Sheltering Light MTG Card


Sheltering Light - Ixalan
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Scry
Released2017-09-29
Set symbol
Set nameIxalan
Set codeXLN
Number35
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byGabor Szikszai

Key Takeaways

  1. Sheltering Light’s scry provides card filtering to improve draw quality and game plan strategy.
  2. Instant speed casting allows for defensive flexibility and effective mana utilization during gameplay.
  3. Despite its specific mana cost, Sheltering Light’s protection and scry make it a valuable inclusion.

Text of card

Target creature gains indestructible until end of turn. Scry 1. (Damage and effects that say "destroy" don't destroy the creature.)

Those who wield the power of the sun protect the Empire from darkness.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sheltering Light’s scry ability can help sort upcoming draws, ensuring you get the most out of your deck by filtering upcoming cards. While not directly drawing you a card, it does ensure your next draw is more likely to be useful.

Resource Acceleration: By protecting your key creatures with Sheltering Light, you maintain the board presence necessary to accelerate your game plan. With your threats safeguarded, you can continue to pressure your opponent without the need to commit additional resources to reestablish your board.

Instant Speed: Sheltering Light can be cast at instant speed, offering the flexibility to respond to threats on your opponent’s turn. This allows you to safely tap out during your own turn, knowing you can still react to your opponent’s actions and possibly saving a creature from a fatal blow when they least expect it.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Sheltering Light requires a precise mana commitment, which is white. For players not running a white deck or those with a multicolored mana base under pressure, this can sometimes limit the spell’s playability, especially in moments when white mana isn’t readily available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not extremely expensive, in fast-paced games, even one mana for a narrow effect can be a significant investment. The card’s cost of one white mana might be seen as steep when compared to zero-cost options like Pact of Negation or Misdirection, which, although have different conditions or downsides, can also serve to protect your creatures without mana expenditure at the critical moment.

Discard Requirement: While Sheltering Light doesn’t directly cause the player to discard a card, it is a single-use spell that becomes a card in the graveyard after execution. This can be a disadvantage in games where each card’s value is high, and the cost of playing a card that doesn’t directly advance your board position is significant.


Reasons to Include Sheltering Light in Your Collection

Versatility: Sheltering Light stands out for its ability to protect your crucial creatures from removal, including board wipes. This kind of spell is a key inclusion for decks that rely on maintaining a strong presence on the battlefield, especially those built around powerful, single-threat creatures.

Combo Potential: Not only does Sheltering Light preserve your creatures, but it also offers scry 1, allowing you to refine your draw and increase your chances of finding combo pieces or important spells. It’s an inexpensive way to protect your combo while setting up your next move.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where spot removal and targeted destruction are rampant, Sheltering Light provides a low-cost solution to keep essential creatures in play. This relevance becomes clearer as it can often be the difference between holding the line and having your strategy dismantled piece by piece.


How to beat

Sheltering Light shines in Magic: The Gathering as a valuable spell for safeguarding creatures from harm. It serves as a low-cost insurance policy, granting not only indestructible status for a turn but also a scry to adjust future plays. When up against Sheltering Light, timing is as critical as the choice of removal used to thwart it.

To effectively navigate around this protective shield, consider spells that don’t target, such as board wipes or -X/-X mechanisms. Single target removals will fall short due to its instant nature. Additionally, aiming to disrupt the player’s hand with thought disruption tactics could dismantle their defense before they even have a chance to cast Sheltering Light.

Moreover, holding off on removal until the opponent commits to using Sheltering Light can exhaust their resources, allowing for a more opportune moment to strike. In this delicate dance of strategy, outwitting an opponent who relies on Sheltering Light requires insight, precision, and the right timing to ensure your path to victory remains clear and unshielded.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into the nuance of MTG gameplay, cards like Sheltering Light can subtly sway the battlefield in your favor. The ability to protect key creatures while fine-tuning your next draw epitomizes the strategic depth the game offers. Recognizing the card’s strengths and limitations is crucial in leveraging its full potential. As you strive to build a more resilient and responsive deck, consider incorporating Sheltering Light for its protection and card filtration capabilities, especially in metas teeming with removal threats. Continue your journey in MTG with us, and discover how to optimize your deck’s performance with tactical card choices.


Cards like Sheltering Light

Sheltering Light stands out in Magic: The Gathering as an affordable protection option for your creatures. Its ability to grant indestructible status to a target creature distinguishes it within this protective niche. Compare this to cards like Gods Willing or Blossoming Defense, which provide a similar one-turn safeguard but also offer additional bonuses such as scry or the added power and toughness respectively.

When we look at Valorous Stance, another card that can shield creatures, we notice it offers dual functionality—granting indestructibility or destroying a creature with toughness 4 or greater. Although Valorous Stance is versatile, Sheltering Light’s lower mana cost and scry feature make it nimble in tight situations. Then there’s also Indestructibility, an aura that gives a permanent state of indestructibility, though at a notably higher mana cost and different card type.

Given the breakdown, Sheltering Light secures its place by offering a succinct package of protection plus card advantage through its scry ability. In fast-paced games, its efficiency and the potential insight into future draws make it a valuable spell in any MTG player’s arsenal.

Gods Willing - MTG Card versions
Blossoming Defense - MTG Card versions
Valorous Stance - MTG Card versions
Indestructibility - MTG Card versions
Gods Willing - MTG Card versions
Blossoming Defense - MTG Card versions
Valorous Stance - MTG Card versions
Indestructibility - MTG Card versions

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Death Ward - MTG Card versions
Blaze of Glory - MTG Card versions
Healing Salve - MTG Card versions
Purelace - MTG Card versions
Guardian Angel - MTG Card versions
Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions
Righteousness - MTG Card versions
Indestructible Aura - MTG Card versions
Glyph of Life - MTG Card versions
Warning - MTG Card versions
Heal - MTG Card versions
Anoint - MTG Card versions
Reaping the Rewards - MTG Card versions
Rally the Troops - MTG Card versions
Scent of Jasmine - MTG Card versions
Moment of Silence - MTG Card versions
Enlightened Tutor - MTG Card versions
Orim's Touch - MTG Card versions
Pollen Remedy - MTG Card versions
Sacred Rites - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sheltering Light MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan, 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 Sheltering Light and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sheltering Light has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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