Sanctum of Serra MTG Card
2009-09-04 - Number 32
2018-12-25 - Number 67
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Plane — Serra’s Realm |
Text of card
When you planeswalk away from Sanctum of Serra, destroy all nonland permanents. Whenever you roll chaos, you may have your life total become 20.
Cards like Sanctum of Serra
The sanctified land known as Sanctum of Serra reveals its strength within MTG’s extensive catalogue of legendary lands. It shares the common thread of utility and game-altering potential with cards like Maze of Ith or Glacial Chasm. Yet, Sanctum of Serra possesses a distinct advantage – providing a formidable defense in the form of an angelic army whenever damage is dealt to you. This unique twist sets it apart from the purely defensive Maze of Ith, which prevents combat damage from a single attacker, and Glacial Chasm, which foregoes damage at the cost of cumulative upkeep.
Emeria, The Sky Ruin is another land that comes close, especially due to its ability to resurrect creatures from the graveyard at the beginning of your upkeep, provided you meet the Plains requirement. While Emeria offers a powerful reanimation function, Sanctum of Serra excels in its immediate board presence and surprise factor. Moreover, Serra’s Sanctum taps into the power of enchantments, translating them into raw mana, demonstrating the varied approaches these lands provide for the strategies they support.
Ultimately, Sanctum of Serra’s capacity to turn a dire situation into a counter-offensive with protective angels speaks volumes of its value in MTG. It’s not merely a land; it’s a contingency plan with wings.
Cards similar to Sanctum of Serra by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sanctum of Serra enables players to potentially draw multiple cards through its triggered ability, bolstering one’s hand and providing greater strategic options during gameplay. A significant plus, offering access to a larger pool of resources each turn for casting spells and reacting to the evolving board.
Resource Acceleration: By permitting its controller to play an additional land on their turns, this card assists in ramping up one’s mana base. A crucial factor in outpacing opponents by deploying high-impact spells sooner, ultimately increasing the speed and effectiveness of one’s strategy.
Instant Speed: The utility of any spell surges when it can be cast at instant speed, and Sanctum of Serra is no exception. This feature provides flexibility, allowing players to respond swiftly to an opponent’s actions or optimize their own plays by maximizing the use of their mana throughout each round.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Sanctum of Serra demands that players discard another card to activate its ability. This can be a considerable setback, especially in game situations where your hand size is critical. Reducing your hand intentionally can leave you at a disadvantage if you’re unable to draw into more cards or if the board state requires optimal resource management.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires white mana to cast. Its mono-color mana requirement can limit flexibility, as it fits primarily into white or white-centric decks. Players running multicolor decks might find the specific mana costs restrictive, reducing the card’s versatility in various deck builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a more expensive mana point, Sanctum of Serra may not align well with decks that favor a quick buildup or those that rely on playing numerous spells in a single turn. While powerful, the card’s higher cost means it comes into play later in the game, which could be too delayed to impact faster, more aggressive strategies that aim to close out games quickly.
Reasons to Include Sanctum of Serra in Your Collection
Versatility: Sanctum of Serra offers a unique flexibility to control decks looking to secure late-game advantage. Being able to dictate the pace of the game, this card becomes a linchpin for stabilizing the board against aggressive strategies.
Combo Potential: With its ability to disrupt opponents while setting up for powerful plays, Sanctum of Serra can be the centerpiece of deck-building strategies aimed at creating an imposing board position or triggering impactful abilities at the right moment.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where long games prevail, Sanctum of Serra shines. Its inclusion in your collection could provide significant value as it is adept at contending with the varied threats and strategies that dominate tournament play.
How to beat
In the world of Magic the Gathering, Sanctum of Serra stands as a formidable enchantment, capable of altering the tide of gameplay with its game-ending potential. Taking center stage, this card offers players a chance to cast spells without paying their mana costs, a deal that seems almost too good to be true. The key to overcoming Sanctum of Serra’s power lies in preemptive and reactive strategies.
Disenchant effects are a primary tool in dismantling the sanctum before it can unfold its wings. Cards like Naturalize and Disenchant itself offer a direct counter to enchantments, making them essential in any deck facing such threats. Alternatively, countering the ability’s trigger with cards like Stifle can prevent the formidable effect from resolving. Players should also consider pressure tactics—deploying threats to divert the opponent’s resources and attention, pushing them to use the enchantment prematurely or in a less than optimal manner.
Ultimately, outpacing and outmaneuvering an opponent wielding Sanctum of Serra is a matter of strategic foresight and resource control. By maintaining a robust defense against enchantments and being sly with your counterspells or managing board threats, you can secure triumph even against the might of the Sanctum of Serra.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sanctum of Serra MTG card by a specific set like Planechase Planes and Planechase Anthology Planes, 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 Sanctum of Serra 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
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Printings
The Sanctum of Serra Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2009-09-04 and 2018-12-25. Illustrated by Rob Alexander.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009-09-04 | Planechase Planes | OHOP | 32 | 2003 | Planar | Black | Rob Alexander | |
| 2 | 2018-12-25 | Planechase Anthology Planes | OPCA | 67 | 2015 | Planar | Black | Rob Alexander |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sanctum of Serra card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | A face-up plane card that’s turned face down becomes a new object with no relation to its previous existence. In particular, it loses all counters it may have had. |
| 2009-10-01 | A plane card is treated as if its text box included “When you roll {PW}, put this card on the bottom of its owner’s planar deck face down, then move the top card of your planar deck off that planar deck and turn it face up.” This is called the “planeswalking ability.” |
| 2009-10-01 | For a player’s life total to become 20, what actually happens is that the player gains or loses the appropriate amount of life. For example, if your life total is 14 when this ability resolves, it will cause you to gain 6 life. Other cards that interact with life gain or life loss will interact with this effect accordingly. |
| 2009-10-01 | If an ability of a plane refers to “you,” it’s referring to whoever the plane’s controller is at the time, not to the player that started the game with that plane card in their deck. Many abilities of plane cards affect all players, while many others affect only the planar controller, so read each ability carefully. |
| 2009-10-01 | If you planeswalk away from Sanctum of Serra because the player who owns Sanctum of Serra leaves the game, its first ability will still trigger and resolve. |
| 2009-10-01 | The controller of a face-up plane card is the player designated as the “planar controller.” Normally, the planar controller is whoever the active player is. However, if the current planar controller would leave the game, instead the next player in turn order that wouldn’t leave the game becomes the planar controller, then the old planar controller leaves the game. The new planar controller retains that designation until they leave the game or a different player becomes the active player, whichever comes first. |