Ancestors' Aid MTG Card

Ancestors' Aid - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Abilities	Treasure
Released	2023-11-17
Set symbol
Set name	The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Set code	LCI
Number	132
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Alessandra Pisano

Key Takeaways

Ancestors’ Aid recovers creature cards, giving players a valuable card advantage during play.
Instant speed allows for strategic flexibility and surprise plays against opponents.
Discarding and specific mana requirements may limit the card’s versatility in some decks.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ancestors' Aid MTG card by a specific set like The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, 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 Ancestors' Aid and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn. Create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")

"You surface-dwellers may have forgotten your history, but it has not forgotten you." —Akal Pakal, First Steward of Oteclan

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ancestors’ Aid provides an opportunity to bring a creature card from your graveyard to your hand, thus replenishing your resources and maintaining a stronger hand.

Resource Acceleration: This card works to streamline your gameplay by using the past, in the form of creatures from your graveyard, to bolster your future strategies, effectively accelerating your in-game resources without expending extra mana.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Ancestors’ Aid at instant speed gives you the flexibility to adapt during an opponent’s turn or after they’ve committed to actions, keeping them guessing while you discreetly plan your next move.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ancestors’ Aid compels a player to discard a card to harness its abilities. This action can backfire when your hand is already running low, leaving you at a disadvantage by reducing your options.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a particular arrangement of mana types, which could restrict deck-building strategies. If your mana base isn’t tailored to meet such criteria, playing Ancestors’ Aid could prove challenging.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Having to allocate significant mana to activate Ancestors’ Aid can be a hindrance. Other cards in a similar mana bracket potentially yield greater impact or more advantageous effects, making them preferable choices in many scenarios.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Ancestors’ Aid provides ample flexibility for decks focused on creature synergies or tribes. Its ability to return a creature card of your choice from the graveyard to your hand means it slips seamlessly into various build strategies, from reanimator decks to those capitalizing on specific creature types.

Combo Potential: Ancestors’ Aid shines in its ability to recur combo pieces from the graveyard. This can be particularly potent in decks that aim to assemble a certain combination of cards to execute game-winning maneuvers, making it a lynchpin in those situations.

Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating state of the meta where graveyard interaction is often a key component, the card’s utility in recurring vital creatures ensures it remains pertinent. It serves as a counterbalance to graveyard hate strategies, keeping your essential creatures in circulation.

How to beat

Ancestors’ Aid is a unique card that can provide a considerable advantage by drawing from the power of your graveyard. Skilled players often leverage this card by optimizing decks that capitalize on historic spells or creatures to turn the tide of the game. The key to disrupting Ancestors’ Aid’s effectiveness is executing a strategy that includes graveyard hate options. Cards such as Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can completely nullify the benefits of Ancestors’ Aid by exiling cards before they can make an impact.

Another approach is to apply pressure early in the game before an opponent can set up their graveyard synergies. Aggressive decks can often outpace those that rely on the incremental advantages that Ancestors’ Aid provides. If your strategy includes direct removal spells, consider using them reactively to eliminate key pieces that could benefit from Ancestors’ Aid, thus limiting its potential value. Incorporating instant-speed removal and counter spells also allows you to disrupt the spell’s cast, which can be pivotal during a match.

Ultimately, while Ancestors’ Aid can dictate the game if left unchecked, maintaining a proactive approach and having the right strategy in place can greatly diminish the impact of this formidable card in competitive play.

Cards like Ancestors' Aid

Ancestors’ Aid is an intriguing enchantment that provides sweeping support in Magic: The Gathering deck strategies focusing on legendary cards. Oftentimes when assessing cards like Ancestors’ Aid, it is beneficial to look at other enchantments that enhance the abilities of legendary creatures. One notable comparison is Heroes’ Podium, which not only increases the power and toughness of each legendary creature you control but also offers a powerful way to search your library for legendary cards.

Another card that echoes the legendary theme is Time of Need, a sorcery that allows you to directly search your library for a legendary creature. While Time of Need does not offer the continuous bonus Ancestors’ Aid provides, it gives more immediate access to your legendary creatures. Additionally, we can look at Captain’s Call, which grants instant speed retrieval of a legendary card in case of a creature’s demise, offering a similar protective measure as Ancestors’ Aid, yet with a different tactical advantage.

In summary, while there are a number of cards that work well with legendary creatures, Ancestors’ Aid shines with its continuous ability to offer both protection and a potential tactical edge in games centered around legendary creatures and spells.

Cards similar to Ancestors' Aid by color, type and mana cost

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ancestors' Aid has restrictions

Format	Legality
Standard	Legal
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Alchemy	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2023-11-10	If the target of Ancestors' Aid is illegal as the spell tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won't create a Treasure token.