White Sun's Zenith MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Instant speed of White Sun’s Zenith allows for surprise plays, leveraging end-of-turn game-changing army creation.
  2. Shuffling back into the library ensures White Sun’s Zenith remains a persistent threat throughout the game.
  3. Its stringent mana requirements demand careful deck construction and resource management for optimal use.

Text of card

Put X 2/2 white Cat creature tokens onto the battlefield. Shuffle White Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

After the Battle of Liet Field, the white sun crested above Taj-Nar, bringing hope to all who survived the carnage.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: White Sun’s Zenith offers a unique scaling effect that generates multiple 2/2 white Cat creature tokens, proportionate to the mana invested. This creates substantial card advantage by flooding the board with multiple threats from a single card casting.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, the ability of White Sun’s Zenith to populate the battlefield aligns with strategies that benefit from having numerous creatures, potentially unlocking synergies that can lead to indirect resource acceleration through cards like “Mentor of the Meek” for card draw or “Phantom General” which boosts your creature tokens.

Instant Speed: Another advantage of White Sun’s Zenith is its instant-speed playability, allowing players to wait until the end of an opponent’s turn to create an army of Cat tokens unexpectedly. This flexibility can disrupt an opponent’s strategy and optimize the user’s mana usage, keeping the element of surprise on their side.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While White Sun’s Zenith doesn’t obligate you to discard cards, having it shuffled back into the library can sometimes delay drawing into more immediately useful cards or be less preferable in decks that thrive on graveyard synergy.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast this spell, you need an exact composition of mana, including at least three white, which can sometimes be restrictive depending on the multicolor nature of your deck or the lands you have available during play.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial cost of three white plus X, where the value of X significantly influences the number of cat tokens produced, White Sun’s Zenith requires a substantial mana investment. It might compete with other high-impact cards in your deck for those crucial mana resources during late-game scenarios.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: White Sun’s Zenith is a dynamic card that can be integrated into a variety of decks. Whether you’re playing control and waiting for the perfect moment to create an army, or focusing on a token strategy to overwhelm opponents, its ability to scale with the game makes it valuable at any stage.

Combo Potential: With its capability to produce numerous Cat tokens, it works beautifully in synergy with cards that capitalize on creature quantity. Enhance this with artifacts or enchantments that buff tokens, and you have a recipe for a game-winning combo.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where creature-based strategies are prevalent, White Sun’s Zenith can be a trump card. Against control decks, casting it at the end of the opponent’s turn can apply immediate pressure, and in token-centric metas, it serves as both an enabler and finisher.


How to beat

Overcoming White Sun’s Zenith in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic planning and timing. This powerful card, known for creating multiple X/X white Cat creature tokens, can quickly shift the game’s momentum in favor of the player who casts it. To counteract its impact, players should consider holding back removal spells or board wipes until after the card has resolved, ensuring that the tokens can be cleared in one fell swoop.

Counterspells are another effective tool, as they can stop White Sun’s Zenith before the tokens are ever created. Running cards that inhibit or punish token strategies can also tilt the odds in your favor. Graveyard hate cards can prevent repeated uses of White Sun’s Zenith, since it shuffles back into its owner’s library after use. By remaining vigilant and prepared for this late-game swing, you can ensure that White Sun’s Zenith doesn’t mark your defeat.

Considering these strategies and the impact of the card, it remains a significant threat on the battlefield. A careful balance of board control and resource management can be the key to triumphing over a player wielding the Zenith’s power.


BurnMana Recommendations

Arming yourself with a deep understanding and strategic approach to MTG can profoundly transform your gameplay experience. With a card like White Sun’s Zenith, the ability to adapt and spot opportunities for synergy within your deck is paramount. Remember, it’s the power plays and smart card interactions that can clinch victory from the jaws of defeat. Assessing pros and cons, such as card advantage and mana cost, is critical for optimizing your deck’s performance. Embrace the learning curve and join the ranks of those who continually evolve their strategy. Dive deeper into the intricacies of MTG with us, where every card counts and each game is a step towards becoming a formidable player.


Cards like White Sun's Zenith

White Sun’s Zenith is a potent force in MTG’s arsenal of creature generation spells. Its closest kin, Secure the Wastes, also functions to create multiple warrior creature tokens. However, White Sun’s Zenith has the unique ability to shuffle back into its owner’s library, potentially offering repeated value over the course of the game. Secure the Wastes forfeits longevity for a lower mana investment at instant speed.

March of the Multitudes shares a similar convivial spirit, summoning an army of lifelink tokens to the battlefield. Comparable to White Sun’s Zenith’s end-of-turn surprise, this card too can be cast as an instant, giving it a tactical edge during combat. Nevertheless, it’s the scalability and recurrent feature of White Sun’s Zenith that keeps it in a league of its own.

Ultimately, while other cards provide the instant gratification of an immediate, sometimes less costly army, White Sun’s Zenith remains a formidable contender in MTG for its persistent board presence and the ability to decisively shift the game’s balance with its repeatable summoning capability.

Secure the Wastes - MTG Card versions
March of the Multitudes - MTG Card versions
Secure the Wastes - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)
March of the Multitudes - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)

Cards similar to White Sun's Zenith by color, type and mana cost

Reverse Damage - MTG Card versions
Army of Allah - MTG Card versions
Holy Light - MTG Card versions
Blood of the Martyr - MTG Card versions
Piety - MTG Card versions
Martyrdom - MTG Card versions
Harsh Justice - MTG Card versions
Kor Chant - MTG Card versions
Just Fate - MTG Card versions
Waylay - MTG Card versions
Warrior's Honor - MTG Card versions
Radiant's Judgment - MTG Card versions
Restrain - MTG Card versions
Prismatic Strands - MTG Card versions
Ardenvale Tactician // Dizzying Swoop - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Protection - MTG Card versions
Oblation - MTG Card versions
Wing Shards - MTG Card versions
Armed Response - MTG Card versions
Renewed Faith - MTG Card versions
Reverse Damage - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Army of Allah - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Holy Light - Masters Edition (ME1)
Blood of the Martyr - Chronicles (CHR)
Piety - Renaissance (REN)
Martyrdom - Alliances (ALL)
Harsh Justice - Portal (POR)
Kor Chant - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Just Fate - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Waylay - Urza's Saga (USG)
Warrior's Honor - Anthologies (ATH)
Radiant's Judgment - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Restrain - Invasion (INV)
Prismatic Strands - Commander 2019 (C19)
Ardenvale Tactician // Dizzying Swoop - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Teferi's Protection - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Oblation - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Wing Shards - Commander 2017 (C17)
Armed Response - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Renewed Faith - Mystery Booster (MB1)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase White Sun's Zenith MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged and Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia, 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 White Sun's Zenith and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The White Sun's Zenith Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2011-02-04 and 2023-02-03. Illustrated by Mike Bierek.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-02-04Mirrodin BesiegedMBS 192003normalblackMike Bierek
22011-05-14Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New PhyrexiaTD2 352003normalblackMike Bierek
32014-11-07Commander 2014C14 952015normalblackMike Bierek
42017-08-25Commander 2017C17 782015normalblackMike Bierek
52020-09-26The ListPLST MBS-192003normalblackMike Bierek
62020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 3912015normalblackMike Bierek
72023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One CommanderONC 902015normalblackMike Bierek

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where White Sun's Zenith has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2011-06-01 If this spell doesn't resolve, none of its effects occur. In particular, it will go to the graveyard rather than to its owner's library.

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