Sheltering Word MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2012-05-04
Set symbol
Set name	Avacyn Restored
Set code	AVR
Number	192
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Igor Kieryluk

Key Takeaways

Dual purpose of protection and life gain makes it tactically valuable.
Instantaneous use allows for real-time flexibility and strategy.
Requires green mana, fitting primarily into certain deck types.

Text of card

Target creature you control gains hexproof until end of turn. You gain life equal to that creature's toughness. (A creature with hexproof can't be the target of spells or abilities opponents control.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sheltering Word provides significant strategic value by not only protecting a creature but also offering the boon of gaining life equal to that creature’s toughness. This can turn the tide by keeping key monsters in play while simultaneously maintaining your life total as a resource.

Resource Acceleration: One of the distinct advantages of Sheltering Word is its low mana cost, which facilitates protection early in the game when resources are limited. This allows players to safeguard their investments on the board without diverting too much mana from other spells they might plan to cast.

Instant Speed: The strength of instant speed spells in MTG cannot be overstated, and Sheltering Word utilizes this by providing players with the flexibility to respond to threats in real time. This characteristic ensures that you can adapt to your opponent’s moves and protect your creatures from removal or combat damage as it happens, giving you an edge in the strategic play.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sheltering Word doesn’t necessitate discarding, but its singular protective effect can be a trade-off when your hand is brimming with other potentially more versatile spells.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring green mana can restrict its use primarily to green or multicolored decks, potentially limiting its versatility for players who operate outside that color’s strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although costing two mana may not seem much, in a game where tempo is crucial, spending that mana for a single creature’s protection might not always be the best use of resources, especially when there are spells with broader effects or lower costs available.

Reasons to Include Sheltering Word in Your Collection

Versatility: Sheltering Word is known for its dual-purpose nature, as it can protect your key creatures while also providing a healthy life gain. This makes it adaptable for decks that focus on creature longevity as well as those that need a lifeline against aggressive strategies.

Combo Potential: In decks that revolve around creatures with high toughness or abilities that trigger on life gain, Sheltering Word can be a game-changer. It can set off a chain of events or synergize with effects that monitor your life total, which can often turn the tide in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: With many MTG games shifting toward creature-based combat, having the ability to protect your creatures from being removed and gaining life in the process keeps this card relevant. It’s useful in various meta environments, where targeted removal is common.

How to beat Sheltering Word

Sheltering Word is a utility card that delivers dual benefits, offering creature protection and life gain for Magic: The Gathering players. What makes this instant spell impactful is its ability to thwart removal spells or combat tricks aimed at your creatures, while simultaneously giving a lifeline boost equal to the creature’s power.

Countering this card calls for strategic planning. To effectively beat Sheltering Word, consider utilizing spells that don’t target creatures, rendering the card’s protection aspect moot. Board wipes such as Wrath of God or Supreme Verdict sweep the field clean without directly targeting any single creature. Additionally, spells that force discards can preemptively remove Sheltering Word from an opponent’s hand before it’s cast, cutting off the opportunity to use it.

In brief, while Sheltering Word provides a sturdy safety net for creatures along with a health buffer, by adopting non-targeted removal options or discard strategies, you can render this protective spell inconsequential, maintaining the upper hand against those who would use it to secure their defenses in the game.

Cards like Sheltering Word

Sheltering Word is an intriguing instant in the world of Magic the Gathering, offering both protection and a potential life boost for players. If we consider cards like Vines of Vastwood, we notice a shared theme of creature defense. Vines of Vastwood not only grants hexproof but can also provide a +4/+4 boost, albeit lacking the life gain that comes with Sheltering Word. Ranger’s Guile is another card that cloaks a creature in hexproof, though it’s more limited, enhancing power by only +1/+1, without the added benefit of raising a player’s life total.

Moving to a slightly different area, Blossoming Defense stands out by giving creatures hexproof as well as a notable +2/+2 boost. What sets Sheltering Word apart is its unique combination of defense and life gain, which Blossoming Defense doesn’t offer. Similarly, Heroic Intervention provides a broader safeguarding by giving all your permanents hexproof and indestructible, yet it doesn’t take part in the life gain strategy inherent to Sheltering Word.

In the realm of protective spells, Sheltering Word holds a distinct position. Its dual function of shielding a creature and augmenting a player’s life pool sets a particular niche within Magic the Gathering’s diverse array of instants, catering to those looking to fortify their defense while maintaining a strong life advantage.

Cards similar to Sheltering Word by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sheltering Word has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2012-05-01	If a creature gains hexproof in response to a spell or ability controlled by an opponent that targets only it, that spell or ability doesn’t resolve for having an illegal target when it tries to resolve.