Starlight MTG Card


Starlight shines in providing card advantage by fetching enchantments directly from the library. Its instant-speed lets players adapt to game states, balancing strategy with flexibility. While versatile, Starlight’s discard requirement and specific mana cost can limit its use.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery

Text of card

For each black creature your opponent has in play, you gain 3 life.

Stars are like coins dropped into the night: their light buys safe passage.


Cards like Starlight

The world of Magic: The Gathering brims with intriguing spells, and the Starlight card carves its own niche within it. It draws parallels with similarly themed cards like Healing Salve, a classic card that offers either life gain or damage prevention. Starlight extends this concept by not only providing life gain but potentially benefiting from a higher life total, a unique twist not found in Healing Salve’s straightforward effects.

Another card reminiscent in functionality is Sun Droplet, which accumulates life gain over time. Although both Starlight and Sun Droplet share the life-generating theme, Starlight usually gives an immediate and larger life boost under the right conditions. Where Sun Droplet is consistent, Starlight’s impact can be more dramatic in a single turn. Lastly, we can look at Revitalize. This card grants life gain and card draw, but while Revitalize allows you to draw a card regardless, Starlight’s life gain can surpass this when paired with a deck built to support high life totals.

Evaluating Starlight against its peers shows its potential for powerful, albeit conditional, life gain in Magic: The Gathering. It has particular synergy in decks where life totals often exceed starting figures, showcasing how a well-timed Starlight can turn the tides of a game.

Healing Salve - MTG Card versions
Sun Droplet - MTG Card versions
Revitalize - MTG Card versions
Healing Salve - MTG Card versions
Sun Droplet - MTG Card versions
Revitalize - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Starlight by color, type and mana cost

Balance - MTG Card versions
Martyr's Cry - MTG Card versions
Gift of Estates - MTG Card versions
Renewing Dawn - MTG Card versions
Pegasus Stampede - MTG Card versions
Planar Birth - MTG Card versions
Flicker - MTG Card versions
Steadfastness - MTG Card versions
Sacred Nectar - MTG Card versions
False Dawn - MTG Card versions
Morningtide - MTG Card versions
Academic Probation - MTG Card versions
Gather the Townsfolk - MTG Card versions
Servo Exhibition - MTG Card versions
Revoke Existence - MTG Card versions
Glare of Heresy - MTG Card versions
Return to the Ranks - MTG Card versions
Martial Coup - MTG Card versions
Swift Reckoning - MTG Card versions
Not Forgotten - MTG Card versions
Balance - MTG Card versions
Martyr's Cry - MTG Card versions
Gift of Estates - MTG Card versions
Renewing Dawn - MTG Card versions
Pegasus Stampede - MTG Card versions
Planar Birth - MTG Card versions
Flicker - MTG Card versions
Steadfastness - MTG Card versions
Sacred Nectar - MTG Card versions
False Dawn - MTG Card versions
Morningtide - MTG Card versions
Academic Probation - MTG Card versions
Gather the Townsfolk - MTG Card versions
Servo Exhibition - MTG Card versions
Revoke Existence - MTG Card versions
Glare of Heresy - MTG Card versions
Return to the Ranks - MTG Card versions
Martial Coup - MTG Card versions
Swift Reckoning - MTG Card versions
Not Forgotten - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Starlight excels in delivering card advantage by enabling players to search their library for an enchantment card, ensuring that key components of their strategy are within reach when they need them most.

Resource Acceleration: Players using Starlight benefit from resource acceleration as it often finds enchantments that can ramp up their mana or provide cost reductions, facilitating a faster execution of their game plan.

Instant Speed: The instant-speed nature of Starlight allows for reactive gameplay, giving players the flexibility to respond to an opponent’s actions or hold up mana for counterspells, making it a versatile tool in many match-ups.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Starlight necessitates the discarding of a card, which may not be ideal when you’re holding crucial pieces to your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: Needing a precise combination of mana types, Starlight could pose a challenge in multicolor decks where mana fixing is not optimal.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost on the steeper side, Starlight competes with other impactful spells in its mana slot, possibly delaying your game’s progression.


Reasons to Include Starlight in Your Collection

Versatility: Starlight is a card that can be effortlessly slotted into a variety of decks, particularly those that need a consistent and reliable source of life gain or act as a safeguard against aggressive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card’s capacity to synergize with life gain triggers and other mechanics enhances combo decks, leading to powerful interactions and potential game-winning combinations.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where burn or aggressive decks are prevalent, having Starlight in your collection adds a level of resilience and could be pivotal in outlasting opponents, making it an impactful choice for current competitive play.


How to beat

Starlight is a card that has captured the attention of countless MTG enthusiasts. Its ability to provide both life gain and potential card advantage can complicate matters for those on the opposing side of the table. When aiming to overcome the benefits Starlight brings to your opponent, consider cards and strategies that disrupt enchantments or offset life-gain advantages.

Let’s address enchantment removal first. Cards like Disenchant or Naturalize are straightforward tools that can directly remove Starlight from play, effectively neutralizing its impact. If you’re going for a more subtle approach, countering it upon casting with spells like Negate can ensure it never sees the battlefield. Additionally, employing a strategy that pressures your opponent’s life total consistently can compensate for the incremental life they may gain from Starlight.

To effectively counteract the advantages provided by Starlight, one must remain proactive and adaptable. Whether leveraging direct removal, utilizing counterspells, or maintaining aggressive pressure, the key lies in anticipating and mitigating the value Starlight could potentially offer during gameplay. By doing so, you can diminish the card’s influence and steer the match to your advantage.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Starlight MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Seventh Edition, 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 Starlight and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Starlight Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2001-04-11. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-05-01PortalPOR 291997NormalBlackJohn Avon
22001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 49★1997NormalBlackBrian Despain
32001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 491997NormalWhiteBrian Despain

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Starlight has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal