Stensia Bloodhall MTG Card
2011-09-30 - Number 247
2019-12-02 - Number 353
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
: Add to your mana pool. , : Stensia Bloodhall deals 2 damage to target player.
The revelry ends when the supply of fresh ingenues runs dry.
Cards like Stensia Bloodhall
Stensia Bloodhall holds a unique position among land cards in Magic: The Gathering. This card from the Innistrad set not only provides mana but can also be a source of direct damage to opponents, much like the ability found on cards such as Lavaclaw Reaches. However, Stensia Bloodhall does not require conversion into a creature to deal damage, allowing for a risk-free way to chip away at an opponent’s life points from the safety of the land slot.
Comparatively, we have Sunscorched Desert, another land with the potential to impact an opponent’s life total. While Sunscorched Desert deals damage upon entering the battlefield and taps for colorless mana, Stensia Bloodhall’s ability can be used repeatedly if the mana is available. Furthermore, Keldon Megaliths presents itself as an alternative, with the capability to deliver direct damage to any target but requiring no mana in your hand to be activated, unlike the consistent damage potential offered by Stensia Bloodhall.
Overall, Stensia Bloodhall allows players to maintain pressure and have an enduring source of damage in longer games, securing its spot as a valuable utility land for decks looking to whittle down opponents whilst continuing their mana development.
Cards similar to Stensia Bloodhall by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Stensia Bloodhall. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Rakdos Burn | Legacy | MO78#CS |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Stensia Bloodhall provides a strategic advantage by giving you the ability to indirectly diminish your opponent’s life total. This repeatable effect can be a consistent source of pressure throughout the game, subtly tipping the scales in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: Although Stensia Bloodhall is not a direct source of resource acceleration, it is a land card that taps for colorless mana, which contributes to your mana pool and aids in casting spells more efficiently. Its existence as a land also ensures that it doesn’t compete for space with other crucial acceleration artifacts or spells.
Instant Speed: The capability to activate Stensia Bloodhall’s ability at instant speed offers flexibility, allowing you to utilize your resources on an opponent’s turn if they present no better targets for your other instant-speed interactions. This keeps your opponent guessing and enables surprise tactics.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Stensia Bloodhall demands sacrificing card advantage, as activating its ability comes at the significant cost of discarding a card, which can hinder your hand’s potential, especially in close games where every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Stensia Bloodhall requires a precise combination of colors to utilize its ability. This card specifically necessitates one red mana, which might restrict deck-building options and potentially inhibit its inclusion in multi-colored or colorless decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: To activate its ability, Stensia Bloodhall calls for a total investment of three and a red mana. This cost is notably steep when compared to alternative land cards or spells in the game that can provide similar or more impactful effects for less mana, making it less efficient in fast-paced matches or against decks that heavily punish slower strategies.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Stensia Bloodhall offers a unique utility land option that can seamlessly integrate into various deck types. Its ability to deal damage directly to opponents gives players a consistent, albeit gradual, damage source, beneficial in games where board control is critical.
Combo Potential: This card can be a crucial component in decks that capitalize on land synergies or require a damage outlet that survives most board wipes. Combining Stensia Bloodhall with cards that untap lands or duplicate land-triggered abilities can ratchet up its impact considerably.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where games tend to drag out, Stensia Bloodhall shines by providing an alternate win condition. Against control decks that prevent creature-based damage, it can serve as a resilient source of life depletion, tipping the scales in your favor over time.
How to beat
Stensia Bloodhall presents an intriguing challenge on the battlefield within MTG. This unique land card can become a recurring source of damage, slowly chipping away at your opponent’s life total. Overcoming this relentless threat requires a solid strategy. Control decks can rely on land destruction or enchantments that prevent activated abilities to neutralize Stensia Bloodhall’s effect. Focusing on aggressive strategies to keep the pressure high may force your opponent to use mana for creatures and spells instead of activating the Bloodhall.
Artifact-based decks could turn to versatile options like Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin to deal with problematic lands directly. Another effective line of play is to employ life gain strategies, diminishing the impact of the Bloodhall’s ping each turn. In any matchup, it’s important to recognize the potential damage output from this card and prioritize it as a target if it becomes a centerpiece of your opponent’s game plan.
Ultimately, understanding MTG’s landscape of possibilities and your deck’s answers is key to triumphing over cards like Stensia Bloodhall. Keeping a level head and maintaining board presence will often lead you to victory against such incremental threats.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Stensia Bloodhall MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Stensia Bloodhall and other MTG cards:
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- 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
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Printings
The Stensia Bloodhall Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-09-30 | Innistrad | ISD | 247 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 2 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 353 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dan Mumford |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Stensia Bloodhall has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Stensia Bloodhall card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-09-22 | Like other lands, Stensia Bloodhall is colorless. The damage it deals is from a colorless source, even though activating its ability requires colored mana. |