Selesnya Sanctuary MTG Card


Optimizes landfall and resource acceleration in green-white deck builds. Can hinder early game progress by returning lands to hand. Effective for strategies that benefit from land synergies.
Card setsReleased in 26 setsSee all
RarityCommon
TypeLand

Text of card

Selesnya Sanctuary enters the battlefield tapped. When Selesnya Sanctuary enters the battlefield, return a land you control to its owner's hand. : Add .


Cards like Selesnya Sanctuary

Selesnya Sanctuary is a land card that has found its place in decks that benefit from mana fixing and return-to-hand land synergies in Magic: The Gathering. As part of the “bounce lands” or “karoo lands”, it shares similarities with cards like Golgari Rot Farm and Azorius Chancery. All of these lands come into play tapped, and upon entry, they return a land you control to your hand while providing two colors of mana.

Selesnya Sanctuary offers the same advantage of additional mana in colors green and white, akin to Rakdos Carnarium that provides black and red mana. However, one key difference lies in the color combination, which dictates its role in deck building based on the deck’s specific needs for mana sustainability. The utility of Selesnya Sanctuary is unique as it serves decks leaning towards creature-based strategies or token generation, leveraging the strength of the Selesnya guild’s creature-focused ethos.

While these cards can potentially set you back a turn due to the “comes into play tapped” trade-off, Selesnya Sanctuary fits snugly into strategies that can afford a slower, more controlled pace, ultimately contributing to mana base stability for long-term gain in Magic: The Gathering matches.

Golgari Rot Farm - MTG Card versions
Azorius Chancery - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Carnarium - MTG Card versions
Golgari Rot Farm - MTG Card versions
Azorius Chancery - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Carnarium - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Selesnya Sanctuary by color, type and mana cost

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Savannah - MTG Card versions
Brushland - MTG Card versions
Vec Townships - MTG Card versions
Elfhame Palace - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Monastery - MTG Card versions
Riftstone Portal - MTG Card versions
Temple Garden - MTG Card versions
Overgrown Farmland - MTG Card versions
Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway - MTG Card versions
Temple of Plenty - MTG Card versions
Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree - MTG Card versions
Horizon Canopy - MTG Card versions
Graypelt Refuge - MTG Card versions
Sunpetal Grove - MTG Card versions
Selesnya Guildgate - MTG Card versions
Blossoming Sands - MTG Card versions
Stirring Wildwood - MTG Card versions
Canopy Vista - MTG Card versions
Saltcrusted Steppe - MTG Card versions
Tranquil Expanse - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Selesnya Sanctuary. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Amulet TitanAmulet Titan ModernAmulet TitanModern Challenge 32 2024-04-25

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Selesnya Sanctuary doesn’t directly let you draw cards, its return-a-land-to-hand ability synergizes with landfall or other effects that trigger when lands enter the battlefield. It’s a boon for decks that have ways to benefit multiple times from the same land card.

Resource Acceleration: As a bounce land, Selesnya Sanctuary taps for two different colors of mana, effectively accelerating your resources. It allows for casting more costly spells earlier in the game and providing vital mana fixing for Selesnya-colored decks.

Instant Speed: Although Selesnya Sanctuary enters the battlefield tapped, which may seem slow, it aligns with strategies that operate at instant speed. It supports keeping mana open for instant spells by unpacking two mana in the next turn, thus enabling powerful plays and maintaining tempo.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Selesnya Sanctuary card asks players to return a land they control to their hand when it enters the battlefield. This can be a significant drawback, especially during the early game where land drops are critical for developing your board presence and mana base.

Specific Mana Cost: This card produces only green and white mana, which can be a limitation for multi-color decks that rely on a wider variety of mana. For players not running a green and white combination in their deck, Selesnya Sanctuary loses its utility, sitting idle on the battlefield or worse—taking up a much-needed land slot.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though Selesnya Sanctuary does not have a direct mana cost to play, the fact that it enters the battlefield tapped implies a temporal cost. This can slow down your gameplay by essentially costing you an entire turn’s worth of mana development, a disadvantage when speed and efficiency are key, or when competing against decks that optimize for swift mana ramp and acceleration.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Selesnya Sanctuary offers a unique flexibility by acting both as a mana source and a way to ensure land drops each turn. Its ability to return a land to your hand can also reset any “enters the battlefield” land triggers you may be utilizing.

Combo Potential: This land works exceptionally well in decks that capitalize on landfall mechanics or benefit from having lands in hand. It can be a key piece in various combos, contributing to a diverse range of strategies across different formats.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where mana-fixing is crucial, Selesnya Sanctuary aligns perfectly with decks that thrive on green and white mana. Its presence supports casting influential spells on time and can be a boon against land disruption techniques prevalent in various metas.


How to Overcome Selesnya Sanctuary

Selesnya Sanctuary can be a powerful resource in Magic: The Gathering, offering both mana fixing and a slight increase in land count. It’s part of a cycle known as the Karoo lands, named after the original Visions card, which possess similar mechanics. Players leveraging Selesnya Sanctuary can gain significant advantage over the course of the game, with the ability to tap for two different colors of mana.

To successfully counteract the benefits Selesnya Sanctuary brings to the table, consider incorporating land destruction or denial strategies. Cards like Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin can take out the Sanctuary directly, hindering your opponent’s mana development. Additionally, utilizing land bounce effects with spells like Boomerang or tempo playstyles can set back your opponent’s board significantly if they rely heavily on the Sanctuary for their mana acceleration.

There are also stax effects, such as those from Leonin Arbiter that prevent searching libraries or Damping Sphere that punishes lands tapping for more than one mana, neutralizing the Sanctuary’s benefits. It’s about disrupting the rhythm and flow these lands provide, keeping your opponent on the back foot and unable to fully exploit the Selesnya Sanctuary’s dual mana abilities.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Selesnya Sanctuary MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Salvat 2005, 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 Selesnya Sanctuary and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Selesnya Sanctuary Magic the Gathering card was released in 24 different sets between 2005-08-22 and 2024-02-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 1023592015NormalBlackRon Spears
22005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL L442003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
32005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL L332003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
42005-10-07Ravnica: City of GuildsRAV 2812003NormalBlackJohn Avon
52010-11-08Magic Online Theme DecksTD0 A1372003NormalBlackJohn Avon
62011-04-01Duel Decks: Knights vs. DragonsDDG 372003NormalBlackJohn Avon
72011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 2872003NormalBlackJohn Avon
82012-06-01Planechase 2012PC2 1252003NormalBlackJohn Avon
92013-11-01Commander 2013C13 3222003NormalBlackJohn Avon
102015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 2482015NormalBlackJohn Avon
112016-11-11Commander 2016C16 3242015NormalBlackJohn Avon
122016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 1252015NormalBlackJohn Avon
132017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 2732015NormalBlackJohn Avon
142017-08-25Commander 2017C17 2802015NormalBlackJohn Avon
152017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 2472015NormalBlackJohn Avon
162018-08-09Commander 2018C18 2812015NormalBlackJohn Avon
172018-11-02GRN Guild KitGK1 1252015NormalBlackJohn Avon
182019-08-23Commander 2019C19 2722015NormalBlackJohn Avon
192020-04-17Commander 2020C20 3082015NormalBlackJohn Avon
202020-09-25Zendikar Rising CommanderZNC 1402015NormalBlackJohn Avon
212021-09-24Midnight Hunt CommanderMIC 1802015NormalBlackJohn Avon
222022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 4112015NormalBorderlessRon Spears
232022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 3302015NormalBlackJohn Avon
242023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 10312015NormalBlackJohn Avon
252024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 2902015NormalBlackJohn Avon
262024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 2462015NormalBlackJohn Avon

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Selesnya Sanctuary has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2013-04-15 If this land enters the battlefield and you control no other lands, its ability will force you to return it to your hand.