing an enchantment that persists, potentially leading to card advantage. Garnering extra resources from this protective aura can be a game-changer, keeping you ahead of your opponents.
Resource Acceleration: This enchantment can embolden your mana base, essentially accelerating your resource availability. By enhancing your lands or creatures, Sheltering Boughs can open the door to casting more potent spells sooner in the game, giving you a decisive edge.
Instant Speed: The instant speed of Sheltering Boughs allows for dynamic play, enabling you to surprise opponents by fortifying a creature or land at a pivotal moment. Whether it’s combat or anticipating an opponent’s threats, the instant nature of Sheltering Boughs gives you the flexibility to adapt swiftly and effectively.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Sheltering Boughs needs you to sacrifice a land, which might leave you at a positional disadvantage, especially in land-sensitive strategies where every resource counts.
Specific Mana Cost: The card’s green mana requirement might not seamlessly fit into multicolor decks that prioritize other casts or require a broad mana base flexibility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost that includes three green mana, Sheltering Boughs may come in play later than desired. Quicker alternatives could provide similar protection or board presence at a lower investment.
Reasons to Include Sheltering Boughs in Your Collection
Versatility: Sheltering Boughs is a flexible card that can easily find a home in various green-centric decks looking for board protection or those that capitalize on lands matter themes.
Combo Potential: This card shines in combinations with abilities that trigger upon landfall or from effects that benefit from enchantments, offering multiple avenues for deck synergies.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-heavy strategies are prevalent, Sheltering Boughs provides a dependable way to safeguard your creatures from targeted removal, making it a practical choice for adapting to the current competitive scene.
How to beat
Sheltering Boughs presents a unique challenge in the realm of enchantment cards. Its ability to cloak a creature in protection makes it a formidable obstacle in any matchup. The card provides an enduring shield, one that prevents all damage that would be dealt to the creature it envelops. This can turn even the most unremarkable creature into a stalwart defender or an unstoppable force on the battlefield.
To overcome this, players must adapt their strategies to handle such enchantments. Using targeted removal spells that can bypass the protective barrier, such as those that exile or cause the controlling player to sacrifice an enchantment, can be effective. Alternatives like enchantment sweepers or bounce spells can also return the enchanted creature back to its owner’s hand, nullifying the protective boon of Sheltering Boughs. Efficient deck building that includes a mix of such tools can help ensure that the opponent’s enchantments don’t become an insurmountable advantage.
Assessing the threat and having a plan in place to deal with enchantments like Sheltering Boughs is crucial. Cards that offer enchantment removal, such as Disenchant, or those that allow you to take control of the enchanted creature, can turn the tide of the game, highlighting the importance of flexibility and foresight in your deck construction.
Cards like Sheltering Boughs
Sheltering Boughs brings its own charm to the vast array of green enchantments within the world of Magic: The Gathering. Its direct comparison can be drawn with cards like Sheltering Word that also prioritize the protection of creatures. While Sheltering Word offers creature-targeted protection and a lifegain bonus, Sheltering Boughs extends its shelter to all creatures with its enchantment coverage. This broad defense makes your creatures tougher for opponents to deal with, without being specific in targeting.
Another counterpart to consider is Asceticism. Offering an umbrella of hexproof and allowing for regeneration of creatures, it aligns closely with the safeguarding theme of Sheltering Boughs. However, the key difference here lies in Sheltering Boughs’ ability to bolster your creatures’ toughness, a trait that Asceticism lacks. On the flip side, Asceticism’s regeneration ability provides a recurring safeguard against destruction that is not present in Sheltering Boughs.
Overall, Sheltering Boughs stands out for its unique combination of enhancing creature toughness and team-wide protection. This gives it a solid standing among enchantments designed to preserve your army on the battlefield and can be particularly effective in decks that capitalize on creature permanence and resilience.
Cards similar to Sheltering Boughs by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sheltering Boughs MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Crimson Vow and Innistrad: Double Feature, 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 Sheltering Boughs 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 Sheltering Boughs Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-11-19 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Anato Finnstark.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-11-19 | Innistrad: Crimson Vow | VOW | 218 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anato Finnstark | |
| 2 | 2022-01-28 | Innistrad: Double Feature | DBL | 485 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anato Finnstark |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sheltering Boughs has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sheltering Boughs card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-11-19 | If the creature the Aura spell targets isn't a legal target as it tries to resolve, Sheltering Boughs is put into its owner's graveyard from the stack. It doesn't enter the battlefield and you won't draw a card. |
