Sanctified Charge MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2014-07-18
Set symbol
Set name	Magic 2015
Set code	M15
Number	30
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dave Kendall

Key Takeaways

Boosts combat potential with a sudden power and first strike to white creatures at instant speed.
Limited by specific mana requirements and better fits white-centric or dual color decks.
Can be pivotal in games where creature combat determines the victory condition.

Text of card

Creatures you control get +2/+1 until end of turn. White creatures you control also gain first strike until end of turn. (They deal combat damage before creatures without first strike.)

You need only raise your spear to receive this blessing.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Sanctified Charge does not directly allow you to draw cards, it provides a considerable boost in combat scenarios that can turn the tide of battle and lead to advantageous board states. By empowering multiple creatures, it has the potential to create situations where you defeat multiple opponent creatures while keeping your own, effectively serving as a card advantage through board presence.

Resource Acceleration: Sanctified Charge is not a traditional resource acceleration tool. However, by possibly allowing you to preserve your creatures in combat through its +2/+1 effect, it indirectly conserves the resources you have on the board. The first strike can be particularly crucial in maximizing the permanence of your resource advantage.

Instant Speed: The power of Sanctified Charge is significantly enhanced by its instant-speed capability. This allows you to surprise an opponent during the combat phase, potentially leading to a dramatically favorable exchange. Instant-speed plays also enable you to make decisions with full information after your opponent has committed to their own actions, making Sanctified Charge a flexible and tactical card in many situations.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sanctified Charge does not present this issue, allowing you to maintain your hand’s card advantage while playing.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a combination of white mana and generic mana, which may constrain it to white-centric or dual color decks, potentially limiting its flexibility in a multi-color deck setup.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of five mana, which includes two white mana symbols, Sanctified Charge may be considered somewhat costly for the combat enhancement it provides. This can be especially relevant in faster-paced games where mana efficiency is key.

Reasons to Include Sanctified Charge in Your Collection

Versatility: Sanctified Charge is a powerful inclusion in decks that need a sudden boost in combat potency. It shines in white-creature-heavy strategies where the first strike and bonus power can turn the tide of battle in your favor.

Combo Potential: Those playing with a variety of creature tokens will find Sanctified Charge exceptionally synergistic. It can be the lynchpin in a decisive attack, especially when timed with other buffs or effects that amplify your creatures’ abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where board stalls are common, Sanctified Charge offers a way to break through defensive lines. Its ability to alter combat math significantly makes it relevant in matches where creature combat is the primary path to victory.

How to beat

Sanctified Charge is a white instant that can dramatically swing combat in your opponent’s favor in MTG. When facing this card, the key is anticipation and preparedness. Since Sanctified Charge only impacts creatures your opponent controls, you need to have strategies in place to either prevent the spell from resolving or to mitigate its effects.

To counteract Sanctified Charge, consider holding back instant-speed removal or board wipes until your opponent commits to casting it during their attack phase. This strategy can result in a pivotal two-for-one, negating the card’s effect and removing the buffed creatures. Cards like Negate or even broader counter spells can also negate the effect entirely.

Remember, Sanctified Charge is most potent when your opponent has a substantial presence on the board. Ensuring that you keep their creature count manageable will greatly reduce the impact of their combat tricks. Maintaining a balanced approach between offensive tactics and defensive preparations, such as leaving mana open for responses, allows you to dictate the pace and thwart the charge of your opponent’s sanctified forces.

Cards like Sanctified Charge

Sanctified Charge is a compelling card in Magic: The Gathering, providing white creature decks with a notable power and defense boost during combat. It mirrors effects seen in other cards like Trumpet Blast, which offers a similar attack enhancement minus the defensive bonus. Sanctified Charge, with its ability to provide a +1/+1 increase and first strike to white creatures, assures a decisive edge during the battle phase that Trumpet Blast lacks for its non-white creatures.

Glory of Warfare is another card with an analogous buffing function, granting a static power increase during your turn. Although it doesn’t offer the surprise element of an instant like Sanctified Charge nor the one-time defensive enhancement, its longevity over multiple turns appeals to players with a more strategically paced game plan.

Crucially, comparing these cards, Sanctified Charge stands out for white-centric armies, offering both an immediate offensive and defensive upgrade that can turn the tides in a critical turn. Its synergy with white creature strategies reinforces its position as a powerful option for those seeking a sudden combat advantage.

Cards similar to Sanctified Charge by color, type and mana cost

Scars of the Veteran - MTG Card versions

Charge Across the Araba - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sanctified Charge MTG card by a specific set like Magic 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 Sanctified Charge and other MTG cards: