Samite Blessing MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	1998-03-02
Set symbol
Set name	Stronghold
Set code	STH
Number	13
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Rebecca Guay

Key Takeaways

Preserves key creatures, equaling intangible card advantage and strategic battlefield presence.
Its instant nature and low cost enable unexpected defenses and flexible resource management.
Lacks synergy with discard-based strategies, posing deck-building challenges for some players.

Text of card

Enchanted creature gains "oc T: Prevent all damage to any creature from any one source." (Treat further damage from that source normally.)

Knit bone, darn flesh, Stitch skin, weave breath. —Samite healing ritual

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Samite Blessing itself doesn’t draw cards, it offers an intangible card advantage by protecting key creatures. Keeping a creature safe from harm can equate to preserving the cards and efforts invested in that creature.

Resource Acceleration: Samite Blessing’s main contribution to resource acceleration is its low cost. At only two mana—one white, one generic—it’s an efficient way to deploy your protective measures early, leaving resources available for other actions.

Instant Speed: Being an instant, Samite Blessing provides flexibility and surprise. You can cast it in response to an opponent’s action, blunting their removal or combat tricks, helping to dictate the pace and outcome of battles on the fly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike other utility spells, Samite Blessing doesn’t require discarding as a cost. This absence can limit its impact in strategies that capitalize on discarding mechanisms or graveyard synergy, potentially diminishing its versatility within those specific deck builds.

Specific Mana Cost: The white mana requirement for Samite Blessing may restrict its integration, especially in multicolor decks that might struggle with color fixing. Players have to ensure access to white mana sources, which can dictate deck design choices, impacting the deck’s overall fluidity and sometimes forcing the inclusion of additional mana-fixing cards.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Samite Blessing offers protection without the need for tapping, its mana cost is steeper compared to other similar spells. This can hamper early game tempo, as players might need to prioritize casting creatures or other spells that affect the board state more significantly. In fast-paced games or against decks that ramp quickly, it can sit unused in hand while more cost-effective cards are played.

Reasons to Include Samite Blessing in Your Collection

Versatility: Samite Blessing stands out for its flexibility, offering your creatures a boon by providing them with a defensive edge. It’s a card that can slide into various deck types, particularly those aimed at protecting key creatures or maintaining a formidable defensive line.

Combo Potential: Beyond just defense, Samite Blessing opens up opportunities for combos with cards that thrive on targets receiving spells or abilities. This can create unexpected synergies and turn the tide of battle in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In a landscape that often features aggressive strategies, Samite Blessing offers a counterbalance, acting as a safeguard for your most valuable creatures. Its presence in your collection means you’re prepared to endure and outlast opponents reliant on direct creature removal.

How to beat

The Samite Blessing card can be a tough nut to crack in the world of Magic the Gathering. This card confers the ability to prevent damage to a creature, which can certainly disrupt your strategy. However, there are methods to navigate around this defensive boon. Enchantment removal spells are your go-to solution. With a timely Disenchant or Nature’s Claim, you can eliminate the Samite Blessing, paving the way for your creatures to deal lethal damage once again.

Alternatively, board wipe effects like Wrath of God or Damnation prove to be effective as well. They bypass the damage prevention by not dealing damage at all — they simply destroy the creatures outright. In addition, spells that force sacrifice, such as Diabolic Edict or Liliana’s Triumph, can pressure your opponent into sacrificing the creature protected by Samite Blessing. This is a solid strategy since Samite Blessing cannot prevent the loss of a creature to a sacrifice effect.

Therefore, by incorporating enchantment removal, board clear, or sacrifice-forcing spells into your deck, you can effectively counteract the Samite Blessing’s ability and maintain the upper hand in your matches.

Cards like Samite Blessing

Samite Blessing stands out in the realm of protective spells in MTG. Its closest relatives in functionality include the likes of Cho-Manno’s Blessing and Pentarch Ward. These cards share the key theme of granting protection to your creatures. However, Samite Blessing edges forward as it not only provides protection but does so at no mana cost, making it a frugal addition to any deck. Cho-Manno’s Blessing offers a choice of color for protection, increasing its adaptability in varied gameplay, while Pentarch Ward promises an additional card draw upon casting.

When examining Shielding Plax, we see it provides protection from spells or abilities an opponent controls and also draws a card. Although more costly in terms of mana, the card draw is an advantage. Samite Blessing, on the other hand, favors speed and surprise due to its ‘flash’ ability, allowing it to be played at any time—perfect for unexpected defense. Lastly, Gods Willing is another spell offering protection with the bonus of scrying, assisting with deck manipulation but lacking the recurring nature of Samite Blessing’s effect.

Each spell has its role within MTG’s vast arsenal, yet Samite Blessing is particularly distinguished for its versatile and resource-efficient protection capability, offering a unique shield to creatures on the battlefield.

Cho-Manno's Blessing - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Samite Blessing by color, type and mana cost

Mask of Law and Grace - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Samite Blessing MTG card by a specific set like Stronghold, 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 Samite Blessing and other MTG cards: