Sanctimony MTG Card
1999-06-07 - Number 16
2001-04-11 - Number 39★
2001-04-11 - Number 39
2003-07-28 - Number 42
2003-07-28 - Number 42★
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment |
Text of card
Whenever one of your opponents taps a mountain for mana, you may gain 1 life.
"To forgive our enemies is to forgive ourselves."
Cards like Sanctimony
In the realm of enchantments in Magic the Gathering, Sanctimony presents an interesting dynamic to white control decks. It draws parallels with its contemporaries such as Tainted Remedy, which reverses the benefit of life gain for the opponent, turning potential advantages into drawbacks. While Tainted Remedy is reactive and detrimental to opponents’ life gain strategies, Sanctimony provides a more subtle benefit—gaining life each time an opponent taps a mountain for mana.
Another card that has a resemblance in application is Karmic Justice. Although Karmic Justice doesn’t interact directly with land tapping like Sanctimony, it captures a similar protective essence that discourages opponents from targeting your permanents. Kambal, Consul of Allocation can also be looked at as a kin, taxing the opponent for noncreature spells, providing a deterrent and life advantage that complements Sanctimony’s passive life gain.
To sum up, Sanctimony carves its niche within the MTG landscape by rewarding the player in a unique fashion. It may not be as aggressive in its effect as some similar cards, but the constant life increments can synergize well within certain strategies and build up a strong defensive posture over time.
Cards similar to Sanctimony by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sanctimony lets you potentially draw extra cards whenever an opponent taps a Mountain for mana. This means every time they try to gain ground, you could be refilling your hand, leveraging their strategy to build yours.
Resource Acceleration: While not providing direct mana, this enchantment keeps your resources tipping in your favor. By gaining life every time an opponent uses a Mountain, it effectively slows down their race to deplete your life total, giving you more time to deploy your strategy.
Instant Speed: While Sanctimony itself isn’t an instant, it responds at instant speed to the actions of your opponents. This reactionary ability keeps you agile and responsive, turning their plays into opportunities for your gain without waiting for your turn.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Sanctimony demands a precise mana layout which includes white. This requirement can constrain deck building, making it less flexible for those not running white-centered decks or not equipped to reliably produce white mana when needed.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its unique effect to gain life whenever an opponent taps a mountain, Sanctimony comes at a cost that can be relatively steep for the advantage it offers. In a fast-paced game, spending two white mana may represent a significant investment, particularly when more immediate board impact could be made with cards of similar cost.
Discard Requirement: While not directly demanding a discard, Sanctimony’s benefit hinges on your opponents’ actions and deck strategies. This conditional factor means that against decks without mountains or those that can minimize tapping for mana, Sanctimony may sit idly on the battlefield, offering no advantage, essentially taking up a slot in your hand that could have been filled by a card with a more proactive impact on the game.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Sanctimony offers a unique defensive utility that can slide into various white decks. Its ability to gain you life whenever an opponent taps a mountain for mana means that it can be a thorn in the side for red-based aggressive strategies, giving your deck a defensive edge.
Combo Potential: This enchantment synergizes well with cards that capitalize on life gain. It can be part of a combo that triggers off life gain or life total thresholds, adding an extra layer of strategy to your gameplay.
Meta-Relevance: Sanctimony shines in a meta heavy with red decks, reacting to common red spells and strategies. If red decks like burn or red aggro are prevalent, including Sanctimony in your sideboard or even your main deck could give you a significant advantage.
How to beat
Sanctimony is an intriguing enchantment in the world of Magic: The Gathering that can frustrate opponents by gaining you life every time they tap a mountain for mana. Facing this card, the most straightforward strategy is to limit the number of times you tap mountains, especially in the early to mid-game where life point advantages can be crucial. Prioritize spells that don’t require red mana or seek alternative mana sources such as artifacts or lands that can produce various types of mana to circumvent the enchantment’s effect.
Enchantment removal is another effective method. Green offers naturalize effects, while white can exile enchantments, so cards like Disenchant become valuable in your deck when combating Sanctimony. Additionally, considering a counter strategy, blue players may hold counterspell options to prevent Sanctimony from ever taking hold. Red players, despite being the most affected, are not without options—direct damage spells can target the player and reduce life points regardless of Sanctimony’s trigger.
Keep in mind, Sanctimony shines in specific metagames, and understanding those environments can guide you to pack your deck with the right answers, ensuring that the incremental life gains don’t tip the game in your opponent’s favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sanctimony MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Destiny and Seventh Edition, 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 Sanctimony 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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Printings
The Sanctimony Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1999-06-07 and 2003-07-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999-06-07 | Urza's Destiny | UDS | 16 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Mark Brill | |
| 2 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 39★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | Patrick Faricy | |
| 3 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 39 | 1997 | Normal | White | Patrick Faricy | |
| 4 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 42 | 2003 | Normal | White | Patrick Faricy | |
| 5 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 42★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Patrick Faricy |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sanctimony has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sanctimony card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Gaining life is optional. If you forget, you can’t go back later even if it is something you usually do. |