The 31 Best Selesnya Cards in Magic Ranked

Last updated on April 3, 2024

Sigarda, Font of Blessings | Illustration by Justyna Dura

Do you love the combination of creatures slowly getting larger and gaining life? Maybe creating a horde of creature tokens and dodging the craziest artifacts and enchantments along the way is your play style. If so, you might love Selesnya cards.

Let’s analyze the Selesnya colors, talk about the best ones in Magic, and touch on each of those cards’ synergies. Are you ready to get big, mean, and green (with a touch of white)? Then let’s battle it out!

What Are Selesnya Cards in MTG?

Selesnya Charm | Illustration by Zoltan Boros

Selesnya cards are cards with a white and green color identity. They don't all have white and green in their casting costs, but the and mana symbols both appear somewhere on the card. The Selesnya Guild's name was first introduced in Ravnica: City of Guilds and has since been used to describe all cards, even ones unrelated to Ravnica.

These colors have the most creature cards out of all the 2-color guilds, with a heavy emphasis on token generation, large creatures, enchantments, and lifegain.

#31. Congregation at Dawn

Let’s start with Congregation at Dawn from Ravnica: City of Guilds. For just 3 mana, you can find your three best creature cards and guarantee you're drawing them over the next few turns.

#30. Danitha, New Benalia’s Light

Danitha, New Benalia's Light gives graveyard recursion exclusive to your aura and equipment spells, making this card the perfect addition to a Selesnya deck focused on those card types. Include auras like Ancestral Mask and All That Glitters and the usual equipment like Lightning Greaves and Swiftfoot Boots.

#29. Tolsimir Wolfblood

Every Selesnya deck needs a little buff and that’s where Tolsimir Wolfblood comes in. Fortify your deck with creatures that are both green and white so they get a +2/+2 buff instead of just +1/+1.

Wilt-Leaf Liege, which also buffs green and white creatures, and Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves slot right into a Tolsimir Wolfblood Commander deck.

#28. Novablast Wurm

Maybe you’re going against another creature-based or go-wide token-themed deck and need a way to constantly board wipe those fields. Novablast Wurm’s ability to destroy all other creatures each time it attacks can be your solution.

Of course, this is on an opponent’s instant kill list, so find something like Hammer of Nazahn to help it stick around. Actually, find a way to make your entire board indestructible to break the symmetry of this ability.

#27. Collective Blessing

Collective Blessing buffs creatures by +3/+3 for 6 mana, like three copies of Intangible Virtue in one card. This big of a power and toughness increase can be the difference between winning and losing a match.

This enchantment works great, especially in a Jasmine Boreal of the Seven deck where your creatures with no abilities need an extra boost.

#26. Othelm, Sigardian Outcast

Graveyard recursion is more for black decks, but Selesnya decks can have some synergy with that as well with Othelm, Sigardian Outcast. All it takes is 2 mana and tapping this creature to return a creature card that went to the graveyard that same turn. Always be sure to have that 2 mana open in the event your commander or another key creature goes to the graveyard.

If this card doesn't look familiar, it's the Universes Within version of Mike, the Dungeon Master.

#25. Torsten, Founder of Benalia

Effects that let you search the top cards of your library usually limit you to finding just one card. However, Torsten, Founder of Benalia lets you take as many creature or land cards as you find from the top seven of your library, which is awesome value.

Plus, getting seven Soldier tokens when this creature dies is a great defense mechanism and a great way to rebuild post-boardwipe. Those tokens trigger Serra Redeemer and Sigil Captain, assuming Torsten died from something other than a boardwipe.

#24. Sterling Grove

Sterling Grove protects your enchantments from targeted removal. It not only acts as enchantment protection but also as an enchantment tutor to expedite your win condition.

Tutor with Sterling Grove for Mirari's Wake for considerable ramp and a creature buff. Find Anointed Procession or Parallel Lives if running a token deck. Get Sylvan Library to manipulate your draws each turn.

#23. Wheel of Sun and Moon

Wheel of Sun and Moon should mostly be used to stop an opponent from filling up their graveyard, but you can also enchant yourself so that any of your cards that would have been sent to the graveyard return to the bottom of your library. Use a card like Myr Mindservant to shuffle those cards back into your library, or us tutor cards like Idyllic Tutor and Worldly Tutor to get your best cards back immediately.

#22. Privileged Position

Privileged Position is a simple enchantment that can cause so much uproar at the table. It's especially effective in a Selesnya enchantment deck where it triggers Sythis, Harvest's Hand, or provides a great target for Yenna, Redtooth Regent.

#21. Knight of New Alara

In just a Selesnya deck, Knight of New Alara can buff your multi-colored creaturesy by +2/+2, making simple creatures like Catti-brie of Mithral Hall and Conclave Guildmage 4/4s. Of course, this card benefits multi-colored creatures with 3-5 colors even more.

#20. Sigarda, Champion of Light

Sigarda, Champion of Light encourages a build of creatures with different powers. This angel pumps the power and toughness of humans, making it best friends with Heron's Grace Champion.

You might also consider running Horn of Gondor to increase your human creature count Karvanista, Loyal Lupari to spread out +1/+1 counters on attacks, and Cloaked Cadet for some extra card draw.

#19. Maja, Bretagard Protector

Maja, Bretagard Protector acts as a commander of a Selesnya landfall deck of epic proportions. Have landfall cards like Lotus Cobra, Nissa, Resurgent Animist, and Tireless Provisioner for the ramp you need.

Pack in Intangible Virtue to buff your tokens early in the game. Torens, Fist of the Angels, Shanna, Sisay's Legacy, and Augur of Autumn work especially well with Maja as your commander.

#18. Katilda, Dawnhart Prime

Katilda, Dawnhart Prime turns all your supporting humans (and itself) into mana dorks. Don't focus too much on the expensive activated ability; use cards like Cathars' Crusade and Virtue of Loyalty for cheaper versions of the same effect.

#17. Arahbo, Roar of the World

Arahbo, Roar of the World is the only Selesnya card with the eminence ability, which works from the command zone. Since you’re buffing by power, you can make this into a Voltron deck with Kemba, Kha Enduring or Kemba, Kha Regent as your large, impervious creature carrying all your equipment.

Arahbo has to be on board for that second trigger, but throw that on a cat equipped with Shadowspear for a deadly swing.

#16. Trostani Discordant

With a creature buff and two Soldier tokens on ETB, Trostani Discordant advances any Selesnya deck mid-game. The last ability feels like a throwaway, but it's surprisingly effective against blue decks full of Control Magic effects.

Take advantage of Trostani's ETB with Conjurer's Closet. Emiel, the Blessed is a Selesnya option that can achieve the same effect, for the cost of per activation.

#15. Sigarda, Heron’s Grace

Sigarda, Heron's Grace is another Selesnya token commander that gives yourself and other humans you control hexproof. You can’t be enchanted with aura curses or have instant or sorcery spells directed towards you that cause you to lose life or sacrifice permanents. Kyler, Sigardian Emissary and Katilda, Dawnhart Prime are synergistic Selesnya humans that can give you more value running a human typal deck with Sigarda, Heron's Grace as the commander.

#14. Sigarda, Host of Herons

Sigarda, Host of Herons protects you against sacrifice decks with black in them. Sigarda's hexproof and anti-sacrifice effect make it an ideal Voltron commander and a great target for enchantment auras like Bear Umbra and Battle Mastery.

#13. Trostani, Selesnya’s Voice

Trostani, Selesnya's Voice benefits from creatures with higher toughness, plus it populates with its activated ability. Token generators like Leonin Warleader and Grand Crescendo work with both elements of Trostani.

Use cards like Sigil Captain and Serra Redeemer to transform your tiny 1/1 tokens into 5/5 creatures when they enter the battlefield, which gains 5 life per creature token from Trostani's trigger.

#12. Trelasarra, Moon Dancer

Trelasarra, Moon Dancer is a Selesnya commander who can get out of control in a lifegain-themed Voltron deck fast. Get your lifegain engine started with Soul Warden, Essence Warden, Impassioned Orator, and Soul's Attendant.

Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn can distribute even more +1/+1 counters on Trelasarra each end step. Throw a Mithril Coat and Loxodon Warhammer on Trelasarra and before you know it, you’ll have a 30/27 commander with indestructible, trample, and lifelink!

#11. Ajani, Mentor of Heroes

Ajani, Mentor of Heroes from Journey into Nyx is a unique planeswalker because it’s the only card in Magic that allows you to outright gain 100 life just from its ultimate ability. Because of its abilities, this planeswalker would be great for not only a lifegain deck, but also a +1/+1 counters deck, an aura enchantment deck, or a creatures matter deck.

If you want to go completely over the top, pair it with Boon Reflection and Rhox Faithmender to gain 200-400 life instead. Just beware the infect decks.

#10. Cadira, Caller of the Small

Cadira, Caller of the Small, Regal Bunnicorn, and Pollen-Shield Hare all have one thing in common: rabbits. Regal Bunnicorn gets larger the more Rabbit tokens you create with Cadira. Pollen-Shield Hare increases the power of those tokens to make them more formidable as more enter the battlefield.

You'll want to include some power-boosting effects or additional evasion to make sure Cadira's connecting in combat.

#9. Rhys the Redeemed

Here’s a Selesnya token doubler besides Anointed Procession and Doubling Season. Rhys, the Redeemed gives you a copy of each token you already control later in the game with its second activated ability.

If you don’t have enough tokens on the field, you can also make Elf creature tokens. Farmer Cotton and Cadira, Caller of the Small can increase how many creature tokens you have while Jaheira, Friend of the Forest can turn all those creature tokens into mana dorks for extra ramp.

#8. Farmer Cotton

You get the best of both worlds token-wise with Farmer Cotton. Depending on how much mana you pour into it, you get the same number of Halfling tokens and Food tokens. Make a halfling typal deck with Meriadoc Brandybuck to create more Food tokens when a halfling attacks. Peregrin Took increases your Food token output. Don’t forget the quintessential Selesnya token doublers including Parallel Lives and Anointed Procession.

#7. Calix, Guided by Fate

Fun fact: Calix, Guided by Fate is the only Selesnya card with the constellation mechanic. Buff your creatures with +1/+1 counters as this creature or other enchantments enter. Get more triggers with lower-cost enchantment auras like All That Glitters and Wheel of Sun and Moon.

Branching Evolution and Hardened Scales add more +1/+1 counters on a target creature for each trigger while being enchantments themselves.

#6. Dragonlord Dromoka

Dragonlord Dromoka is a double whammy when it comes to how players can interact with it. No one can counter this creature spell and your opponents can’t cast spells on your turn, which totally shuts down interactions from instant-heavy decks.

Since the creature only has two evergreen abilities, you can take this Selesnya commander in any direction you wish. Craft a flying creature themed deck with Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Old Gnawbone, and Ancient Gold Dragon.

#5. Sigarda, Font of Blessings

Sigarda, Font of Blessings gives all other permanents hexproof, meaning they’re protected from targeted removal, just not from board wipes. That’s where Heroic Intervention can come in to save the day.

You can get ahead of the game by casting human or angel spells from the top of your library. Shalai, Voice of Plenty, Starnheim Aspirant, Lyra Dawnbringer, and Katilda, Dawnhart Prime are highly synergistic cards with this Sigarda as a commander.

#4. Captain Sisay

Captain Sisay is one of the OG Selesnya cards from Invasion with a recent printing from a Secret Lair Drop. You can search for any card with legendary typing like an artifact, creature, or enchantment.

Get the green ramp you need with the legendary The Great Henge or the +1/+1 counters synergy you need with The Ozolith. Make Captain Sisay and other legendary permanents you control indestructible by searching and casting Avacyn's Memorial. The legendary possibilities are endless!

#3. Aura Shards

Aura Shards completely shuts down artifact and enchantment-based decks because of its ability to destroy one for every creature that enters. Place this rockstar enchantment in a Selesnya token deck to break up any and all artifact/enchantment synergies your opponents hope to achieve.

#2. Kyler, Sigardian Emissary

Humans assemble! Kyler, Sigardian Emissary pumps humans based on how many counters it has, regardless of what type of counters, and naturally gets +1/+1 counters as more humans enter the battlefield.

Captain Sisay can fetch your best legendary humans like Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa. King Darien XLVIII can protect your human tokens from a board wipe, buff them, and add to your army.

Torens, Fist of the Angels and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar can enhance your token engines, while Shanna, Sisay's Legacy and Enduring Scalelord both become just as large as Kyler, Sigardian Emissary and act as backup Voltron win conditions.

#1. Ghalta and Mavren

Ghalta and Mavren gives you the option of creating a large Dinosaur token or several Vampires on attack. Thundering Spineback pumps your Dinosaur tokens and provides a backup means of producing them.

Have Mavren Fein, Dusk Apostle along with other white vampires to create additional Vampire tokens. Incorporate Ghalta, Primal Hunger for thematic flavor and to have another big body on the battlefield.

Double your token output with the best token doublers for Selesnya decks including Anointed Procession, Mondrak, Glory Dominus, Parallel Lives, and Doubling Season.

Cast Craterhoof Behemoth during the late game to buff your creatures once you get enough Vampire and Dinosaur tokens on the field. Throw all your creatures at your opponent’s face for the win.

Best Selesnya Card Payoffs

Since Selesnya decks are known for being highly creature-based, you can use Sigil of Valor to buff up one creature that attacks alone based on how many creatures you already control.

Colossal Majesty and Loran of the Third Path can help you with card draw in your Selesnya deck.

One of the best Selesnya card payoffs includes spells that have convoke. Since the guild is highly creature-based, you can use creatures you already control to create more creature tokens or to cast a heavy-hitting creature by having your creatures add mana to cast a convoke spell. March of the Multitudes can create a horde of tokens using creatures you already control as temporary mana dorks to cast the spell.

Autochthon Wurm is a 15-drop which can be cast last game using convoke to have a large body with trample on the field. While this mana cost is considerably high, it’s not too bad of a spell if you already have a large number of tokens from your quintessential token doubler spells. It's not a premium Magic card, but it's good fun.

What Is Selesnya Good at in MTG?

Selesnya is good at pumping creatures with green and white enchantments. Gaining life, creating creature tokens, preventing damage, placing +1/+1 counters on creatures for extra buffs, and removing artifacts and enchantments from the battlefield are some of the many other mechanics that Selesnya cards are good at in Magic: The Gathering.

Wrap Up

Trostani Discordant | Illustration by Chase Stone

Selesnya cards are any that have a green and white color identity. They’re good at helping gain life, distributing +1/+1 counters on creatures, and creating creature tokens. Most win conditions include swinging in with many creatures at once and outpacing your opponents with lifegain as you threaten combat damage via large creatures.

Are you ready to try out a Selesnya deck if you haven’t already? Head over to the Draftsim Facebook page for updates about everything related to Magic. Check out the Draftsim blog for more inspiration on deckbuilding, Magic news, and card synergies.

Until next time, I hope you’ve been enchanted by the possibilities that Selesnya cards bring to the table!