Selfless Spirit MTG Card


Provides board protection at instant speed, making it ideal for thwarting opponent strategies during their turns. Encourages aggressive play as it minimizes the risks associated with going all-in on your strategy. Its sacrifice requirement and specific color cost can limit flexibility, demanding strategic deck construction.
Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Spirit Cleric
Abilities Flying
Power 2
Toughness 1

Text of card

Flying Sacrifice Selfless Spirit: Creatures you control gain indestructible until end of turn.

"There is always more to give."


Cards like Selfless Spirit

Selfless Spirit offers a unique defensive advantage for creature-based strategies in MTG. It finds parallels with Dauntless Escort from older sets, another creature dedicated to protecting fellow creatures from destruction effects. Selfless Spirit requires less mana, making it a more efficient choice, especially as it can be activated at instant speed without any mana cost, simply by sacrificing it.

Another card worthy of comparison is Forge Tender, which serves a narrower purpose by only protecting from red spells but at a lower cost. Selfless Spirit, however, shields from all colors, giving a wider scope of protection. Then there is Burrenton Forge-Tender’s cousin, Giver of Runes, which can’t shield all creatures at once but provides protection to individual creatures on a recurring basis and has the added ability to grant protection from colorless, which could be a game-changer depending on the matchup.

Thus, while there are a variety of options available for safeguarding your creatures in MTG, Selfless Spirit stands out due to its versatility, speed, and potential to impact the game significantly right up to the moment it leaves the battlefield.

Dauntless Escort - MTG Card versions
Burrenton Forge-Tender - MTG Card versions
Giver of Runes - MTG Card versions
Dauntless Escort - MTG Card versions
Burrenton Forge-Tender - MTG Card versions
Giver of Runes - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Selfless Spirit by color, type and mana cost

White Knight - MTG Card versions
Soul Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Soltari Monk - MTG Card versions
Talon Sliver - MTG Card versions
Keeper of the Light - MTG Card versions
Faith Healer - MTG Card versions
Angelic Page - MTG Card versions
Avenger en-Dal - MTG Card versions
Spirit Weaver - MTG Card versions
Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions
Stoneforge Mystic - MTG Card versions
Drannith Magistrate - MTG Card versions
Leonin Lightscribe - MTG Card versions
Silver Knight - MTG Card versions
Longbow Archer - MTG Card versions
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions
Flumph - MTG Card versions
Cloudreach Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Samite Healer - MTG Card versions
Kor Firewalker - MTG Card versions
White Knight - MTG Card versions
Soul Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Soltari Monk - MTG Card versions
Talon Sliver - MTG Card versions
Keeper of the Light - MTG Card versions
Faith Healer - MTG Card versions
Angelic Page - MTG Card versions
Avenger en-Dal - MTG Card versions
Spirit Weaver - MTG Card versions
Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions
Stoneforge Mystic - MTG Card versions
Drannith Magistrate - MTG Card versions
Leonin Lightscribe - MTG Card versions
Silver Knight - MTG Card versions
Longbow Archer - MTG Card versions
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions
Flumph - MTG Card versions
Cloudreach Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Samite Healer - MTG Card versions
Kor Firewalker - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Azorius SpiritsAzorius Spirits Free formd00mwake's Pure Modern 5
Abzan Amalia ComboAbzan Amalia Combo PioneerAbzan Amalia ComboPioneer League 2024-03-30
WGWG PioneerPioneer Challenge 32 2024-04-29
Selesnya CompanySelesnya Company PioneerSelesnya CompanyPioneer Challenge 64 2024-03-24
Selesnya HumansSelesnya Humans PioneerSelesnya HumansPioneer Challenge 64 2024-04-13
Bant TempoBant Tempo ExplorerThe Pizza Box Open: Explorer
Azorius TempoAzorius Tempo GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 13 2024
Orzhov AngelsOrzhov Angels GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 15 2024
Boros Death & TaxesBoros Death & Taxes GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 13 2024
Selesnya MidrangeSelesnya Midrange GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 13 2024

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Selfless Spirit provides a significant edge in matchups with a focus on creature-based strategies. Its ability to protect your wider board from effects like sweepers or targeted destruction can often lead to a card advantage by negating an opponent’s spell and maintaining your board presence.

Resource Acceleration: While Selfless Spirit itself doesn’t accelerate resources in the traditional sense, its presence allows for more aggressive play with minimal risk. By ensuring your key creatures survive, it effectively accelerates your game plan, maintaining pressure without the need to hold back resources for protection.

Instant Speed: The sacrificial ability of Selfless Spirit can be activated at instant speed, offering flexibility and strategic depth. This enables savvy players to respond to threats or spells unfavorably, ensuring that its protective benefits are utilized at the most opportune moment, often catching opponents off guard and securing a tactical advantage.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Selfless Spirit demands a sacrifice for its ability activation, requiring you to let go of this valuable asset, potentially leaving you exposed.

Specific Mana Cost: Selfless Spirit’s mana cost locks it into white mana-centric decks, which might restrict its integration into a more diverse mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: This card comes with a two-mana cost, which, while not steep, can be a consideration for decks aiming for maximum mana efficiency in the early game.


Reasons to Include Selfless Spirit in Your Collection

Versatility: Selfless Spirit offers flexibility across various deck archetypes, notably in strategies that prioritize creature protection. Its ability to grant indestructibility to your creatures at a moment’s notice makes it a solid addition in both aggressive and control-oriented builds.

Combo Potential: With its sacrifice effect, Selfless Spirit synergizes well with decks that capitalize on death triggers or graveyard interactions. It can serve as a key piece in combos that protect key creatures or enable recursive strategies for continuous board presence.

Meta-Relevance: In environments teeming with board wipes and removal, Selfless Spirit shines by safeguarding your most valued creatures against sweepers. As players adapt to control-heavy metas, having this card can be a critical move to maintain advantage and tempo against disruption.


How to Beat Selfless Spirit

Selfless Spirit is a powerful staple for creature-based strategies in Magic the Gathering. It shines by granting your team indestructibility when sacrificed, a robust line of defense against many common board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation. This makes navigating around it crucial for players facing this vigilant spirit.

One effective method to handle Selfless Spirit relies on using spells that force opponents to sacrifice creatures, such as Liliana of the Veil’s edict effect. By doing so, you sidestep its ability since sacrificing isn’t destruction. Another strategic play is to deploy exile-based removal like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares; these spells ensure that Selfless Spirit can’t protect anything, including itself. Furthermore, counterspells like Negate or Dovin’s Veto offer preemptive solutions when Selfless Spirit is on the stack, preventing it from ever hitting the board and posing a threat.

Adjusting strategies to incorporate these tactics will increase your resilience against decks that feature Selfless Spirit. Minimizing its impact helps to keep the board clear and maintain a path to victory. It’s all about choosing the right tool for the job—whether preemptively or reactively—to deal with this guardian of the skies.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving into MTG not only involves building powerful decks but also understanding the nuances of each card. Selfless Spirit stands as a key player in many white-oriented decks, offering both protection and strategic depth. Whether safeguarding your creatures against mass removal or enabling aggressive plays, it’s an asset that often tips the scales in your favor. Curious to learn how this card can revolutionize your gameplay or want to discover new synergies and strategies? Join the BurnMana community where seasoned MTG players and fresh faces alike gather to share insights, build unstoppable decks and unlock the full potential of their MTG collections. Your journey towards mastery is just one click away.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Selfless Spirit MTG card by a specific set like Eldritch Moon and Eldritch Moon Promos, 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 Selfless Spirit and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Selfless Spirit Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2016-07-22 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-07-22Eldritch MoonEMN 402015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
22016-07-22Eldritch Moon PromosPEMN 40s2015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
32020-09-26The ListPLST EMN-402015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
42022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 7062015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
52022-10-01Regional Championship Qualifiers 2022PRCQ 22015NormalBorderlessJustine Jones
62022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 2392015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
72023-03-21Shadows over Innistrad RemasteredSIR 422015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Selfless Spirit 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 Selfless Spirit card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2016-07-13 The set of creatures affected by Selfless Spirit's last ability is determined as the ability resolves. Creatures you begin to control later in the turn won't gain indestructible.