Ancient Tomb MTG Card
1997-10-14 - Number 315
1999-08-04 - Number kb315
1999-08-04 - Number mlp315
2012-08-31 - Number 1
2014-06-16 - Number 289
2015-10-02 - Number 36
2018-12-07 - Number 236
2020-09-25 - Number 21
2023-06-23 - Number 387z
2023-06-23 - Number 387
2023-06-23 - Number 357
2020-09-26 - Number TMP-315
| Card sets | Released in 12 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
oc T: Add two colorless mana to your mana pool. Ancient Tomb deals 2 damage to you.
There is no glory to be gained in the kingdom of the dead. —Vec tomb inscription
Cards like Ancient Tomb
Ancient Tomb stands out as a highly sought-after land card among dedicated players of Magic: The Gathering. It shares common ground with other mana-producing lands like Temple of the False God. Both cards are capable of ramping up a player’s mana pool, but Ancient Tomb does so at the expense of 2 life points each time it’s tapped for mana. In comparison, Temple of the False God requires a player to control at least five lands before it grants that extra mana, with no life point cost.
City of Traitors is another card that treads a proximate path, offering the same amount of mana without the life loss. But City of Traitors comes with a stringent limitation—it sacrifices itself when another land is played. Mana Confluence and City of Brass also provide versatile mana solutions, yet they chip away at a player’s life total every time they are tapped, unlike Ancient Tomb which only deals damage when its mana is utilized.
Evaluating their distinctive features unveils that Ancient Tomb has an edge, particularly in decks that are less concerned with life total and more about accelerating their board presence swiftly. This makes Ancient Tomb an invaluable asset in various strategic plots within the game.
Cards similar to Ancient Tomb by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Ancient Tomb. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | R | Legacy | Legacy League 2024-05-03 | |
 | Painter | Legacy | Painter | Legacy League 2024-05-01 |
 | Jewel Shops | Vintage | Jewel Shops | Vintage League 2024-05-01 |
 | Lands | Legacy | Lands | Legacy League 2024-05-01 |
| Mono-White Initiative | Vintage | Mono-White Initiative | Vintage Challenge 32 2024-05-02 |
| Prison Shops | Vintage | Prison Shops | Vintage Challenge 32 2024-05-02 |
| Mono-Red Initiative | Legacy | Mono-Red Initiative | Legacy League 2024-05-02 |
| Goblins | Legacy | Goblins | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-05-01 |
| Mono-Red Prison | Legacy | Mono-Red Prison | Legacy Preliminary 2024-05-01 |
| Patchwork Stompy | Legacy | Patchwork Stompy | Legacy League 2024-05-01 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Ancient Tomb does not directly influence the number of cards in hand, it propels you ahead by providing an immediate boost in mana resources, effectively outpacing opponents by allowing access to more expensive spells sooner than expected.
Resource Acceleration: Ancient Tomb is a powerhouse in terms of resource acceleration. By tapping for two colorless mana, it lets players cast high-impact spells earlier in the game, which can create a significant tempo advantage over opponents who are still ramping up their mana base.
Instant Speed: Although Ancient Tomb is a land and not used at instant speed, it generates mana that can be used for instant speed interactions. The flexibility to tap Ancient Tomb whenever necessary provides the versatility to respond to an opponent’s moves or capitalize on a prime opportunity during the course of a turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Ancient Tomb allows you to generate two colorless mana, it doesn’t come without its drawbacks. Each time you tap it for mana, it demands a different kind of payment – two life points. This can quickly add up, especially in a fast-paced game where maintaining a healthy life total is key.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana produced by Ancient Tomb is colorless, which restricts its flexibility in decks that require more colored mana for casting spells. Thus, in some deck archetypes, Ancient Tomb may not be as beneficial as a land that could produce multiple types of colored mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Ancient Tomb doesn’t have a mana cost to play, the price of losing two life for each activation can be seen as a steep cost in the context of a long game. In MTG where resource management is crucial, the life loss from Ancient Tomb could be detrimental against decks that capitalize on reducing the opponent’s life total swiftly.
Reasons to Include Ancient Tomb in Your Collection
Versatility: Ancient Tomb is a powerhouse land card that effortlessly slots into a wide variety of decks, offering an exceptional mana boost regardless of your deck’s color. Its ability to tap for two colorless mana makes it a staple in efficient ramp and colorless strategies.
Combo Potential: This card provides immediate access to additional mana, which is essential for setting up and executing game-winning combos early on. It pairs well with cards that offset its life loss drawback or benefit from the quick acceleration.
Meta-Relevance: Ancient Tomb has been a consistently powerful card in various meta environments. Its presence in a deck can tip the scales, especially in formats where quick mana advantage is decisive. Whether in competitive play or casual circles, including this card can give you a critical edge.
How to beat
Ancient Tomb is a powerful land card that gives players access to additional mana at the cost of life points. This trade-off can be quite advantageous in decks that aim to ramp up quickly, deploying threats or enablers earlier than opponents. To effectively counter this strategy, players should consider the speed and control elements of their own decks. Implementing land destruction or stax effects can disrupt an opponent’s mana base, negating the benefits offered by Ancient Tomb. A card like Ghost Quarter can target and remove the land, while strategies featuring cards like Blood Moon can render Ancient Tomb far less effective.
Additionally, managing the race of life totals becomes crucial when facing decks that utilize Ancient Tomb. Aggressive decks can capitalize on the life loss sustained by opponents using this card, potentially closing games before the mana advantage becomes overwhelming. Combining disruption with pressure can be the key to outmaneuvering an opponent leveraging Ancient Tomb. Paying close attention to the deck’s tempo and balancing between defensive and offensive plays, you can successfully navigate around the challenges posed by this potent land card.
Understanding the role Ancient Tomb plays in an opponent’s strategy and having a well-prepared sideboard can ultimately tip the balance in your favor in competitive MTG matches.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ancient Tomb MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and World Championship Decks 1999, 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 Ancient Tomb 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
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Printings
The Ancient Tomb Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 5 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997-10-14 | Tempest | TMP | 315 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Colin MacNeil | |
| 2 | 1999-08-04 | World Championship Decks 1999 | WC99 | kb315 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Colin MacNeil | |
| 3 | 1999-08-04 | World Championship Decks 1999 | WC99 | mlp315 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Colin MacNeil | |
| 4 | 2012-08-31 | From the Vault: Realms | V12 | 1 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Colin MacNeil | |
| 5 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 289 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Colin MacNeil | |
| 6 | 2015-10-02 | Zendikar Expeditions | EXP | 36 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
| 7 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 236 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han | |
| 8 | 2020-09-25 | Zendikar Rising Expeditions | ZNE | 21 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Adam Paquette | |
| 9 | The List | PLST | TMP-315 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Colin MacNeil | ||
| 10 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 387z | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Anastasia Balakchina | |
| 11 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 387 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Anastasia Balakchina | |
| 12 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 357 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Anastasia Balakchina |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ancient Tomb has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Banned |
| Predh | Legal |