Sunlance MTG Card

Efficient for early-game control, Sunlance offers key creature removal, advantageous for resource management. Restrictive to white mana decks, this card’s utility may be limited in multicolored strategies. An asset in aggressive metas, Sunlance tailors to decks needing inexpensive, nonwhite creature removal.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Sunlance deals 3 damage to target nonwhite creature.

"It's easy for the innocent to speak of justice. They seldom feel its terrible power." —Orim, Samite inquisitor

Cards like Sunlance

Sunlance is a unique entry in the world of Magic: The Gathering’s removal spells. It mirrors the functionality of more prominent cards like Swords to Plowshares, offering a way to dispatch creatures. Where Swords to Plowshares exiles any creature at the cost of granting its controller life points equal to the creature’s power, Sunlance is more restrictive. It targets only non-white creatures, reflecting its place in the color pie, and does not provide life as compensation.

Path to Exile is another comparison point for Sunlance. It serves a similar purpose of exiling creatures, yet this spell can target any creature. The difference lies in the cost that the affected creature’s controller receives a basic land card as a replacement, which could aid their mana development. Sunlance, however, limits field advancement to creatures and without a land-based balancing act.

Analyzing the scope and effect of Sunlance against its peers underscores its situational but powerful impact. It finds its niche in decks that value the ability to dispatch creatures at a low cost without the downside of benefiting the opponent, although within the constraint of color biases.

Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions
Path to Exile - MTG Card versions
Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions
Path to Exile - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though Sunlance doesn’t provide direct card draw, it offers selective removal of key creatures, potentially disrupting opponents’ strategies and leading to a more favorable board state. By efficiently handling threats, it allows you to maintain the upper hand.

Resource Acceleration: Sunlance itself is not a source of mana acceleration. However, its low mana cost facilitates a smooth curve, leaving resources available for other plays, which indirectly accelerates your game plan.

Instant Speed: Sunlance operates at sorcery speed, yet its strength is in the ability to remove creatures early in the game, preparing a clearer path for your attacks or safeguarding your life total against aggressive strategies.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Sunlance does not have a discard requirement, its one-dimensional nature can be a drawback, effectively taking up a slot in your hand that could be filled with a more versatile spell.

Specific Mana Cost: Sunlance’s mana cost is specifically one white mana which narrows down its utility to decks that can produce white mana reliably. For multicolor decks that only splash white, this can be a limiting factor.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though Sunlance’s one white mana cost may seem low, within the realm of instant and sorcery spells that deal direct damage or offer removal, there are more cost-effective options, especially concerning colorless alternatives. This can render Sunlance less efficient in terms of mana economy in a competitive setting.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sunlance offers a straightforward and efficient removal option for decks that require spot-removal without the heavy mana cost. Its ability to deal with early threats across multiple archetypes makes it a flexible addition to any collection.

Combo Potential: Although not a combo piece in the traditional sense, Sunlance’s low cost allows players to maintain mana for other pivotal plays within the turn, potentially clearing the way for game-winning combos without a significant investment of resources.

Meta-Relevance: As aggressive strategies frequently populate the meta, Sunlance shines by removing key creatures that could otherwise lead to an early game disadvantage. Its relevance is bolstered in environments where quick, inexpensive removal is paramount to surviving the initial turns of play.

How to beat

Sunlance is a potent piece of removal in Magic: The Gathering, delivering a swift burst of damage to nonwhite creatures for a mere one white mana. Certainly inexpensive, it can disrupt your board presence early game. To effectively counteract Sunlance, consider deploying multicolored creatures or those with protection from white. This way, Sunlance becomes irrelevant, unable to target your key creatures.

Deck flexibility is also vital. Incorporate instant-speed responses—think cards like Blossoming Defense or Gods Willing—that can be cast in response to Sunlance, buffing your creature’s toughness or granting protection from white until end of turn. By doing so, you not only save your creature but also leave your opponent down a card, tipping the scales in your favor.

Finally, assess the battlefield scenario and the timing of Sunlance’s use. If played pre-combat, it could be a bait, with a more threatening spell or combat trick waiting. Post-combat, it might be cleaning up survivors. Understanding these nuances can provide a strategic advantage, letting you stay a step ahead and preserving your invaluable creatures from the light of Sunlance’s lance.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sunlance MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos and Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora, 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 Sunlance and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Sunlance Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2007-02-02 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Volkan Baǵa.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-02-02Planar ChaosPLC 312003NormalBlackVolkan Baǵa
22015-02-27Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. KioraDDO 262015NormalBlackVolkan Baǵa
32015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 342015NormalBlackVolkan Baǵa
42019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 2492015NormalBlackVolkan Baǵa
52020-09-26The ListPLST MM2-342015NormalBlackVolkan Baǵa
62021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 472015NormalBlackVolkan Baǵa

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sunlance has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal