Llanowar Sentinel MTG Card


Fetches another Sentinel, providing card advantage and strengthening board presence without losing hand resources. It’s a versatile addition to green decks, benefiting from synergies with creature summoning and enabling combos. To counter it, focus on deck disruption and timing counterspells when opponents commit extra mana.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Elf
Power 2
Toughness 3

Text of card

When Llanowar Sentinel comes into play, you may pay o1o G to search your library for a Llanowar Sentinel card. Put that card into play. Shuffle your library afterwards.

"The forest has as many eyes as leaves." —Mirri of the *Weatherlight*


Cards like Llanowar Sentinel

The Llanowar Sentinel is an intriguing creature within the Magic: The Gathering universe, known for its ability to pull similar cards from your deck when in play. It bears resemblance to creatures like Elvish Visionary, which also allows you to draw a card upon entering the battlefield. However, the Sentinel’s draw is conditionally tied to paying two additional mana to trigger its ability, unlike the automatic draw provided by the Visionary.

In the same category, the existence of Eternal Witness offers a comparison, providing a way to recur cards directly from the graveyard to your hand. Although the Witness doesn’t draw from the deck directly like the Sentinel, it does give you access to a broader spectrum of cards and is not limited to the same name, granting more versatility in reuse of resources.

Ultimately, the Llanowar Sentinel holds its ground in MTG as a creature with the potential for chaining multiple creatures together, thereby strengthening its role in decks that capitalize on creature presence and green mana. The Sentinel therefore finds its niche in enabling synergistic strategies that hinge on a high creature count.

Elvish Visionary - MTG Card versions
Eternal Witness - MTG Card versions
Elvish Visionary - MTG Card versions
Eternal Witness - MTG Card versions

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Llanowar Sentinel’s ability to fetch another sentinel from your deck when it enters the battlefield is a clear pathway to card advantage. This effective mechanism allows you to fill your board with creatures, bolstering your presence while maintaining the same number of cards in hand.

Resource Acceleration: Indirectly, this card contributes to resource acceleration by providing a consistent creature presence. This enhances your ability to execute later plays more effectively. While not directly impacting mana resources, the card does support strategies that require a strong board state without depleting hand resources.

Instant Speed: While the Llanowar Sentinel itself is not an instant, it pairs seamlessly with instant speed spells and abilities that can place creatures onto the battlefield. This amplifies the Sentinel’s value during your opponent’s turn or end step, keeping your mana open and your plays flexible. It interacts well in decks that capitalize on such flash mechanics forcing opponents to always be wary of what you could have up your sleeve.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Llanowar Sentinel does not inherently require a discard to cast, however, to take advantage of its ability to pull another Sentinel from your deck, you need an extra green mana and a card you’re willing to return to your hand. This could indirectly cause a discard if you exceed your hand size limit.

Specific Mana Cost: The Llanowar Sentinel’s casting cost is locked into a specific mana type, requiring both green and generic mana. This can restrict the card’s integration into multi-color decks that might run tight on green mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of two and a green, the Sentinel’s ability may seem cost-effective. However, when you consider that other creatures provide greater power or additional abilities at the same or lower cost, the Sentinel’s value in a competitive deck is diminished.


Reasons to Include Llanowar Sentinel in Your Collection

Versatility: Llanowar Sentinel is a flexible creature card that offers utility in a variety of green decks. Its ability to fetch another copy of itself from the deck when played allows for an increase in board presence without exhausting your hand of cards.

Combo Potential: The Sentinel synergizes well with cards that respond to creature summoning or benefit from having numerous bodies on the battlefield. This can be particularly powerful in decks focused on building a large army or enabling powerful creature-based combos.

Meta-Relevance: With the continuous shift in the game’s meta landscape, the Sentinel maintains its relevance in green decks that favor ramp and creature-based strategies. In metas where establishing a board presence quickly is key, the Sentinel can be an advantageous play.


How to beat

The Llanowar Sentinel, a stalwart green creature, offers a great deal of versatility and resilience in Magic: The Gathering. Renowned for its recursion ability, being able to fetch another copy of itself from the deck, it poses a unique challenge to overcome. To beat this card efficiently, focus on disrupting the player’s deck and strategy. Cards that force shuffling of the opponent’s library or exile cards from their hand can break the chain of Sentinels coming into play. Taking control of the game’s pace with removal spells can also be effective. By managing the stack and choosing the opportune moment to play them, you prevent your opponent from establishing their Llanowar Sentinel chain.

Another key strategy involves using counterspells to prevent the Sentinel from hitting the field in the first place. Timing is critical; wait for your opponent to commit to paying the additional costs for summoning another Sentinel before you strike. By doing this, you not only remove the creature but also disrupt your opponent’s mana efficiency. Continuous board control and strategic counterplays are your best defenses against the persistent nature of the Llanowar Sentinel.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Llanowar Sentinel MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight and Tenth Edition, 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 Llanowar Sentinel and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Llanowar Sentinel Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-06-09 and 2007-07-13. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-06-09WeatherlightWTH 1341997NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
22007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 2752003NormalBlackRandy Gallegos

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Llanowar Sentinel has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2004-10-04 Because the “search” requires you to find a card with certain characteristics, you don’t have to find the card if you don’t want to.
2007-07-15 Llanowar Sentinels can “chain”: If you put a second Llanowar Sentinel onto the battlefield as a result of this ability, that creature’s enters-the-battlefield ability triggers and allows you to search for yet another Llanowar Sentinel.