Sanguine Praetor MTG Card

Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
2005-08-22 - Number F49

Guildpact (GPT)
2006-02-03 - Number 60

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	8
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Avatar Praetor
Power	7
Toughness	5

Key Takeaways

Sanguine Praetor offers board control by utilizing creatures as a resource to clear opponents’ threats.
While potentially resource-intensive, its utility in the right deck enhances both offense and defense.
Strategic inclusion enhances meta play, exploiting the current environment’s creature-heavy decks.

Text of card

, Sacrifice a creature: Destroy each creature with the same mana value as the sacrificed creature.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sanguine Praetor can be a formidable card advantage engine in the right deck. As a sacrifice outlet, this card allows you to utilize your creatures for an effect, potentially decimating your opponent’s board while retaining a strong presence on your side. With each sacrificed creature of the same color, you can target and destroy one creature of that color controlled by your opponents. This enables you to tailor your board sweeps and maintain a dominant position.

Resource Acceleration: While Sanguine Praetor itself does not directly provide resource acceleration, it compliments decks that thrive on creature generation. In such builds, the Praetor serves as a catalyst, converting excess creature tokens into valuable board control. This interaction can indirectly speed up your victory by weakening your opponents’ defenses and clearing the way for decisive attacks.

Instant Speed: Even though Sanguine Praetor’s ability is not at instant speed, it complements strategies that involve instant speed elements. Being a creature that can impact the board at any time during your turn, it forces your opponents to play carefully, respecting the potential for sudden shifts in board state due to its activated ability. This aspect of unpredictability is an asset, prompting opponents to reconsider their plays or expend resources cautiously.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sanguine Praetor asks players to sacrifice a creature of a specific color to perform its ability. This could work against you if your board is not well-populated or if you are relying on your creatures for defense or further plays.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast this card, you must have access to both black and generic mana sources in significant quantity. Decks not heavily invested in black might not be able to meet the casting cost or could struggle to do so consistently throughout the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of eight mana of which seven must be black, Sanguine Praetor can be hard to play in the early or mid-game. Even in late-game scenarios, its cost may still demand a significant portion of your resources, which could compound the difficulty if you’re also required to sacrifice creatures to activate its abilities.

Reasons to Include Sanguine Praetor in Your Collection

Versatility: Sanguine Praetor serves as a flexible solution in any black-based deck. Its ability to sacrifice creatures for board control makes it valuable in both offensive and defensive strategies, adapting to the needs of the game.

Combo Potential: This card’s sacrifice mechanism can be a lynchpin in decks that capitalize on death triggers. Pairing it with cards that generate tokens or have undying abilities can create powerful synergies and recurring board control tactics.

Meta-Relevance: Given the right meta environment, where creature-based strategies prevail, Sanguine Praetor can be a game-changer. Its potential to wipe out swarms of opposing creatures ensures that it remains a relevant card for control decks looking to dominate the battlefield.

How to beat

Sanguine Praetor is a solid inclusion in the domain of powerful creatures within MTG. Similar to other powerhouse cards, it presents a considerable challenge to overcome. Yet it has its Achilles’ heel, transparency in its vulnerability to removal strategies. One effective means to tackle this card is through direct removal spells. Casting something like Path to Exile can swiftly handle the threat this card poses without letting it dominate the battlefield.

Counterplay could also be exercised by including cards that cancel activations. With Sanguine Praetor depending on its sacrifice ability, having Stifle or Tale’s End in your deck can neutralize its advantage, rendering its potential impact negligible. It’s also possible to outpace the Praetor through aggressive strategies. Flooding the board with creatures can overwhelm any strategy centered on a singular, albeit potent, creature. This mirrors the tactics used against other formidable creatures that rely on sacrifice mechanics.

All things considered, the key to triumphing over Sanguine Praetor lies in preemptive action and resourceful deckbuilding, positioning removal, counter abilities, and swarming tactics as reliable countermeasures to maintain control of the game.

Cards like Sanguine Praetor

In the vast realm of black creatures within Magic: The Gathering, Sanguine Praetor stands out with its unique ability to sacrifice creatures for mass removal. When matched against Sheoldred, Whispering One, Sanguine Praetor offers a repeatable board wipe effect rather than Sheoldred’s single-target reanimation power. The sweeping removal can prove devastating in multiplayer games, giving Sanguine Praetor an edge.

Looking at a more general comparison, mass removal spells like Damnation provide a similar reset button to Sanguine Praetor’s ability. While Damnation affects all creatures at once without a need for further sacrifices, it lacks the selectivity and repeatability that Sanguine Praetor’s ability allows. Additionally, Sanguine Praetor can potentially be a game-ending threat on its own merit.

Comparing both utility and impact, Sanguine Praetor offers flexibility that other cards may not. This makes it a considerable choice for players who wish to strategically dictate the pace of the game and remove threats progressively rather than all at once.

Sheoldred, Whispering One - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Sanguine Praetor by color, type and mana cost

Myojin of Night's Reach - MTG Card versions

Shambling Attendants - MTG Card versions

Distended Mindbender - MTG Card versions

Razaketh, the Foulblooded - MTG Card versions

Torgaar, Famine Incarnate - MTG Card versions

Archfiend of Despair - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sanguine Praetor MTG card by a specific set like Salvat 2005 and Guildpact, 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 Sanguine Praetor and other MTG cards: