Cenn's Enlistment MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Retrace

Key Takeaways

  1. Generates a steady flow of tokens for consistent card advantage on the battlefield.
  2. Retrace ability turns excess lands into valuable creature tokens, enhancing late-game strength.
  3. Instant-speed-like control adds strategic layers to gameplay with this sorcery.

Text of card

Put two 1/1 white Kithkin Soldier creature tokens into play. Retrace (You may play this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)

The more the scarier.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Cenn’s Enlistment allows you to generate a steady stream of creature tokens. By doing so, it helps maintain an advantage in card economy which is vital in any long drawn match.

Resource Acceleration: This card, when used effectively, can provide resource acceleration. With just four mana, you can create valuable Kithkin Soldier tokens. And with its Retrace ability, a surplus of lands late in the game isn’t wasted and they can be used to repeatedly cast Cenn’s Enlistment for more tokens.

Instant Speed: While Cenn’s Enlistment isn’t an instant, the flexible pace of this sorcery, thanks to its Retrace ability, offers a level of control over your game plan that is akin to having spells ready at instant speed. Timing plays a key role when using this card, bringing another layer of strategy to your MTG deck.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Cenn’s Enlistment requires a player to discard a land card for its Retrace option. While this can generate extra Kithkin Soldier tokens, it can put a drain on your land resources if used excessively or without strategic planning.

Specific Mana Cost: Costing three generic and one white mana, the casting cost of Cenn’s Enlistment may limit its usage. A deck heavy on white mana sources is necessary to ensure consistency, potentially restricting the deck-building options.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: It’s clear that this card’s primary strength lies in its Retrace ability. However, for just creating two 1/1 creatures, its cost of four mana seems high by contemporary standards. There are numerous lower costed alternatives for swarm tactics, making Cenn’s Enlistment’s efficiency arguable.


Reasons to Include Cenn’s Enlistment in Your Collection

Versatility: Cenn’s Enlistment fits into many deck types, particularly those that benefit from recurring creature generation. The fact it has the ability to return land cards from the graveyard to your hand adds to its versatility, providing increased land cycle control and seamless integration with decks that manipulate graveyard resources.

Combo Potential: The Kithkin Soldiers generated by the Cenn’s Enlistment can trigger a multitude of abilities in strategical plays. It pairs well with cards that thrive on creatures entering the battlefield or benefit from boosting small creature forces, adding a layer of strategic depth while planning combos.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta replete with creature-heavy and control decks, the recurring creature capability of Cenn’s Enlistment can be highly advantageous. The ability to constantly produce creature tokens while manipulating the land cycle makes the card relevant and a significant threat in many meta environments.


How to Beat

An interesting addition to the roster of evoke spells in Magic: The Gathering is Cenn’s Enlistment. It reminds seasoned players of similar spells such as Harrow or Crop Rotation. Cenn’s Enlistment differs though by not directly fetching lands and instead generates kithkin soldier creature tokens.

However, one card that shines against Cenn’s Enlistment is Hushwing Gryff. This neat, winged creature mitigates the effect of the Enlistment entirely by silencing the creature tokens’ entry onto the battlefield. Its flash abilities also ensure it’s a surprise element in your gameplay.

Also consider Engineered Plague, a card categorized under enchantments. You can set the type to ‘Kithkin’ to provide a decrement of -1/-1 to a Kithkin creature’s power and toughness. This works flawlessly against Cenn’s Enlistment, rendering the Kithkin tokens useless even before they can have their presence felt.

Essentially, evaluate the array of options to suppress Cenn’s Enlistment. The power lies in the strategic play of the right cards at opportune moments to enhance your gaming stance in Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

As we delve into the depths of deck-building strategies, Cenn’s Enlistment emerges as a card worthy of consideration due to its token-generating prowess and synergistic potential in various MTG landscapes. From the tenacious buildup of card advantage to the strategic nuances its Retrace ability brings to the late game, its presence in a collection can support diverse playstyles and adapt to evolving metas. Whether you’re harnessing its full potential or seeking to counter it effectively, understanding this card’s role can markedly influence your MTG journey. Dive deeper with us and unlock the knowledge to optimize your decks around Cenn’s Enlistment’s unique attributes.


Cards like Cenn's Enlistment

For those familiar with Magic: The Gathering, the strategic placement of Cenn’s Enlistment shouldn’t be underestimated. Its comparison with alike cards reveals its unique attributes. For instance, Cenn’s Enlistment shares a common thread with Dragon Fodder, both being spells that concoct Kithkin Soldier tokens. Yet, the special privilege of Cenn’s Enlistment is that it allows for a RETRACE, thus enabling players to cast it from their graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its mana cost.

In the same light, Krenko’s Command is another card summoning creature tokens, a feature it shares with Cenn’s Enlistment. But again, the RETRACE function of our card makes it more versatile and reusable in the game. A close peer, Raise the Alarm, follows suit by creating Soldier tokens. However, it pales in comparison to Cenn’s Enlistment’s RETRACE, due to their lack of this strategic command.

To round up, among cards producing creature tokens, Cenn’s Enlistment holds a distinguished spot. The card’s ability to RETRACE makes it a versatile tool in your MTG deck. Thus, this allows the player to restore it from the graveyard, lending a unique strategic advantage that few other cards can match.

Dragon Fodder - MTG Card versions
Krenko's Command - MTG Card versions
Raise the Alarm - MTG Card versions
Dragon Fodder - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Krenko's Command - Magic 2013 (M13)
Raise the Alarm - Mirrodin (MRD)

Cards similar to Cenn's Enlistment by color, type and mana cost

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Armageddon - MTG Card versions
Resurrection - MTG Card versions
Cleanse - MTG Card versions
Breath of Life - MTG Card versions
Path of Peace - MTG Card versions
Vengeance - MTG Card versions
False Defeat - MTG Card versions
Ravages of War - MTG Card versions
Replenish - MTG Card versions
Gerrard's Wisdom - MTG Card versions
Decree of Justice - MTG Card versions
Presence of the Wise - MTG Card versions
Divine Congregation - MTG Card versions
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Windborne Charge - MTG Card versions
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Excoriate - MTG Card versions
Battle Screech - MTG Card versions
Cataclysm - MTG Card versions
Wrath of God - Commander Masters (CMM)
Armageddon - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Resurrection - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Cleanse - Legends (LEG)
Breath of Life - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Path of Peace - Starter 1999 (S99)
Vengeance - Eighth Edition (8ED)
False Defeat - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Ravages of War - Fallout (PIP)
Replenish - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gerrard's Wisdom - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Decree of Justice - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Presence of the Wise - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Divine Congregation - Time Spiral (TSP)
Retether - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Windborne Charge - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Day of Judgment - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Excoriate - The List (PLST)
Battle Screech - Commander Masters (CMM)
Cataclysm - From the Vault: Annihilation (V14)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cenn's Enlistment MTG card by a specific set like Eventide and Modern Masters, 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 Cenn's Enlistment and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Cenn's Enlistment Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2008-07-25 and 2013-06-07. Illustrated by Matt Cavotta.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12008-07-25EventideEVE 32003normalblackMatt Cavotta
22013-06-07Modern MastersMMA 92003normalblackMatt Cavotta

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cenn's Enlistment has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Cenn's Enlistment card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2008-08-01 A retrace card cast from your graveyard follows the normal timing rules for its card type.
2008-08-01 Casting a card by using its retrace ability works just like casting any other spell, with two exceptions: You’re casting it from your graveyard rather than your hand, and you must discard a land card in addition to any other costs.
2008-08-01 If the active player casts a spell that has retrace, that player may cast that card again after it resolves, before another player can remove the card from the graveyard. The active player has priority after the spell resolves, so they can immediately cast a new spell. Since casting a card with retrace from the graveyard moves that card onto the stack, no one else would have the chance to affect it while it’s still in the graveyard.
2008-08-01 When a retrace card you cast from your graveyard resolves, fails to resolve, or is countered, it’s put back into your graveyard. You may use the retrace ability to cast it again.

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