Selesnya Sanctuary MTG Card
2005-08-22 - Number L44
2005-08-22 - Number L33
2005-10-07 - Number 281
2010-11-08 - Number A137
2011-04-01 - Number 37
2011-06-17 - Number 287
2012-06-01 - Number 125
2013-11-01 - Number 322
2015-05-22 - Number 248
2016-11-11 - Number 324
2016-11-25 - Number 125
2017-06-09 - Number 273
2017-08-25 - Number 280
2017-11-17 - Number 247
2018-08-09 - Number 281
2018-11-02 - Number 125
2019-08-23 - Number 272
2020-04-17 - Number 308
2020-09-25 - Number 140
2021-09-24 - Number 180
2022-07-08 - Number 411
2022-07-08 - Number 330
2023-08-04 - Number 1031
2024-02-09 - Number 290
2024-02-23 - Number 246
2002-06-24 - Number 102359
| Card sets | Released in 26 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
Selesnya Sanctuary enters the battlefield tapped. When Selesnya Sanctuary enters the battlefield, return a land you control to its owner's hand. : Add .
Cards like Selesnya Sanctuary
Selesnya Sanctuary is a land card that has found its place in decks that benefit from mana fixing and return-to-hand land synergies in Magic: The Gathering. As part of the “bounce lands” or “karoo lands”, it shares similarities with cards like Golgari Rot Farm and Azorius Chancery. All of these lands come into play tapped, and upon entry, they return a land you control to your hand while providing two colors of mana.
Selesnya Sanctuary offers the same advantage of additional mana in colors green and white, akin to Rakdos Carnarium that provides black and red mana. However, one key difference lies in the color combination, which dictates its role in deck building based on the deck’s specific needs for mana sustainability. The utility of Selesnya Sanctuary is unique as it serves decks leaning towards creature-based strategies or token generation, leveraging the strength of the Selesnya guild’s creature-focused ethos.
While these cards can potentially set you back a turn due to the “comes into play tapped” trade-off, Selesnya Sanctuary fits snugly into strategies that can afford a slower, more controlled pace, ultimately contributing to mana base stability for long-term gain in Magic: The Gathering matches.
Cards similar to Selesnya Sanctuary by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Selesnya Sanctuary. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Amulet Titan | Modern | Amulet Titan | Modern Challenge 32 2024-04-25 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Selesnya Sanctuary doesn’t directly let you draw cards, its return-a-land-to-hand ability synergizes with landfall or other effects that trigger when lands enter the battlefield. It’s a boon for decks that have ways to benefit multiple times from the same land card.
Resource Acceleration: As a bounce land, Selesnya Sanctuary taps for two different colors of mana, effectively accelerating your resources. It allows for casting more costly spells earlier in the game and providing vital mana fixing for Selesnya-colored decks.
Instant Speed: Although Selesnya Sanctuary enters the battlefield tapped, which may seem slow, it aligns with strategies that operate at instant speed. It supports keeping mana open for instant spells by unpacking two mana in the next turn, thus enabling powerful plays and maintaining tempo.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Selesnya Sanctuary card asks players to return a land they control to their hand when it enters the battlefield. This can be a significant drawback, especially during the early game where land drops are critical for developing your board presence and mana base.
Specific Mana Cost: This card produces only green and white mana, which can be a limitation for multi-color decks that rely on a wider variety of mana. For players not running a green and white combination in their deck, Selesnya Sanctuary loses its utility, sitting idle on the battlefield or worse—taking up a much-needed land slot.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though Selesnya Sanctuary does not have a direct mana cost to play, the fact that it enters the battlefield tapped implies a temporal cost. This can slow down your gameplay by essentially costing you an entire turn’s worth of mana development, a disadvantage when speed and efficiency are key, or when competing against decks that optimize for swift mana ramp and acceleration.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Selesnya Sanctuary offers a unique flexibility by acting both as a mana source and a way to ensure land drops each turn. Its ability to return a land to your hand can also reset any “enters the battlefield” land triggers you may be utilizing.
Combo Potential: This land works exceptionally well in decks that capitalize on landfall mechanics or benefit from having lands in hand. It can be a key piece in various combos, contributing to a diverse range of strategies across different formats.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where mana-fixing is crucial, Selesnya Sanctuary aligns perfectly with decks that thrive on green and white mana. Its presence supports casting influential spells on time and can be a boon against land disruption techniques prevalent in various metas.
How to Overcome Selesnya Sanctuary
Selesnya Sanctuary can be a powerful resource in Magic: The Gathering, offering both mana fixing and a slight increase in land count. It’s part of a cycle known as the Karoo lands, named after the original Visions card, which possess similar mechanics. Players leveraging Selesnya Sanctuary can gain significant advantage over the course of the game, with the ability to tap for two different colors of mana.
To successfully counteract the benefits Selesnya Sanctuary brings to the table, consider incorporating land destruction or denial strategies. Cards like Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin can take out the Sanctuary directly, hindering your opponent’s mana development. Additionally, utilizing land bounce effects with spells like Boomerang or tempo playstyles can set back your opponent’s board significantly if they rely heavily on the Sanctuary for their mana acceleration.
There are also stax effects, such as those from Leonin Arbiter that prevent searching libraries or Damping Sphere that punishes lands tapping for more than one mana, neutralizing the Sanctuary’s benefits. It’s about disrupting the rhythm and flow these lands provide, keeping your opponent on the back foot and unable to fully exploit the Selesnya Sanctuary’s dual mana abilities.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Selesnya Sanctuary MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Salvat 2005, 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 Selesnya Sanctuary and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Selesnya Sanctuary Magic the Gathering card was released in 24 different sets between 2005-08-22 and 2024-02-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 102359 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ron Spears | ||
| 2 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | L44 | 2003 | Normal | White | John Avon | |
| 3 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | L33 | 2003 | Normal | White | John Avon | |
| 4 | 2005-10-07 | Ravnica: City of Guilds | RAV | 281 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 5 | 2010-11-08 | Magic Online Theme Decks | TD0 | A137 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 6 | 2011-04-01 | Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons | DDG | 37 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 7 | 2011-06-17 | Commander 2011 | CMD | 287 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 8 | 2012-06-01 | Planechase 2012 | PC2 | 125 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 9 | 2013-11-01 | Commander 2013 | C13 | 322 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 10 | 2015-05-22 | Modern Masters 2015 | MM2 | 248 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 11 | 2016-11-11 | Commander 2016 | C16 | 324 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 12 | 2016-11-25 | Planechase Anthology | PCA | 125 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 13 | 2017-06-09 | Commander Anthology | CMA | 273 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 14 | 2017-08-25 | Commander 2017 | C17 | 280 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 15 | 2017-11-17 | Iconic Masters | IMA | 247 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 16 | 2018-08-09 | Commander 2018 | C18 | 281 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 17 | 2018-11-02 | GRN Guild Kit | GK1 | 125 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 18 | 2019-08-23 | Commander 2019 | C19 | 272 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 19 | 2020-04-17 | Commander 2020 | C20 | 308 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 20 | 2020-09-25 | Zendikar Rising Commander | ZNC | 140 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 21 | 2021-09-24 | Midnight Hunt Commander | MIC | 180 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 22 | 2022-07-08 | Double Masters 2022 | 2X2 | 411 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Ron Spears | |
| 23 | 2022-07-08 | Double Masters 2022 | 2X2 | 330 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 24 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 1031 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 25 | 2024-02-09 | Murders at Karlov Manor Commander | MKC | 290 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 26 | 2024-02-23 | Ravnica: Clue Edition | CLU | 246 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Selesnya Sanctuary has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Selesnya Sanctuary card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-04-15 | If this land enters the battlefield and you control no other lands, its ability will force you to return it to your hand. |