Sanctum of Stone Fangs MTG Card


Sanctum of Stone Fangs enables a consistent lifedrain, indirectly pressuring opponents every turn. Enhances Shrine synergies, accelerating your game plan and imposing multiple threats. Functions at the beginning of precombat main phase, bypassing counterspell interaction.
Sanctum of Stone Fangs - Core Set 2021
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Enchantment — Shrine
Released2020-07-03
Set symbol
Set nameCore Set 2021
Set codeM21
Number120
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byJohannes Voss

Text of card

At the beginning of your precombat main phase, each opponent loses X life and you gain X life, where X is the number of Shrines you control.

Renounce all limits, False chains binding potential. Power knows no bounds.


Cards like Sanctum of Stone Fangs

Sanctum of Stone Fangs stands out in the world of Magic: The Gathering as a unique shrine that methodically chips away at an opponent’s life while bolstering your own. Its closest kin might be Ill-Gotten Inheritance, a card that also provides a regular life drain effect. However, Sanctum of Stone Fangs is leaner, asking for only two mana with an automatic trigger at your precombat main phase, as opposed to Ill-Gotten Inheritance’s four mana investment and an activation cost.

Comparably, cards like Retreat to Hagra offer a repeated life loss mechanism, yet they require landfall triggers to activate. This additional condition can make them less consistent than the Sanctum. Another peer in the life-draining category is Blood Artist, which converts creature deaths into life point transactions. Though Blood Artist can potentially offer more life swings within a single turn, the requirement for creatures to die makes it a different tool for a different strategy.

Within its niche of passive yet impactful lifedrainers, Sanctum of Stone Fangs excels by offering a reliable and low-cost benefit that can be a thorn in an opponent’s side, synchronizing harmoniously with a multitude of strategies in Magic: The Gathering’s diverse gameplay.

Ill-Gotten Inheritance - MTG Card versions
Retreat to Hagra - MTG Card versions
Blood Artist - MTG Card versions
Ill-Gotten Inheritance - MTG Card versions
Retreat to Hagra - MTG Card versions
Blood Artist - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Sanctum of Stone Fangs by color, type and mana cost

Bad Moon - MTG Card versions
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Yawgmoth's Edict - MTG Card versions
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Insubordination - MTG Card versions
Mourning - MTG Card versions
Chains of Mephistopheles - MTG Card versions
Tribute to Horobi // Echo of Death's Wail - MTG Card versions
Bad Moon - MTG Card versions
Fear - MTG Card versions
Warp Artifact - MTG Card versions
Deathgrip - MTG Card versions
Animate Dead - MTG Card versions
Blight - MTG Card versions
Seizures - MTG Card versions
Leshrac's Sigil - MTG Card versions
Lim-Dûl's Hex - MTG Card versions
Dance of the Dead - MTG Card versions
Dark Privilege - MTG Card versions
Enfeeblement - MTG Card versions
Oath of Ghouls - MTG Card versions
Despondency - MTG Card versions
Yawgmoth's Edict - MTG Card versions
Dying Wail - MTG Card versions
Insubordination - MTG Card versions
Mourning - MTG Card versions
Chains of Mephistopheles - MTG Card versions
Tribute to Horobi // Echo of Death's Wail - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Sanctum of Stone Fangs. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Abzan ComboAbzan Combo GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 13 2024
Five-color MidrangeFive-color Midrange GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 06 2024
Golgari ControlGolgari Control GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back
DecklistDecklist Free form81#CS

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sanctum of Stone Fangs offers a consistent way to erode your opponent’s life total, which can indirectly contribute to card advantage by pressuring opponents to act or use resources to address the incremental damage.

Resource Acceleration: As part of the Shrine family, this card falls into a category that can accelerate your game plan by working in tandem with other Shrines, thus speeding up the rate at which you can impose threats on your opponent. Although Sanctum of Stone Fangs itself doesn’t ramp your mana, it supports a synergistic shrine deck strategy that can overpower the board state with multiple effects.

Instant Speed: While not an instant, the power of Sanctum of Stone Fangs comes from its ability to function at the beginning of your precombat main phase, which means every turn you’re guaranteed an effect that can whittle down your opponent’s resources or finish a game without using the stack or providing a window for counterspell interaction, much like an unstoppable force once set into motion.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Being an asset to any black mana strategy, this artifact still requires consistent card support to fully utilize its drain ability. A player must always manage his hand carefully to avoid ending up card-lean, which could diminish its impact during the later stages of the game.

Specific Mana Cost: The Sanctum of Stone Fangs comes with a black mana cost, inherently pigeonholing it into decks that run black mana sources. This can be restrictive and can potentially reduce the card’s versatility across the broader deck-building meta.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While its ongoing drain effect proves advantageous, it also comes at a cost, which may seem steep when alternative black cards could offer more immediate impacts or demand less of a mana commitment upfront. In a game where efficiency is paramount, it could be viewed as a resource-heavy investment for the incremental life gain and loss it provides each turn.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sanctum of Stone Fangs is a card that can be easily slotted into a variety of decks, especially those aiming to leverage life-drain strategies or devotion to black mana mechanics.

Combo Potential: This enchantment pairs well with cards that benefit from consistent life loss or gain, enabling intricate combos with effects that trigger on life total changes.

Meta-Relevance: As a low-cost enchantment that can affect the game state from early on, it’s particularly relevant in slower, grindy metas where incremental advantages are key.


How to beat

Sanctum of Stone Fangs presents an intriguing challenge as a gradual but relentless damage-dealing card in Magic: The Gathering. Recognized for its ability to chip away at an opponent’s life total, one needs strategic moves to navigate and dismantle its effects successfully. A robust approach is integrating enchantment removal within your deck; spells such as Disenchant or Mortify can directly target and eliminate Sanctum of Stone Fangs, stalling the passive damage it inflicts every turn. Similarly, cards with versatility like Assassin’s Trophy offer an efficient solution to any problematic permanent on the board.

One must also consider the broader picture—the shrine synergy. Players often combine Sanctum of Stone Fangs with other shrines to maximize its potential. Disrupting such synergies by removing key pieces or countering them upon casting is crucial. If the game happens to extend and Sanctum of Stone Fangs begins to tip the scale, life-gain strategies might offer a buffer, allowing you to stay in the game longer and find a window to turn the tide. Finally, applying pressure on the opponent can force them to address your threats instead of enhancing their shrine setup, potentially diverting their plan away from the inevitable drain of Sanctum of Stone Fangs.


BurnMana Recommendations

Sanctum of Stone Fangs is a subtle yet pivotal addition to any MTG player’s arsenal. Its recurring drain effect can turn the tides of a match, making it an underestimated threat in prolonged games. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned mage, incorporating such a card can refine your strategy and give you the edge in various match-ups. Seeking to construct a deck that capitalizes on life-drain mechanics or just looking for that extra incremental advantage? This MTG card warrants attention. Dive deeper with us into the world of MTG and discover how Sanctum of Stone Fangs can be the linchpin in your next victorious deck.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sanctum of Stone Fangs MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2021, 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 Stone Fangs and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sanctum of Stone Fangs has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-06-23 Each Shrine has an ability that counts the number of Shrines you control. These abilities include the Shrine they're printed on.
2020-06-23 If Sanctum of Stone Fangs leaves the battlefield while its ability is on the stack, you may control no Shrines as the ability resolves. In that case, no player gains or loses any life.
2020-06-23 In a Two-Headed Giant game, Sanctum of Stone Fangs causes the opposing team to lose twice X life and you to gain X life.
2020-06-23 Shrines count only enchantments with the subtype Shrine. Other cards with “shrine” in their name (such as Jungle Shrine, Luxa River Shrine, and Nantuko Shrine) don't count.