Sanctifier en-Vec MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Cleric
Abilities Protection
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Excels in diminishing opponents’ graveyard synergies, especially in black or red-focused decks.
  2. Protects other board resources well against common removal spells through its color immunity.
  3. Acts as a continuous exile force, countering opponents’ moves without extra mana costs.

Text of card

Protection from black and from red When Sanctifier en-Vec enters the battlefield, exile all cards that are black or red from all graveyards. If a black or red permanent, spell, or card not on the battlefield would be put into a graveyard, exile it instead.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sanctifier en-Vec excels at providing card advantage against decks that rely heavily on black or red cards. By exiling all black and red cards from graveyards, you’re not just diminishing your opponents’ resources—you’re effectively crippling strategies that rely on graveyard synergy, depriving them of key cards and momentum.

Resource Acceleration: While Sanctifier en-Vec doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense of ramping mana, it plays a significant role in resource acceleration by protecting your other resources on the board. Its protection from black and from red ensures it stays on the battlefield, acting as a bulwark against some of the most common removal spells. This allows you to commit to the board more aggressively, knowing Sanctifier en-Vec can safeguard your position.

Instant Speed: Although Sanctifier en-Vec itself isn’t an instant speed spell, this MTG card’s impact is felt immediately upon entering the battlefield. It exiles all cards from graveyards at the moment of entry and continues to exile black and red cards as they hit the graveyards—working at instant speed to counteract the strategies of your opponent each turn, without requiring additional mana investment. It disrupts at the speed of the game, a trait highly valued for control-oriented tactics.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sanctifier en-Vec’s abilities don’t directly require discarding cards, but the card has nuances that can indirectly impact your hand. In a deck with multiple colors, for example, his absence of utility against non-black and red decks might lead a player to discard him as a suboptimal card in certain matchups.

Specific Mana Cost: Sanctifier en-Vec requires both white mana for casting, making it potentially difficult to play in multicolored decks that may not always have the necessary mana available. This mana specificity can limit the flexibility in deck construction and hinder its inclusion in some strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not exorbitantly priced, the two mana cost can be a bit steep for a 2/2 creature. Although Sanctifier en-Vec does provide an unique graveyard hate ability, its effectiveness is somewhat niche and there might be situations where a lower-cost creature could provide more immediate board presence or utility, especially in aggressive white strategies.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sanctifier en-Vec shines in its ability to fit into diverse deck archetypes. Its capability of exiling cards from graves makes it a robust addition to sideboards where graveyard strategies are prevalent.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with strategies aimed at utilising exile effects or punishing opponents’ grave-based tactics, enhancing its synergy within specialized combo decks.

Meta-Relevance: In environments dominated by black or red grave-dependent decks, Sanctifier en-Vec emerges as a significant player. Its protection abilities also render it a formidable foe against some of the most commonly played removal spells in these colors.


How to beat Sanctifier en-Vec

Sanctifier en-Vec stands out as a potent piece in white decks within Magic: The Gathering, specifically designed to counter graveyard strategies and black or red swarms. Its protection abilities make it resilient, dodging most removals and damage from these colors. A viable tactic to trump this formidable card is to leverage colorless means or those outside the black and red spectrum. Cards with exile effects that don’t target or those that impose sacrifice are particularly effective, as they circumvent its protections.

Another approach is to adjust your game plan by focusing on non-creature strategies. Enchantment or artifact-based decks can outmaneuver Sanctifier en-Vec’s creature-centric negation. Lastly, upholding a strong board presence with creatures of varied colors ensures that your deck isn’t overly hindered by a single-card tactic, maintaining the upper hand through diversification and adaptability.

When facing off against Sanctifier en-Vec, adapting your play and exploiting its color-specific limitations can turn the tide in your favor, demonstrating the intricate balance and counterplay that is quintessential to the strategic depth of Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deep into MTG’s strategic nuances with cards like Sanctifier en-Vec. Its innate strength against black and red-themed decks can be a game changer. Its ability to exile and protect offers a unique edge, driving players to consider it for sideboard inclusion when facing graveyard-dependent strategies. As the meta shifts and new strategies emerge, flexibility is key. That’s why we encourage players to adapt their approach and explore Sanctifier en-Vec’s potential within their collections. Elevate your deck-building skills and refine your gameplay with our in-depth insights and guidance. Embark on this journey with us to hone your competitive edge and savor each victory.


Cards like Sanctifier en-Vec

Sanctifier en-Vec is a unique card within the universe of Magic: The Gathering, standing out for its specific role in combatting graveyard strategies. It bears some resemblance to Remorseful Cleric in that both offer a way to disrupt opponents’ graveyard plans. While Remorseful Cleric can clear the graveyard instantly with its sacrifice ability, Sanctifier en-Vec prevents specific cards from reaching the graveyard in the first place, offering continuous protection as long as it remains on the battlefield.

Rest in Peace is another card that draws parallels through its graveyard regulation. Though not a creature, this enchantment has a broader effect by exiling all cards from all graveyards upon entry and preventing any new cards from being sent there. In contrast, the selective nature of Sanctifier en-Vec allows more control over what gets exiled, which can be a strategic maneuver for players to consider.

When considering other similar cards in Magic: The Gathering, Tormod’s Crypt stands out as a one-time-use artefact with no mana cost that can exile an opponent’s graveyard. Unlike Sanctifier en-Vec, which selectively exiles and is a creature, Tormod’s Crypt is a more temporary but immediate solution. Therefore, a player’s decision might weigh the ongoing effect of Sanctifier en-Vec versus the one-off power of Tormod’s Crypt.

Remorseful Cleric - MTG Card versions
Rest in Peace - MTG Card versions
Tormod's Crypt - MTG Card versions
Remorseful Cleric - Core Set 2019 Promos (PM19)
Rest in Peace - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Tormod's Crypt - The Dark (DRK)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sanctifier en-Vec MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos 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 Sanctifier en-Vec and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Sanctifier en-Vec Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2021-06-19. Illustrated by Michael C. Hayes.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 912132015normalblackMichael C. Hayes
22021-06-18Modern Horizons 2 Art SeriesAMH2 62015art_seriesborderlessMichael C. Hayes
32021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 3861997normalblackMichael C. Hayes
42021-06-18Modern Horizons 2 Art SeriesAMH2 6s2015art_seriesborderlessMichael C. Hayes
52021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 4442015normalblackMichael C. Hayes
62021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 272015normalblackMichael C. Hayes
72021-06-19Modern Horizons 2 PromosPMH2 27s2015normalblackMichael C. Hayes

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sanctifier en-Vec has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sanctifier en-Vec 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 If a black or red permanent would go to the graveyard at the same time as Sanctifier en-Vec, that permanent will be exiled instead.
2021-06-18 If a black or red spell causes Sanctifier en-Vec to have lethal damage marked on it or causes it to have 0 toughness, Sanctifier en-Vec will not be put into a graveyard until the next time state-based actions are checked after the spell has finished resolving. In this case, the spell will be exiled instead of going to its owner's graveyard.
2021-06-18 If a black or red spell causes Sanctifier en-Vec to leave the battlefield as part of its resolution, that spell will go to its owner's graveyard and won't be exiled instead.
2021-11-19 Sanctifier En-Vec's last ability cares only what the color of the card would be in the zone it's moving from, not what it would be in the graveyard. For example, if a Clone is a copy of a red creature on the battlefield and then dies, the Clone will be exiled. Conversely, if you cast Order, the white half of the split card Order//Chaos, it will not be exiled as it resolves because it is not red before it goes to the graveyard.

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