Mark's Card Notes
I don't have a good sense of how to organize this right now, so I'm just going to dump a list of stuff that's on my radar. A lot of this is from notes I sent about improving Animar, and others are just things I've been looking at for my own decks.
Elven Warhounds {3}{G}
Creature — Dog
Whenever Elven Warhounds becomes blocked by a creature, put that creature on top of its owner's library.
2/2
Absolutely brutal with a lure effect. Never dies to combat damage, probably doesn't get blocked much without lure.
Nacatl War-Pride {3}{G}{G}{G}
Creature — Cat Warrior
Nacatl War-Pride must be blocked by exactly one creature if able.
Whenever Nacatl War-Pride attacks, create X tokens that are copies of Nacatl
War-Pride and that are tapped and attacking, where X is the number of
creatures defending player controls. Exile the tokens at the beginning of the
next end step.
3/3
With a few cat buffs in play, this is bonkers. Play with Cathar's Crusade (Shoutout to Ty for suggesting this combo to me)
Cathars' Crusade {3}{W}{W}
Enchantment
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you
control.
seems good with token generators.
Everflowing Chalice {0}
Artifact
Multikicker {2}
Everflowing Chalice enters the battlefield with a charge counter on it for each time it was kicked.
{T}: Add {C} for each charge counter on Everflowing Chalice.
Can proliferate charge counters.
Psychic Possession {2}{U}{U}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant opponent
Skip your draw step.
Whenever enchanted opponent draws a card, you may draw a card.
From the "can I just borrow your value engine?" file
Proclamation of Rebirth {2}{W}
Sorcery
Return up to three target creature cards with mana value 1 or less from your graveyard to the
battlefield.
Forecast — {5}{W}, Reveal Proclamation of Rebirth from your hand: Return
target creature card with mana value 1 or less from your graveyard to the
battlefield. (Activate only during your upkeep and only once each turn.)
Generous Gift {2}{W}
Instant
Destroy target permanent. Its controller creates a 3/3 green Elephant creature token.
Removal wins games. This eats any permanent, hard to go wrong with that.
Condemn {W}
Instant
Put target attacking creature on the bottom of its owner's library. Its controller gains life equal to
its toughness.
So-called "tuck removal" is pretty hard to work around.
Anointed Procession {3}{W}
Enchantment
If an effect would create one or more tokens under your control, it creates twice that many of those
tokens instead.
Mystic Barrier {4}{W}
Enchantment
When Mystic Barrier enters the battlefield or at the beginning of your upkeep, choose left or right.
Each player may attack only the nearest opponent in the last chosen direction and planeswalkers
controlled by that opponent.
Meltdown {X}{R}
Sorcery
Destroy each artifact with mana value X or less.
Tokens have mana value 0, remember. Also, this hits the caster too. Overall, vandalblast is probably better, but this is very playable.
Minions' Murmurs {2}{B}{B}
Sorcery
You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of creatures you control.
Black Market {3}{B}{B}
Enchantment
Whenever a creature dies, put a charge counter on Black Market.
At the beginning of your precombat main phase, add {B} for each charge counter on Black Market.
Braid of Fire {1}{R}
Enchantment
Cumulative upkeep—Add {R}. (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then
sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)
Druids' Repository {1}{G}{G}
Enchantment
Whenever a creature you control attacks, put a charge counter on Druids' Repository.
Remove a charge counter from Druids' Repository: Add one mana of any color.
Aether Snap {3}{B}{B}
Sorcery
Remove all counters from all permanents and exile all tokens.
Eye of Singularity {3}{W}
World Enchantment
When Eye of Singularity enters the battlefield, destroy each permanent with the same name as another
permanent, except for basic lands. They can't be regenerated.
Whenever a permanent other than a basic land enters the battlefield, destroy all other permanents with
that name. They can't be regenerated.
Echoing Truth {1}{U}
Instant
Return target nonland permanent and all other permanents with the same name as that permanent to their
owners' hands.
Echoing Ruin {1}{R}
Sorcery
Destroy target artifact and all other artifacts with the same name as that artifact.
Echoing Decay {1}{B}
Instant
Target creature and all other creatures with the same name as that creature get -2/-2 until end of turn.
Maelstrom Pulse {1}{B}{G}
Sorcery
Destroy target nonland permanent and all other permanents with the same name as that permanent.
Elkin Lair {3}{R}
World Enchantment
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player exiles a card at random from their hand. The
player may play that card this turn. At the beginning of the next end step, if the player hasn't played
the card, they put it into their graveyard.
Wrecks control decks, or anything that wants to play at instant speed.
Spectral Deluge {4}{U}{U}
Sorcery
Return each creature your opponents control with toughness X or less to its owner's hand, where X is the
number of Islands you control.
Foretell {1}{U}{U} (During your turn, you may pay {2} and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast
it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)
Vanishing Verse {W}{B}
Instant
Exile target monocolored permanent.
Zendikar Resurgent {5}{G}{G}
Enchantment
Whenever you tap a land for mana, add one mana of any type that land produced. (The types of mana are
white, blue, black, red, green, and colorless.)
Whenever you cast a creature spell, draw a card.
This is one of those cards that makes green bonkers. It's expensive, but it just does everything.
Regrowth {1}{G}
Sorcery
Return target card from your graveyard to your hand.
Best recursion in the game? I think?
Bala Ged Recovery {2}{G}
Sorcery
Return target card from your graveyard to your hand.
----
Bala Ged Sanctuary
Land
Bala Ged Sanctuary enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Add {G}.
One of them new-fangled MDFCs ("modal dual-faced cards"). Gets you anything back, and you can play it as a land if you need to. Pretty sure every green deck should be running this.
Dryad's Revival {2}{G}
Sorcery
Return target card from your graveyard to your hand.
Flashback {4}{G} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Get anything back, then get anything back again.
Eternal Witness {1}{G}{G}
Creature — Human Shaman
When Eternal Witness enters the battlefield, you may return target card from your graveyard to your
hand.
2/1
Get anything back, on a creature. Effects on a creature are almost always better, since they can trigger multiple times. Pair this with your Deadeye Navigator, for example.
Once and Future {3}{G}
Instant
Return target card from your graveyard to your hand. Put up to one other target card from your graveyard
on top of your library. Exile Once and Future.
Adamant — If at least three green mana was spent to cast this spell, instead return those cards to your
hand and exile Once and Future.
Get any two things back. In mono-green, I think this is better than Dryad's Revival, but in multi-color, Dryad's is probably better.
Recollect {2}{G}
Sorcery
Return target card from your graveyard to your hand.
Worse than regrowth, but not unplayable? Maybe?
Elven Cache {2}{G}{G}
Sorcery
Return target card from your graveyard to your hand.
I know I suggested this the other day, but don't play this, there's way better options now. Green is good at getting stuff back, it turns out.
Arcane Denial {1}{U}
Instant
Counter target spell. Its controller may draw up to two cards at the beginning of the next turn's
upkeep.
You draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.
Don't stress that this gives your opponent cards. Two mana, one blue pip, counters anything. Excellent defense. If you only run one counterspell (and you're not mono-blue), this should be the one.
Negate {1}{U}
Instant
Counter target noncreature spell.
Pretty good defense. Non-creature isn't too big of a restriction, especially if you have other removal options. After Arcane Denial, this is the second counterspell I'd include (if not playing mono-blue)
Stubborn Denial {U}
Instant
Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays {1}.
Ferocious — If you control a creature with power 4 or greater, counter that spell instead.
This might actually be better than Negate in a big creature deck (looking at you Animar); seems easy to have a 4 power creature to turn it on, and then it costs one less for the same counter anything effect.
Heroic Intervention {1}{G}
Instant
Permanents you control gain hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
Fantastic full board defense. Note that's all permanents, so everything on your board.
Burgeoning {G}
Enchantment
Whenever an opponent plays a land, you may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield.
Farseek {1}{G}
Sorcery
Search your library for a Plains, Island, Swamp, or Mountain card, put it onto the battlefield tapped,
then shuffle.
Worth noting, this will find non-basics too
Nature's Lore {1}{G}
Sorcery
Search your library for a Forest card, put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Worth noting, this will find non-basics too
Three Visits {1}{G}
Sorcery
Search your library for a Forest card, put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Warstorm Surge {5}{R}
Enchantment
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, it deals damage equal to its power to any
target.
This is a win-con for a lot of creature based strategies, and anything that does infinite ETBs.
Beast Within {2}{G}
Instant
Destroy target permanent. Its controller creates a 3/3 green Beast creature token.
Removal wins games. This is fantastic targeted removal, since it can hit anything. There's a lot of this "swap removal" in blue, (and in general), but I especially like this one and Chaos Warp becaues they hit any permanent.
Chaos Warp {2}{R}
Instant
The owner of target permanent shuffles it into their library, then reveals the top card of their
library. If it's a permanent card, they put it onto the battlefield.
Mono red should always run this because it deals with enchantments. With green & blue, you have more options, but it's still really good removal. Shuffle into library (aka "tucking") is probably worse than exile and better than destroy.
Blasphemous Act {8}{R}
Sorcery
This spell costs {1} less to cast for each creature on the battlefield.
Blasphemous Act deals 13 damage to each creature.
With enough +1/+1 counters, this is a one sided board wipe, for one red. And there are so many busted things to do with this card.
Curse of the Swine {X}{U}{U}
Sorcery
Exile X target creatures. For each creature exiled this way, its controller creates a 2/2 green Boar
creature token.
I love that this exiles.
Temur Battle Rage {1}{R}
Instant
Target creature gains double strike until end of turn.
Ferocious — That creature also gains trample until end of turn if you control a creature with power 4 or
greater.
This is almost as good as Berserk, and Berserk is a $30 card.
Birds of Paradise {G}
Creature — Bird
Flying
{T}: Add one mana of any color.
0/1
A meme for a reason. Gold standard of green mana production. I actually think it's cheaper now than when I bought mine in the late 90's, but it's still kinda pricy.
Paradise Druid {1}{G}
Creature — Elf Druid
Paradise Druid has hexproof as long as it's untapped. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities
your opponents control.)
{T}: Add one mana of any color.
2/1
Almost as good as the birds, and it costs a quarter.
Sylvan Caryatid {1}{G}
Creature — Plant
Defender, hexproof
{T}: Add one mana of any color.
0/3
Utopia Tree {1}{G}
Creature — Plant
{T}: Add one mana of any color.
0/2
Ilysian Caryatid {1}{G}
Creature — Plant
{T}: Add one mana of any color. If you control a creature with power 4 or greater, add two mana of any
one color instead.
1/1
Rattleclaw Mystic {1}{G}
Creature — Human Shaman
{T}: Add {G}, {U}, or {R}.
Morph {2} (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for {3}. Turn it face up any time for its
morph cost.)
When Rattleclaw Mystic is turned face up, add {G}{U}{R}.
2/1
With the morph, you don't need green to cast it even.
Quirion Explorer {1}{G}
Creature — Elf Druid Scout
{T}: Add one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce.
1/1
In commander, the "any color that a land an opponent controls could produce" phrasing is basically "any color". I think this is an under valued ability, generally. This also doesn't care about restrictions, so if (e.g.) someone plays a vivid land, well that "can" tap for any color, so this can too. Doesn't matter if the vivid has a counter or not.
Sylvok Explorer {1}{G}
Creature — Human Druid
{T}: Add one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce.
1/1
Naga Vitalist {1}{G}
Creature — Naga Druid
{T}: Add one mana of any type that a land you control could produce.
1/2
Doing this for your own lands is slightly less good, since there's less to choose from, but it's still good. Again, with command tower, this taps for anything
Harvester Druid {1}{G}
Creature — Human Druid
{T}: Add one mana of any color that a land you control could produce.
1/1
Incubation Druid {1}{G}
Creature — Elf Druid
{T}: Add one mana of any type that a land you control could produce. If Incubation Druid has a +1/+1
counter on it, add three mana of that type instead.
{3}{G}{G}: Adapt 3. (If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put three +1/+1 counters on it.)
0/2
This one is interesting because it plays to the +1/+1 counters theme a bit.
Beastcaller Savant {1}{G}
Creature — Elf Shaman Ally
Haste
{T}: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast a creature spell.
1/1
In a creature heavy deck, this isn't much of a restriction.
Humble Naturalist {1}{G}
Creature — Human Druid
{T}: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast a creature spell.
1/3
Sakura-Tribe Elder {1}{G}
Creature — Snake Shaman
Sacrifice Sakura-Tribe Elder: Search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the
battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
1/1
Steve! Simple and to the point. If you have a way to get creatures back from the graveyard, this is extra nice.
Somberwald Sage {2}{G}
Creature — Human Druid
{T}: Add three mana of any one color. Spend this mana only to cast creature spells.
0/1
Three drop ramp is a lot less interesting to me than two drop ramp(and there's so much two drop), but it's an option.
Quirion Elves {1}{G}
Creature — Elf Druid
As Quirion Elves enters the battlefield, choose a color.
{T}: Add {G}.
{T}: Add one mana of the chosen color.
1/1
This one isn't perfect fixing. I know this is the one I mentioned in person, but I'm honestly shocked at how many tap for anythings I found, so maybe this isn't even worth it? OTOH, classic Doug Shuler art, so there's that.
Wood Elves {2}{G}
Creature — Elf Scout
When Wood Elves enters the battlefield, search your library for a Forest card, put that card onto the
battlefield, then shuffle.
1/1
Note this isn't fetching a basic forest, which means it can get some typed multi lands. I've listed some of the budget options for those below.
Yavimaya Dryad {1}{G}{G}
Creature — Dryad
Forestwalk (This creature can't be blocked as long as defending player controls a Forest.)
When Yavimaya Dryad enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a Forest card, put it onto
the battlefield tapped under target player's control, then shuffle.
2/1
Again, it's not a basic forest. But two green pips in the cost is a big downside to this one IMHO, unless you're playing mono-green. IDK, might still be worth it.
Fathom Mage {2}{G}{U}
Creature — Human Wizard
Evolve (Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, if that creature has greater
power or toughness than this creature, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)
Whenever a +1/+1 counter is put on Fathom Mage, you may draw a card.
1/1
Note this doesn't have to be counters from the Evolve ability. Any other ability adding a counter, including proliferate, gets you a card.
Shaman of the Great Hunt {3}{R}
Creature — Orc Shaman
Haste
Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Ferocious — {2}{G/U}{G/U}: Draw a card for each creature you control with power 4 or greater.
4/2
Puts counters on your stuff, and has repeatable card draw. With a few big creatures, you could easialy be paying less than one mana per draw, which is really good. I wish this guy was legendary, he seems like he'd be a blast to build as a commander.
Valakut Exploration {2}{R}
Enchantment
Landfall — Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, exile the
top card of your library. You may play that card for as long as it remains
exiled. At the beginning of your end step, if there are cards exiled with
Valakut Exploration, put them into their owner's graveyard, then Valakut
Exploration deals that much damage to each opponent.
Garruk's Uprising {2}{G}
Enchantment
When Garruk's Uprising enters the battlefield, if you control a creature with power 4 or greater, draw a
card.
Creatures you control have trample. (They can deal excess combat damage to the player or planeswalker
they're attacking.)
Whenever a creature with power 4 or greater enters the battlefield under your control, draw a card.
Temur Ascendancy {G}{U}{R}
Enchantment
Creatures you control have haste.
Whenever a creature with power 4 or greater enters the battlefield under your control, you may draw a
card.
Elemental Bond {2}{G}
Enchantment
Whenever a creature with power 3 or greater enters the battlefield under your control, draw a card.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner {2}{G/U}
Legendary Planeswalker — Kiora
Whenever a creature with power 4 or greater enters the battlefield under your control, draw a card.
−1: Untap target permanent.
Loyalty: 7
Kavu Lair {2}{G}
Enchantment
Whenever a creature with power 4 or greater enters the battlefield, its controller draws a card.
Considerably worse than the other cards in this style, since it benefits everyone. I didn't expect to find four others when I put this on the list, and since I did, I'm hard pressed to say this is worth running. But hey, good to know about, right?
Beast Whisperer {2}{G}{G}
Creature — Elf Druid
Whenever you cast a creature spell, draw a card.
2/3
Lifecrafter's Bestiary {3}
Artifact
At the beginning of your upkeep, scry 1.
Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may pay {G}. If you do, draw a card.
I'm trying this out in my cats deck because I can't run Beast Whisperer. I think there are better options, but worth mentioning.
Glorious Sunrise {3}{G}{G}
Enchantment
At the beginning of combat on your turn, choose one —
• Creatures you control get +1/+1 and gain trample until end of turn.
• Target land gains "{T}: Add {G}{G}{G}" until end of turn.
• Draw a card if you control a creature with power 3 or greater.
• You gain 3 life.
New card from Innistrad. Seems good - draw cards until you're ready to swing, then give your whole team trample and +1/+1. Plus two other modes that might be handy. Come to think of it, I should put this in Cats...
Primal Empathy {1}{G}{U}
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, draw a card if you control a creature with the greatest power among
creatures on the battlefield. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on a creature you control.
This looks pretty good from the "it's just going to sit there and add value" standpoint.
Return of the Wildspeaker {4}{G}
Instant
Choose one —
• Draw cards equal to the greatest power among non-Human creatures you control.
• Non-Human creatures you control get +3/+3 until end of turn.
Modal cards (i.e. cards with more than one "mode" or thing they can do) are really good. Lets you respond to two different situations, depending on what you need.
Rishkar's Expertise {4}{G}{G}
Sorcery
Draw cards equal to the greatest power among creatures you control.
You may cast a spell with mana value 5 or less from your hand without paying its mana cost.
On one hand, this is one more green pip than Return of the Wildspeaker. On the other hand, you can play something for free.
Rush of Knowledge {4}{U}
Sorcery
Draw cards equal to the highest mana value among permanents you control.
Shamanic Revelation {3}{G}{G}
Sorcery
Draw a card for each creature you control.
Ferocious — You gain 4 life for each creature you control with power 4 or greater.
This is probably not as good as Return of the Wildspeaker, but it's not bad. I run both in my cats deck. The life gain is likely to be pretty significant in Animar too, which isn't true for my cats.
Guardian Project {3}{G}
Enchantment
Whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, if it doesn't have the same name
as another creature you control or a creature card in your graveyard, draw a card.
When people talk about "Simic value engines" this is what they mean. Just sits there and draws you cards for something you wanted to be doing anyway.
Rhythm of the Wild {1}{R}{G}
Enchantment
Creature spells you control can't be countered.
Nontoken creatures you control have riot. (They enter the battlefield with your choice of a +1/+1
counter or haste.)
This seems really helpful More +1/+1 counters to proliferate, defends against counterspells, cheap to put down.
Master Biomancer {2}{G}{U}
Creature — Elf Wizard
Each other creature you control enters the battlefield with a number of additional +1/+1 counters on it
equal to Master Biomancer's power and as a Mutant in addition to its other types.
2/4
Forgotten Ancient {3}{G}
Creature — Elemental
Whenever a player casts a spell, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Forgotten Ancient.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may move any number of +1/+1 counters from Forgotten Ancient onto
other creatures.
0/3
Evolution Sage {2}{G}
Creature — Elf Druid
Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents
and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.)
3/2
Inexorable Tide {3}{U}{U}
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a spell, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each
another counter of each kind already there.)
Bloom Hulk {3}{G}
Creature — Plant Elemental
When Bloom Hulk enters the battlefield, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players,
then give each another counter of each kind already there.)
4/4
Bred for the Hunt {1}{G}{U}
Enchantment
Whenever a creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it deals combat damage to a player, you may draw
a card.
Lorescale Coatl {1}{G}{U}
Creature — Snake
Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on Lorescale Coatl.
2/2
Simic Ascendancy {G}{U}
Enchantment
{1}{G}{U}: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control.
Whenever one or more +1/+1 counters are put on a creature you control, put that many growth counters on
Simic Ascendancy.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Simic Ascendancy has twenty or more growth counters on it, you win
the game.
Herald of Secret Streams {3}{U}
Creature — Merfolk Warrior
Creatures you control with +1/+1 counters on them can't be blocked.
2/3
This is frankly terrifying. Animar commander damage victory, or just get overrun by huge creatures. I almost regret calling your attention to this.
Inspiring Call {2}{G}
Instant
Draw a card for each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it. Those creatures gain
indestructible until end of turn.
Protection and draw, if you're already putting counters on things
Solidarity of Heroes {1}{G}
Instant
Strive — This spell costs {1}{G} more to cast for each target beyond the first.
Choose any number of target creatures. Double the number of +1/+1 counters on each of them.
Invigorating Surge {2}{G}
Instant
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control, then double the number of +1/+1 counters on that
creature.
Biogenic Upgrade {4}{G}{G}
Sorcery
Distribute three +1/+1 counters among one, two, or three target creatures, then double the number of
+1/+1 counters on each of those creatures.
The Ozolith {1}
Legendary Artifact
Whenever a creature you control leaves the battlefield, if it had counters on it, put those counters on
The Ozolith.
At the beginning of combat on your turn, if The Ozolith has counters on it, you may move all counters
from The Ozolith onto target creature.
This is just terrifying in Ainmar. Remove Ainmar, next turn he's right back and just as big. I have one you can borrow, or possibly trade me for.
Hardened Scales {G}
Enchantment
If one or more +1/+1 counters would be put on a creature you control, that many plus one +1/+1 counters
are put on it instead.
Branching Evolution {2}{G}
Enchantment
If one or more +1/+1 counters would be put on a creature you control, twice that many +1/+1 counters are
put on that creature instead.
Hardened scales is probably better overall, since it only costs 1 to play, but if you have this + Ozolith in play, I think you just win.
Ancient Ziggurat
Land
{T}: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast a creature spell.
Pros: comes in untapped, makes any color; Cons: you have to remember the restriction
Exotic Orchard
Land
{T}: Add one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce.
Effectively taps for anything.
Cinder Glade
Land — Mountain Forest
({T}: Add {R} or {G}.)
Cinder Glade enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more basic lands.
Potentially enters untapped, fetchable with anything that gets a forest or a mountain. Sadly, they never did the enemy colors for this cycle.
Highland Forest Snow Land — Mountain Forest Rimewood Falls Snow Land — Forest Island Volatile Fjord Snow Land — Island Mountain
These are all under a buck commons from Kladheim. They have basic land types, so they're fetchable with things like Nature's Lore, Farseek, Wood Elves, etc. In that sense, the two forests are probably the most useful, since fetching forests is much easier than fetching non-forests. They always enter tapped, but being fetchable still makes them better than other tapped lands IMHO.
Ketria Triome
Land — Forest Island Mountain
({T}: Add {G}, {U}, or {R}.)
Ketria Triome enters the battlefield tapped.
Cycling {3} ({3}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
A little pricy, still enters tapped, but makes every color you want and is fetchable. Late game, cycling could be better than a tapped land. Worth thinking about. full list of triomes
Mystic Sanctuary
Land — Island
({T}: Add {U}.)
Mystic Sanctuary enters the battlefield tapped unless you control three or more other Islands.
When Mystic Sanctuary enters the battlefield untapped, you may put target instant or sorcery card from
your graveyard on top of your library.
You said you wanted some ways to get instants & sorceries back. Here's one that takes a land slot.
Karn's Bastion
Land
{T}: Add {C}.
{4}, {T}: Proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter
of each kind already there.)
Bonders' Enclave
Land
{T}: Add {C}.
{3}, {T}: Draw a card. Activate only if you control a creature with power 4 or greater.
Honestly, this is probably not worth it in three colors. But figured I'd mention it just in case.
full list These all let you reveal a land with a basic type from your hand to get them in untapped. They're pretty cheap, and definitely better than a guild gate.
Game Trail (Red/Green) - $0.50 Frostboil Snarl (Blue/Red) - $2 Vineglimmer Snarl (Green/Blue) - $2
full list These are non-typed duals that enter untapped if you control a land with a basic type in their colors, e.g. "Sulfur Falls enters the battlefield tapped unless you control an Island or a Mountain." Note, it doesn't have to be basic, so the typed multicolors count.
Rootbound Crag (Red/Green) - $4.25 Sulpher Falls (Blue/Red) - $4.25 Hinterland Harbor (Green/Blue) - $6.50
full list These are non-typed lands that tap for two colors and can enter untapped if you have 2 or more lands in play already.
Rockfall Vale (Red/Green) - $4 Stormcarved Coast (Blue/Red) - $6 Dreamroot Cascade (Green/Blue) - $5
full list These all have "enters the battlefield tapped unless you have two or more opponents" but don't have basic land types, so they're not fetchable. They're definitely pricier, especially the red/green one, which I guess has had fewer reprints, but will reliably enter untapped in commander.
Spire Garden (Red/Green) - $20 (WTF is this so expensive? That's more than the shock land costs!) Training Center (Blue/Red) - $6 Rejuvenating Springs (Green/Blue) - $6
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