Ancestral Statue MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ancestral Statue can trigger enter the battlefield effects repeatedly, offering numerous opportunities to gain card advantage over time. This utility can turn each casting into a potential source of fresh cards in your hand or actions on the board.

Resource Acceleration: When combined with permanents that generate value upon creatures entering the battlefield or being cast, Ancestral Statue can significantly accelerate your resource gain. This synergy may lead to a substantial lead in mana or other in-game resources.

Instant Speed: Though not an instant itself, Ancestral Statue has abilities that synergize well with instant speed spells and effects. Bouncing Ancestral Statue back to hand allows for flexible responses to opponents’ actions during their turns and can be used to maximize the efficiency of your plays.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Ancestral Statue itself doesn’t have a discard requirement, its common inclusion in strategies centered around bouncing creatures can indirectly lead to a reduced hand size. Players may find themselves at a disadvantage having to discard valuable cards to make the most of the statue’s return-to-hand ability.

Specific Mana Cost: Ancestral Statue’s mana cost demands four generic mana, which does provide some flexibility. However, in decks wanting to maximize mana efficiency, the lack of color weighting can sometimes be less optimal for activating synergistic effects that require colored mana expenditure.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, Ancestral Statue may appear as an insignificant investment for the effect it provides, especially considering that mana could be used for more impactful spells or creatures. Its utility may be overshadowed by other options that provide greater board presence or more immediate value for the same or less mana.

Reasons to Include Ancestral Statue in Your Collection

Versatility: Ancestral Statue is a flexible addition to any deck that appreciates a reset button for their own creatures or artifacts. Its ability to return a nonland permanent you control to your hand when it enters the battlefield can be leveraged in numerous ways, from reusing enter-the-battlefield effects to saving key pieces from removal.

Combo Potential: This card shines in its ability to fuel engine-style decks. It’s a well-known enabler for infinite combos when paired with cards like “Aluren” or any mechanism that reduces its casting cost, making it an auto-include for players looking to execute game-winning strategies on the spot.

Meta-Relevance: With the ever-changing landscape of the meta-game, Ancestral Statue holds its ground due to its inherent capability to interact with prevalent mechanics and themes. Whether it’s bouncing a creature for another ETB effect or simply acting as a recurring blocker, its adaptability makes it relevant in various formats and metas.

How to beat

Ancestral Statue is an intriguing artifact creature within the MTG arena that can have a significant impact on the board state. Players utilize it effectively in decks with heavy emphasis on enter-the-battlefield (ETB) effects. Its ability to return a nonland permanent to its owner’s hand when it enters the battlefield can serve as a repeatable way to trigger such effects.

To counter Ancestral Statue, consider using instant-speed removal spells that can destroy or exile it before its ETB effect resolves. Spot removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can be effective against the Statue. Moreover, strategies that limit the number of noncreature spells played, like Rule of Law, can stifle the Ancestral Statue’s combo potential by preventing players from repeatedly casting it. Artifact removal spells, such as Abrade or Nature’s Claim, offer an additional layer of protection by directly addressing the threat of the Statue itself.

The success against Ancestral Statue often comes down to timing and the elements of disruption at your disposal, so having a versatile removal suite in your deck is essential. Keeping this proactive approach will enable you to maintain control against decks that rely on this card.

BurnMana Recommendations

The strategy and adaptability Ancestral Statue brings to the MTG table can be a game-changer. This card’s potential to loop enter-the-battlefield effects, enable combos, or serve as a resilient defender makes it a challenging piece to play against and a rich inclusion for your arsenal. Assess your current deck and consider whether the statue’s synergistic properties could supercharge your gameplay. For players ready to enhance their deck’s capabilities and for those curious about next-level combo plays, Ancestral Statue may just be the missing piece. Dive deeper into deck-building strategies and optimize your collection with us, as every card counts toward victory.