Sage of Shaila's Claim MTG Card
2016-09-30 - Number 168
2020-11-12 - Number 181
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Elf Druid |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Offers energy counter boost, essential for decks focused on energy mechanics and synergy.
- Limited mana cost may restrict deck versatility, impacting card adaptability across various formats.
- Strategically pair with energy-utilizing cards for combo potential, enhancing control and tempo.
Text of card
When Sage of Shaila's Claim enters the battlefield, you get (three energy counters).
Even now, Shaila's descendants proudly occupy the greenway that she refused to relinquish to the Consulate.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Provides an instant boost in creature presence on the board by offering a three-mana creature that can potentially represent more utility in decks focused on energy counters.
Resource Acceleration: With its ability to give you three energy counters upon entering the battlefield, Sage of Shaila’s Claim can be seen as a form of resource acceleration, playing a pivotal role in powering up energy-centric strategies.
Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, the energy counters it provides can be utilized at instant speed, giving players flexible options to fuel abilities or spells at critical moments in a match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Sage of Shaila’s Claim requires you to have other energy-generating cards or effects to fully take advantage of its ability. Without these synergies in place, its potential diminishes, leaving you at a disadvantage, especially in tight situations where every card in hand counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Sage of Shaila’s Claim comes with a green mana cost, making it a specific fit for green-focused or energy-based decks. This limited color cost could restrict its inclusion in various deck builds, especially in formats favoring multi-colored decks over mono-green strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When examining the mana cost to benefit ratio, this card could be viewed as having a high mana cost for generating just three energy counters. While three energy counters could be significant in the right deck, there are alternative cards that may provide a better return on investment in terms of energy accumulation or board presence for the same or lower mana cost.
Reasons to Include Sage of Shaila’s Claim in Your Collection
Versatility: Sage of Shaila’s Claim is a flexible addition to green aggro decks or those looking to ramp up their energy. This little creature provides a burst of energy counters which are useful for a variety of strategies.
Combo Potential: The Sage works wonders in decks that synergize with energy mechanics. Pair it with cards that utilize energy in creative ways, and you’ll unlock powerful combinations for control and tempo advantage.
Meta-Relevance: With a metagame that often showcases energy-dependent mechanics or strategies that demand quick resource accumulation, Sage of Shaila’s Claim is a card that can seamlessly fit in and offer players an edge in such environments.
How to beat Sage of Shaila’s Claim
Sage of Shaila’s Claim is known in the Magic: The Gathering community as a green creature that excels in ramping up energy counters. With just two energy counters provided on entry, this low-cost creature can shift the momentum of an energy-focused deck rather quickly. It’s a fundamental piece in decks that rely heavily on energy mechanics and can potentially turn the tide by enabling powerful plays early on.
Defeating Sage of Shaila’s Claim involves disrupting energy accumulation. Removal spells are effective, as they can be used to take the Sage off the board before its energy-generating ability can be significantly leveraged. Board control spells that sweep multiple creatures at once can also ensure that the Sage, along with other energy-based threats, are dealt with efficiently. Furthermore, playing cards that interfere with your opponent’s ability to gain or use energy counters can systematically dismantle their game plan, reducing the impact of the Sage and keeping the pace in your favor.
It goes without saying, preemptively managing the playing field and keeping an eye on the rate at which your opponent gathers energy are crucial steps. By doing so, Sage of Shaila’s Claim will be less of a threat, allowing players to maintain control over the game’s direction and their route to victory.
Cards like Sage of Shaila's Claim
Sage of Shaila’s Claim makes its mark in MTG with its energy counter generation, joining the ranks of creatures that enhance your energy pool. It’s on par with creatures like Aether Theorist, which also provides energy counters. However, the Sage of Shaila’s Claim stands out by offering three energy counters instantly upon entering the battlefield, compared to the Theorist’s two.
Another comparable card is Thriving Rhino, which doesn’t provide energy outright but can potentially generate more as it attacks. It’s a different kind of investment that could yield a higher return over time. Conversely, the Sage’s upfront energy boost could be more impactful in the early game, setting it apart from the gradual pace of Thriving Rhino’s energy acquisition.
Overall, when looking at energy-centric cards, Sage of Shaila’s Claim presents a reliable option for players who value an immediate increment in their energy reserves, thereby empowering subsequent plays and enhancing their overall game strategy in the MTG universe.
Cards similar to Sage of Shaila's Claim by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sage of Shaila's Claim MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh and Kaladesh Remastered, 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 Sage of Shaila's Claim and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Sage of Shaila's Claim Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by Howard Lyon.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-09-30 | Kaladesh | KLD | 168 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
| 2 | 2020-11-12 | Kaladesh Remastered | KLR | 181 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sage of Shaila's Claim has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sage of Shaila's Claim card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-02-09 | Energy counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They're not associated with specific permanents. (Other kinds of counters that players may have include poison and experience.) |
| 2017-02-09 | Energy counters aren't mana. They don't go away as steps, phases, and turns end, and effects that add mana “of any type” to your mana pool can't give you energy counters. |
| 2017-02-09 | If an effect says you get one or more , you get that many energy counters. To pay one or more , you lose that many energy counters. Any effects that interact with counters a player gets, has, or loses can interact with energy counters. |
| 2017-02-09 | Keep careful track of how many energy counters each player has. You may do so by keeping a running count on paper, by using a die, or by any other clear and mutually agreeable method. |
| 2017-02-09 | You can't pay more energy counters than you have. |
| 2017-02-09 | is the energy symbol. It represents one energy counter. |
