Ali Baba MTG Card
1993-12-17 - Number 35
1995-04-01 - Number 175
1995-04-01 - Number 175
1995-08-01 - Number 71
1995-08-01 - Number 71
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Rogue |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
oo R Tap a wall.
"When he reached the entrance of the cavern, he pronounced the words, 'Open, Sesame!'" —*The Arabian Nights*, Junior Classics trans.
Cards like Ali Baba
Ali Baba, a character-themed card within Magic: The Gathering, grants players an intriguing ability to untap walls. This card reminds seasoned players of cards like Wall of Stone in terms of thematic resonance, although it trades defensive capabilities for strategic utility. Unlike Ali Baba, Wall of Stone serves as a sturdy defender but lacks any manipulative ability.
Referring to other cards with untapping potential, we turn to Amrou Kithkin and its ability to avoid creatures of power 3 or greater. While Amrou Kithkin offers evasion, Ali Baba’s untapping ability can set up defensive maneuvers or clever synergies with cards that benefit from being untapped. Moreover, cards like Tawnos’s Wand also provide untapping antics. However, unlike Ali Baba that can continuously activate its ability as you have the mana, Tawnos’s Wand uses counters, limiting its usage.
Ultimately, each of these cards plays a distinct role in MTG strategies. Ali Baba stands out for its ability to free up wall creatures for additional actions, a nuanced tactic that can be key in the right deck build, particularly one focusing on creatures with tap abilities or walls. This flexibility is something that its companions in comparison do not offer.
Cards similar to Ali Baba by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Ali Baba doesn’t inherently increase your hand size, the card enables engagement with numerous mechanics in your deck that can lead to indirect card advantage. Aligning Ali Baba’s tap ability with synergistic cards in your strategy amplifies the utility you get from each card you play.
Resource Acceleration: As a 1/1 creature for one red mana, Ali Baba isn’t a direct source of resource acceleration. However, his ability to untap Walls can pave the path for combos or interactions that boost your mana availability or resource flexibility, critical for outpacing your opponents.
Instant Speed: Being a creature, the card itself isn’t cast at instant speed. Yet, the capacity to use Ali Baba’s ability at any time you could cast an instant adds a layer of strategy to your game. This allows you to wait for the most opportune moment to utilize his ability, keeping your opponents guessing and your options open.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Ali Baba MTG card may obligate players to discard precious cards to unleash its abilities, which could deplete your hand and leave you at a disadvantage during the game’s critical junctures.
Specific Mana Cost: A strict red mana requirement to activate Ali Baba’s ability may constrain its integration into multi-colored decks or formats where mana flexibility is key to a strategy’s success.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With the ever-evolving landscape of MTG, Ali Baba’s activation cost can be considered steep compared to newer cards offering similar or enhanced effects at a lower mana expense, potentially relegating it to a suboptimal choice in competitive play.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Ali Baba offers a unique ability within red decks to differentiate by adding a subtle control mechanism, allowing it to untap walls for strategic advantage across various play styles.
Combo Potential: This card holds potential in combinations with cards that benefit from untapping creatures or items, creating opportunities for unexpected plays and synergies within a deck’s strategy.
Meta-Relevance: Given the right circumstances and deck build, Ali Baba can add value in a meta that favors intricate plays and tactical maneuvers over raw power, providing a smart tech choice for red-focused players.
How to beat
The Ali Baba MTG card offers a unique approach to utility creatures in the game. With its ability to untap walls, it delivers a strategic advantage that may seem marginal at first glance but can have substantial tactical implications in gameplay. Unlike many other creatures in MTG, Ali Baba lacks direct combat strength or traditional forms of evasion, making it more vulnerable to creature removal spells or those that prevent activated abilities, such as Suppression Field.
When facing off against Ali Baba, consider including cards that limit the ability of opponents to capitalize on untapped creatures, such as Pacifism or Frost Breath. It’s also beneficial to utilize spot removals like Doom Blade or Path to Exile to handle Ali Baba before the ability becomes a repeated nuisance. Alternatively, imposing a constant threat with aggressive creatures forces the Ali Baba player to redirect their strategy defensively, negating the card’s potential utility. Finally, implementing board wipes such as Wrath of God can reset the playing field, eliminating the incremental advantage Ali Baba provides.
In essence, neutralizing Ali Baba’s tactical edge requires a mixture of preemptive control and maintaining pressure, thus ensuring its untapping ability doesn’t dictate the pace of the match.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ali Baba MTG card by a specific set like Arabian Nights and Fourth 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 Ali Baba and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Ali Baba Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1993-12-17 and 1995-08-01. Illustrated by Julie Baroh.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-12-17 | Arabian Nights | ARN | 35 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh | |
| 2 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 175 | 1993 | Normal | White | Julie Baroh | |
| 3 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 175 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh | |
| 4 | 1995-08-01 | Renaissance | REN | 71 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh | |
| 5 | 1995-08-01 | Rinascimento | RIN | 71 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Julie Baroh |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ali Baba has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ali Baba 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 | The ability may tap walls even when Ali Baba is tapped or just entered the battlefield, since the activation cost doesn’t include . |
| 2004-10-04 | This ability may be used to tap more than one Wall per turn if you have enough mana, since tapping isn’t part of the activation cost. |