Squirrel Sanctuary MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Generates a squirrel token when a nontoken creature dies, bolstering your board presence consistently.
  2. Requires card discard upon casting, potentially hobbling your hand against aggressive discard strategies.
  3. It’s a mono-green card, limiting its utility in multi-color decks and demanding green mana precision.

Text of card

When Squirrel Sanctuary enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 green Squirrel creature token. Whenever a nontoken creature you control dies, you may pay . If you do, return Squirrel Sanctuary to its owner's hand.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The enchantment Squirrel Sanctuary shines when it comes to card advantage, as it creates a 1/1 green Squirrel creature token each time one of your creatures dies. This ensures you’re never left empty-handed on the battlefield, effectively replenishing your board presence and maintaining pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: This card serves as a form of resource acceleration by populating the field with creature tokens without investing additional mana. Each squirrel token can potentially be turned into further resources, whether it’s through cards that benefit from having a vast number of creatures or by being used as fodder for other abilities or spells.

Instant Speed: While Squirrel Sanctuary itself does not operate at instant speed, it synergizes with cards that do: by creating tokens upon your creatures’ death, it capitalizes on the surprise element of instant-speed interactions, making your battlefield unexpectedly robust even after a full-on assault or during the end of an opponent’s turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Squirrel Sanctuary requires you to discard a card upon casting. This can put you at a resource disadvantage, struggling to maintain card advantage, especially when playing against strategies that empty your hand quickly.

Specific Mana Cost: The card’s cost mandates a precise arrangement of mana, including green. This can be limiting, particularly in multi-colored decks that may not always have the right mana available when needed. It poses a challenge in slots reserved for flexible mana cost cards.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a card centered around generating squirrel tokens, the mana investment can be seen as steep. Its cost structure might not be as efficient when compared to other low-cost token-generating options in the game, potentially reducing its inclusion in decks that prioritize speed and efficiency.


Reasons to Include Squirrel Sanctuary in Your Collection

Versatility: Squirrel Sanctuary has a unique place in various green decks, particularly those focused on creature strategies. Its ability to create a 1/1 green Squirrel creature token when it or another nontoken creature you control dies makes it a resilient option for maintaining a board presence.

Combo Potential: This enchantment shines in combination with cards that capitalize on creature tokens or death triggers. It can continuously fuel engines that thrive on creatures entering or leaving the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: With the current trend towards creature-centric playstyles, this card offers significant value through its persistent token generation, keeping your board state agile and responsive against various meta decks.


How to beat

Squirrel Sanctuary is a unique enchantment in the vast landscape of Magic the Gathering, known for its quirky ability to create furry tokens. Unlike other enchantments that might impact the board immediately, Squirrel Sanctuary waits for a creature you control to perish, then leaps into action by deploying a squirrel in its place. This kind of passive ability requires patience and a strategic approach to outmaneuver.

The key to defeating Squirrel Sanctuary lies in controlling the pace of creature combat and managing the battlefield. Cards that limit creature abilities or prevent death triggers can stifle the Sanctuary’s effectiveness. Graveyard interaction spells that exile or shuffle creatures back into the library are also invaluable. By doing so, you can ensure the Sanctuary remains a silent forest without any pesky critters scurrying onto the field. Furthermore, enchantment removal cards should be held in reserve to deal with the Sanctuary at the most opportune time, ideally when the opponent is low on creatures and can’t maximize its effect.

In essence, tackling Squirrel Sanctuary is about preemptive measures and precise timing. Address the enchantment with care, and you’ll keep those squirrels from ever calling the battlefield their home.


Cards like Squirrel Sanctuary

Squirrel Sanctuary finds its niche in the growing lineup of creature-generating enchantments within Magic: The Gathering. It mirrors cards like Squirrel Nest in its ability to create a steady supply of furry woodland creatures. Yet, Squirrel Sanctuary differentiates itself with its trigger upon the death of a creature you control, ensuring a Squirrel token is ready to avenge its fallen comrade.

Delving deeper into comparisons, Acorn Harvest presents itself as an alternative. While Acorn Harvest requires a single payment to create multiple tokens, Squirrel Sanctuary spans the effect over several turns. It’s a subtle variance that can shape gameplay strategies, especially with the repeated resource investment that Acorn Harvest demands for flashback. Then there’s Deranged Hermit, proudly standing with its Squirrel-centric legacy. It offers a considerable bulwark of token creatures upon its arrival and a bonus to their strength. However, its higher mana cost and one-time effect contrast sharply with the ongoing token generation from Squirrel Sanctuary, which is more accessible at a lower mana value.

In the arena of Squirrel token generation within Magic: The Gathering, Squirrel Sanctuary sits comfortably among its peers, providing players with resilient token creation, responding dynamically to the flow of the battlefield.

Squirrel Nest - MTG Card versions
Acorn Harvest - MTG Card versions
Deranged Hermit - MTG Card versions
Squirrel Nest - Odyssey (ODY)
Acorn Harvest - Torment (TOR)
Deranged Hermit - Urza's Legacy (ULG)

Cards similar to Squirrel Sanctuary by color, type and mana cost

Web - MTG Card versions
Living Artifact - MTG Card versions
Fastbond - MTG Card versions
Wild Growth - MTG Card versions
Instill Energy - MTG Card versions
Cocoon - MTG Card versions
Concordant Crossroads - MTG Card versions
Elven Fortress - MTG Card versions
Earthlore - MTG Card versions
Revelation - MTG Card versions
Carapace - MTG Card versions
Gift of the Woods - MTG Card versions
Mortal Wound - MTG Card versions
Spider Climb - MTG Card versions
Elephant Grass - MTG Card versions
Storm Front - MTG Card versions
Bequeathal - MTG Card versions
Elven Palisade - MTG Card versions
Predatory Hunger - MTG Card versions
Hidden Spider - MTG Card versions
Web - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Living Artifact - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Fastbond - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Wild Growth - Fallout (PIP)
Instill Energy - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Cocoon - Legends (LEG)
Concordant Crossroads - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Elven Fortress - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Earthlore - Ice Age (ICE)
Revelation - Chronicles (CHR)
Carapace - Homelands (HML)
Gift of the Woods - Alliances (ALL)
Mortal Wound - Visions (VIS)
Spider Climb - Visions (VIS)
Elephant Grass - Visions (VIS)
Storm Front - Tempest (TMP)
Bequeathal - Exodus (EXO)
Elven Palisade - Exodus (EXO)
Predatory Hunger - Exodus (EXO)
Hidden Spider - Urza's Saga (USG)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Squirrel Sanctuary // Squirrel Sanctuary MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons 2 Art Series and Modern Horizons 2 Art Series, 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 Squirrel Sanctuary // Squirrel Sanctuary and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Squirrel Sanctuary // Squirrel Sanctuary Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by Steve Argyle.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-06-18Modern Horizons 2 Art SeriesAMH2 702015art_seriesborderlessSteve Argyle
22021-06-18Modern Horizons 2 Art SeriesAMH2 70s2015art_seriesborderlessSteve Argyle
32021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 1742015normalblackSteve Argyle
42021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 6452015normalblackSteve Argyle

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Squirrel Sanctuary has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Squirrel Sanctuary card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2021-06-18 The last ability functions only while Squirrel Sanctuary is on the battlefield. It won't return itself from your graveyard to your hand.

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