Shinen of Stars' Light MTG Card


Shinen of Stars' Light - Saviors of Kamigawa
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Spirit
Abilities Channel,First strike
Released2005-06-03
Set symbol
Set nameSaviors of Kamigawa
Set codeSOK
Power 2
Toughness 1
Number28
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJeremy Jarvis

Key Takeaways

  1. Shinen of Stars’ Light enriches hand value through spiritcraft triggers and boosts card advantage.
  2. Instant speed and channel ability offer tactical flexibility and surprise elements in play.
  3. Mana-specific and discard costs require strategic deck construction and resource management.

Text of card

First strike Channel , Discard Shinen of Stars' Light: Target creature gains first strike until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Shinen of Stars’ Light can be a subtle but impactful way to keep your hand filled. By enabling spiritcraft triggers, which often involve drawing cards or other beneficial effects, your strategy can benefit from the additional value garnered through maintaining a full hand.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting mana resources, Shinen of Stars’ Light can act as a catalyst in decks that capitalize on spirit or arcane synergies. Enhancing the pace at which your deck operates, it can play a crucial role in stratagems focused on accelerating your overall board presence.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast this card at instant speed adds a tactical layer to gameplay, allowing you to react to opponents’ moves or optimize the timing of your own spells. Its Channel ability can be activated in a pinch, offering flexibility and the element of surprise during complex board states.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Within your strategy, including Shinen of Stars’ Light demands a careful balance, as it necessitates the forfeit of a card, which could potentially deplete your hand, leaving you at a disadvantage in the long game or when seeking to maintain card advantage over your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Flexibility can be strained with a card like Shinen of Stars’ Light due to its fixed green mana requirement. This can limit deck-building options, often confining the card to mono-green or two-color decks where green is heavily featured.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Armed with a channel ability, Shinen of Stars’ Light might not be your optimal pick, particularly when you gauge its mana cost against other cards with similar or more impactful effects. It’s critical to evaluate whether the mana invested translates to substantial value on the battlefield.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Shinen of Stars’ Light can adapt to various deck builds, especially those that require instant speed interactions. Its Channel ability allows for tactical plays, either by buffing creatures for a surprise block or making a key attacker elusive during combat.

Combo Potential: With its ability to give a creature shroud until end of turn, Shinen of Stars’ Light can safeguard combo pieces from targeted removal. This ensures that your complex board states remain intact when you’re ready to execute your winning move.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where spot removal is ubiquitous, having cards that protect your valuable creatures can be crucial. Shinen of Stars’ Light has a role in any meta where maintaining board presence determines the outcome of matches.


How to beat Shinen of Stars’ Light

Shinen of Stars’ Light is an intriguing creature card that can be a tricky adversary in Magic: The Gathering. Its channel ability allows it to be discarded for a unique effect—giving all your creatures protection from a color of your choice until the end of the turn. This makes it a handy tool for ensuring successful attacks or shielding your board from targeted spells or abilities.

To counter Shinen of Stars’ Light, it’s crucial to employ strategies that aren’t reliant on colors. Colorless removal spells, such as reality smasher or exile effects like those found on Oblivion Ring, can bypass the protection granted by Shinen’s channel ability. Additionally, board wipes that don’t target, such as Supreme Verdict or Damnation, can clear the field without being hindered by color protection. It’s also effective to pressure your opponent and force them to use their Shinen early, diminishing their surprise factor, which can often swing a game in their favor.

Finally, remember that Shinen of Stars’ Light requires the element of surprise to be fully effective. Playing thoughtfully and maintaining awareness of its presence can go a long way in ensuring it doesn’t catch you off guard.


Cards like Shinen of Stars' Light

Shinen of Stars’ Light is an intriguing card in the realm of combat trick spells within MTG. It shows a resemblance to cards like Giant Growth, which also grants a power boost. Nevertheless, Shinen of Stars’ Light offers something unique with its ‘channel’ ability, allowing a flexibility that Giant Growth does not possess. While the traditional growth spell boosts one creature substantially, Shinen can spread its impact across several creatures for a single turn.

Comparatively, we have cards like Vines of Vastwood which offer not only a boost in power but also protection from targeting by spells or abilities your opponents control. Even though Vines of Vastwood is versatile, it lacks the channel mechanic that provides the Shinen of Stars’ Light with its multi-creature amplification. Another peer in this category is Blossoming Defense, granting a smaller increase in power but adding the crucial element of hexproof to safeguard creatures from hostile spells or abilities for the turn.

Overall, when it comes to providing a strategic edge in combat, Shinen of Stars’ Light stands out due to its channel ability. This feature enhances its appeal as a multifaceted spell capable of influencing the battlefield in favor of players looking for widespread creature empowerment.

Giant Growth - MTG Card versions
Vines of Vastwood - MTG Card versions
Blossoming Defense - MTG Card versions
Giant Growth - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Vines of Vastwood - Zendikar (ZEN)
Blossoming Defense - Kaladesh (KLD)

Cards similar to Shinen of Stars' Light by color, type and mana cost

Argivian Blacksmith - MTG Card versions
Jamuraan Lion - MTG Card versions
Snow Hound - MTG Card versions
Femeref Knight - MTG Card versions
Border Guard - MTG Card versions
Stern Marshal - MTG Card versions
Benalish Knight - MTG Card versions
Regal Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Wild Griffin - MTG Card versions
Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions
Dogged Hunter - MTG Card versions
Diving Griffin - MTG Card versions
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - MTG Card versions
Kitsune Palliator - MTG Card versions
Freewind Equenaut - MTG Card versions
Sanctum Guardian - MTG Card versions
Field Marshal - MTG Card versions
Kithkin Healer - MTG Card versions
Kor Hookmaster - MTG Card versions
Zhalfirin Commander - MTG Card versions
Argivian Blacksmith - Antiquities (ATQ)
Jamuraan Lion - Media Inserts (PMEI)
Snow Hound - Ice Age (ICE)
Femeref Knight - Mirage (MIR)
Border Guard - Portal (POR)
Stern Marshal - Portal (POR)
Benalish Knight - Anthologies (ATH)
Regal Unicorn - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Wild Griffin - Starter 2000 (S00)
Pianna, Nomad Captain - Odyssey (ODY)
Dogged Hunter - Odyssey (ODY)
Diving Griffin - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Kitsune Palliator - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Freewind Equenaut - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Sanctum Guardian - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Field Marshal - Coldsnap (CSP)
Kithkin Healer - Lorwyn (LRW)
Kor Hookmaster - Zendikar (ZEN)
Zhalfirin Commander - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shinen of Stars' Light MTG card by a specific set like Saviors of Kamigawa, 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 Shinen of Stars' Light and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Shinen of Stars' Light has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks