Ancestor's Chosen MTG Card
2002-05-27 - Number 1
2007-07-13 - Number 1
2007-07-13 - Number 1★
2018-12-07 - Number 9
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 7 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Cleric |
| Abilities | First strike |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Text of card
First strike When Ancestor's Chosen comes into play, you gain 1 life for each card in your graveyard.
Empowered by generations of strength.
Cards like Ancestor's Chosen
Ancestor’s Chosen is a unique fixture among creatures in MTG, fulfilling a distinct niche with its entry on the battlefield. Comparable to creatures like Luminous Broodmoth, Ancestor’s Chosen enriches your endgame with its seven points of life gained for each card in your graveyard when it lands on the field. Luminous Broodmoth, while not directly influencing life totals, provides a different form of resilience, granting second chances to your non-flyer creatures thanks to its reanimation ability.
Gravewaker is another card that echoes the sentiment of utilizing the graveyard, though it focuses more on reanimating creatures directly rather than bolstering your life points. Where Ancestor’s Chosen is a one-time sizeable life boost upon entry, Gravewaker offers recurrent strategic value by bringing creatures back to the battlefield. Sun Titan also shares this reanimation theme, capable of retrieving lower-cost permanents from your graveyard to the battlefield, yet the life-gain aspect of Ancestor’s Chosen is absent.
Overall, while each of these cards interplays with the graveyard to accrue benefits, the life-gaining prowess of Ancestor’s Chosen sets it apart as a definitive choice for players looking to turn their graveyard into a source of life, tipping the scales in prolonged matches.
Cards similar to Ancestor's Chosen by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With Ancestor’s Chosen, the entry into the battlefield brings immediate value by potentially adding a significant number of cards to your hand. This effect is directly tied to the number of cards in your graveyard, making it immensely beneficial in the later stages of the game or in strategies focusing on self-milling.
Resource Acceleration: Though Ancestor’s Chosen does not directly produce mana or Treasure tokens, it sets the stage for massive resource acceleration. The gained life can be an indirect resource, buying you time to deploy other mana acceleration measures without the pressure of a low life total.
Instant Speed: While Ancestor’s Chosen itself is not an instant, it benefits greatly from instant speed spells in MTG. It synergizes well with cards that can fill your graveyard at instant speed before it enters the battlefield, thereby maximizing the card advantage gained through its entry effect.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Ancestor’s Chosen demands precious graveyard resources to maximize its potential, which means that deploying it without a stacked graveyard can be less impactful than expected.
Specific Mana Cost: This card necessitates a specific blend of mana sources, including two white, which can pose a deckbuilding restriction, particularly in multicolored or mana-intensive decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a seven mana value, Ancestor’s Chosen can be a heavy investment considering the fast-paced nature of many game formats, potentially hindering your ability to respond to more immediate threats on the battlefield.
Reasons to Include Ancestor’s Chosen in Your Collection
Versatility: Ancestor’s Chosen is a flexible pick for decks that benefit from life gain and graveyard strategies. Its substantial life gain upon entering the battlefield can be a game-changer in long, drawn-out matches.
Combo Potential: With its ability to restore life equal to the number of cards in your graveyard, Ancestor’s Chosen works well with self-mill strategies or decks that fill the graveyard quickly, unlocking powerful synergies.
Meta-Relevance: In game environments where aggressive decks are prominent, Ancestor’s Chosen provides a considerable defensive boost. The life gain can be crucial for stabilizing the board and turning the tides of battle in your favor.
How to Beat Ancestor’s Chosen
Ancestor’s Chosen is a card that brings significant late-game impact to the tabletop. With a grand entrance, this card returns one life to its controller for each card in their graveyard. Naturally, this makes for an impressive swing in games with prolonged battles and densely filled graveyards. But how do you effectively counter this high-life-gain strategy?
Dealing with Ancestor’s Chosen starts with graveyard management. Utilizing cards that exile the graveyard, like Tormod’s Crypt or Relic of Progenitus, can diminish the life gained on entry. Additionally, employing removal spells before Ancestor’s Chosen can amass that life gain is key. Swift action with spells such as Path to Exile or Murderous Rider will dispose of the threat before it stabilizes your opponent’s position.
Furthermore, consider running cards that prevent life gain altogether. Tainted Remedy or Erebos, God of the Dead can turn this life-gain advantage into a disadvantage. Should Ancestor’s Chosen hit the board, these cards ensure its ability doesn’t alter the state of play. Keeping these strategies in mind will aid in mitigating the impact of Ancestor’s Chosen and maintaining control of the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ancestor's Chosen MTG card by a specific set like Judgment and Tenth 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 Ancestor's Chosen and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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 Ancestor's Chosen Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2002-05-27 and 2018-12-07. Illustrated by Pete Venters.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2002-05-27 | Judgment | JUD | 1 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Pete Venters | |
| 2 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 1 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Pete Venters | |
| 3 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 1★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Pete Venters | |
| 4 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 9 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Pete Venters |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ancestor's Chosen has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |