Risen Sanctuary MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	7
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Elemental
Abilities	Vigilance
Released	2012-10-05
Set symbol
Set name	Return to Ravnica
Set code	RTR
Power	8
Toughness	8
Number	190
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Chase Stone

Key Takeaways

Its massive size offers card advantage, overwhelming smaller creatures and deterring attacks.
Not instant-speed, yet impacts the battlefield significantly, demanding immediate opponent response.
High mana cost and color specificity can limit deck inclusion and impact timing.

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.

Text of card

Vigilance

When one of the great guardians arises, it sweeps enemies aside like chaff yet takes care not to crush a single insect underfoot.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Risen Sanctuary stands out by offering significant board presence thanks to its sheer size. Its ability to soak up damage and survive most combat situations can indirectly provide card advantage by outclassing smaller creatures and deterring opponents from attacking.

Resource Acceleration: While Risen Sanctuary isn’t directly tied to resource acceleration, its presence on the battlefield can lead to a stabilizing state where your resources can be redirected towards more aggressive plays or key spells rather than defense.

Instant Speed: Although Risen Sanctuary is not an instant-speed spell, it creates an immediate impact on the board when played, commanding attention and often forcing the opponent to deal with it right away, which can lead to advantageous plays for the controlling player in the following turns.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To make room for Risen Sanctuary in a deck, players often need to discard other valuable cards which can impede the momentum, particularly in fast-paced games where every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Risen Sanctuary’s casting cost necessitates both green and white mana, potentially limiting its inclusion to only those decks which can consistently produce both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, including two of both green and white, this card comes into play later than many other creatures. Players may find that other cards with lower mana costs could provide a more immediate impact on the game state.

Reasons to Include Risen Sanctuary in Your Collection

Versatility: Risen Sanctuary shines as a formidable presence in any green-white deck, its sheer size making it a powerful blocker and a threatening attacker. It works well in decks that aim to dominate the battlefield with large creatures.

Combo Potential: This card holds the potential to be a key component in combos, especially in a strategy that profits from creature synergies. With enchantments or abilities that leverage the size of creatures, Risen Sanctuary’s impact is significantly magnified.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where ground forces rule, this massive 6/6 vigilance creature can be a game-changer, surviving most combat scenarios and remaining ready to defend. Its relevance grows in metas where board presence and combat strength are vital to victory.

How to beat

Risen Sanctuary presents a sizable challenge on the battlefield, standing as a behemoth with its 8/8 vigilance within the diverse world of Magic: The Gathering. This hefty creature often turns the tide of the game by posing as a formidable blocker and a threatening attacker. Nevertheless, overwhelming Risen Sanctuary requires strategic maneuvering and the right set of tools.

Surpassing it in combat necessitates creatures with power and toughness exceeding Risen Sanctuary’s stats, or employing removal spells such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade to efficiently dispatch it from play. For those preferring to avoid direct confrontation, enchantment-based solutions like Pacifism or the subtle power of bounce spells like Unsummon also serve to neutralize the giant without engaging it in battle. In the domain of control decks, countering it before it ever lands on the field, using spells like Cancel or Mana Leak, proves to be a preemptive and effective method. Understanding your deck’s strengths and keeping these strategies in mind will guide you to successfully nullify Risen Sanctuary and secure victory on the plane.

With smart deck building and in-game tactics, Risen Sanctuary’s towering presence on the field can be methodically toppled, reaffirming the depth and strategy inherent in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards like Risen Sanctuary

Risen Sanctuary stands tall in Magic: The Gathering as a colossal creature card that provides a significant presence on the battlefield. Similar in size and impact is the card Terra Stomper, which, like Risen Sanctuary, boasts a substantial power and toughness that can dominate in combat. Terra Stomper has the added advantage of being uncounterable and granting trample to punch through defensive lines, contrasting with Risen Sanctuary’s straightforward brute force approach.

Another comparable card is Serra Angel. Although it has less power and toughness than Risen Sanctuary, it compensates with flying and vigilance, offering a different kind of tactical advantage by evading ground blockers and remaining ready to defend. Additionally, the Angelic Arbiter offers an intriguing blend of combat and control. It’s similar in casting cost to Risen Sanctuary but restricts opponents’ abilities to cast spells and attack with multiple creatures, providing a strategic upper hand beyond the battlefield.

Assessing these various large creature cards within Magic: The Gathering, Risen Sanctuary is a solid choice for players who favor pure power and an imposing board presence, though it may lack some of the synergistic abilities seen in other similar cost creatures.

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

Belligerent Brontodon - MTG Card versions

Torsten, Founder of Benalia - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Risen Sanctuary MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica, 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 Risen Sanctuary and other MTG cards: