Light of Sanction MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Enchantment |
| Released | 2005-10-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Ravnica: City of Guilds |
| Set code | RAV |
| Number | 24 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Michael Phillippi |
Text of card
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to creatures you control by sources you control.
The Legion looks after its own.
Cards like Light of Sanction
Light of Sanction is a unique enchantment that offers robust protection for your creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to prevent damage to creatures you control from effects you control is an asset that sets it apart. Comparing this to a card like Mark of Asylum, you’ll notice both serve the similar purpose of shielding your creatures from your own damage-causing spells or abilities, yet Mark of Asylum extends that protection from noncombat damage inflicted by opponents as well.
Taking a look at another card, Safe Passage is also analogous in nature to Light of Sanction, providing a one-time-use shield effect that prevents damage to you and creatures you control for a turn. This grants a temporary reprieve, unlike the permanent guard Light of Sanction ensures. Lastly, there’s the card Riot Control. While it does grant you life equal to the number of creatures your opponents control, it only prevents damage to you, not your creatures, highlighting the singularity and strategic value of Light of Sanction in player decks.
In essence, what makes Light of Sanction stand distinct in MTG is its enduring protection of creatures from any source of self-inflicted harm, making it a strategic choice for decks that exploit damage-dealing effects for an advantage.
Cards similar to Light of Sanction by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Light of Sanction offers a unique form of card advantage as it helps protect your creatures on the battlefield. With this enchantment in play, players don’t have to worry about damaging their own creatures when using board wipes or damage-based removal, effectively allowing those creatures to remain as both defensive and offensive resources.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting resources like mana, Light of Sanction can indirectly accelerate your game plan by saving resources often allocated for creature recovery. Without the need to frequently rebuild your board presence after a sweep, players can channel their mana and other resources into progressing their strategy more quickly.
Instant Speed: Although Light of Sanction is not an instant itself, its continuous effect ensures that the creatures you control are protected during all phases of the game, including at instant speed. This essentially allows your removal spells and damage-dealing effects at instant speed to be applied with impunity, knowing that your creatures are safely under the Light of Sanction’s protective aura.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Light of Sanction has a precise mana requirement of two white and one colorless, which can be restrictive for multicolored decks that may not consistently produce the necessary white mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, this enchantment comes at a stage in the game where players may prefer to establish a stronger board presence or hold up mana for reactive spells.
Discard Requirement: Although Light of Sanction doesn’t have a discard requirement itself, it does necessitate running protective cards that might force discards to ensure its maximized effectiveness, indirectly impacting hand resources.
Reasons to Include Light of Sanction in Your Collection
Versatility: Light of Sanction is an enchantment that offers unique protection for your creatures, shielding them from damage dealt by your own spells or effects. This card is not limited to a single archetype, fitting comfortably into strategies that emphasize board control or those that utilize damage-based removal while keeping your forces intact.
Combo Potential: This card opens up a myriad of combo possibilities, especially in decks that employ ‘wrath’ effects or cards like Pyroclasm. Utilizing Light of Sanction, you can clear the board of your opponent’s threats while your own creatures remain unharmed, ready to press the advantage.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where global damage spells are prevalent, Light of Sanction becomes a game-changer. Whether you’re up against red deck wins or control strategies relying on sweepers for board control, embedding this card in your lineup can offer a tactical edge, ensuring your creatures survive the onslaught.
How to beat
Light of Sanction is a unique enchantment card that fortifies your gameplay in Magic: The Gathering. Its protective aura prevents damage to your creatures during battles where they are marked for blocking. Recognizing this pivotal feature is key to forming a strategy to overcome it. The card does not shield against direct removal spells, which makes cards like Doom Blade or Murder vital pieces in your arsenal to circumvent this defense.
Another method is to employ board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation, which are not hindered by Light of Sanction’s damage prevention. Moreover, you can leverage exile effects through cards like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares to permanently remove creatures from the battlefield, providing a reliable solution against decks that rely on Light of Sanction’s protective shield.
In essence, the best approach to beat Light of Sanction involves strategically using spells that aren’t blocked by its specific prevention mechanic. While the card excels at shielding creatures during the combat phase, it leaves them vulnerable to other forms of control, making targeted removals and global effects the keys to victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Light of Sanction MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Light of Sanction 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
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Light of Sanction has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |