Aretopolis MTG Card
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Plane — Kephalai |
| Released | 2018-12-25 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Planechase Anthology Planes |
| Set code | OPCA |
| Number | 13 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Planar |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Christopher Moeller |
Text of card
When you planeswalk to Aretopolis or at the beginning of your upkeep, put a scroll counter on Aretopolis, then you gain life equal to the number of scroll counters on it. When Aretopolis has ten or more scroll counters on it, planeswalk. Whenever you roll {Chaos}, put a scroll counter on Aretopolis, then draw cards equal to the number of scroll counters on it.
Cards like Aretopolis
Aretopolis is an intriguing addition to the pool of legendary lands in Magic: The Gathering. When assessing its abilities and potential for deck synergy, it draws comparison to other notable lands like Academy Ruins which also offers long-term strategic advantage by recurring artifacts from your graveyard to the top of your library. Aretopolis takes a unique spot with its ability to transform into Spires of Order, a card advantage engine under specific conditions. This is a divergent ability from lands like Academy Ruins with a focused recurring theme.
Azorius Chancery is another similar card, being part of the Ravnica bounce land cycle. While it doesn’t transform or generate card advantage directly, it provides immediate mana acceleration by returning a land to your hand. Aretopolis shares the Azorius color identity, but is designed to offer several turns of buildup to a powerful payoff. This highlights a key difference in their roles; one is a more immediate mana fixer, while the other is a slow-building, versatile powerhouse.
To summarize, Aretopolis holds its own against other lands in Magic: The Gathering, particularly for its unique transformation into a source of card advantage, complementing a control or midrange Azorius deck where long-term value trumps immediate impact. Its capacity to transition into another card type entirely offers a layer of utility and intrigue unmatched by similar static land cards.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Aretopolis enables you to peek at the top two cards of your library, offering strategic selection thereby bolstering your in-game decisions with added insight.
Resource Acceleration: By potentially placing a land card onto the battlefield from this action, Aretopolis smoothly ramps up your available resources, catapulting you ahead of your opponents in mana development.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of activating Aretopolis at instant speed means you can adapt reactively to the evolving game state, reserving your mana for opportune moments and surprise interactions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Aretopolis necessitates the discard of another card as part of its activation cost. This can put a strain on your hand, especially if you’re struggling to maintain card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: This locale from the mythical plane of Theros demands a precise blend of mana to utilize effectively, potentially confining its integration to decks that can reliably produce both white and blue mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana valuation on the upper end, Aretopolis enters a crowded field where numerous alternatives could provide a greater immediate impact on the game state or offer more cost-efficient solutions.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Aretopolis earns its place in diverse deck builds with its unique ability to adapt to various strategies. Its potential to bolster your board presence makes it a valuable asset in numerous gameplay scenarios.
Combo Potential: When it comes to setting up powerful combinations, Aretopolis shines by lending itself to intricate plays that can turn the tide of the game. Its synergistic nature with other cards adds a layer of depth to your strategic arsenal.
Meta-Relevance: Aretopolis’ strengths align well with the contemporary game environment. Its utility in a fluctuating meta can provide stability and a competitive edge, ensuring your deck remains relevant and formidable against a wide array of opponents.
How to beat
Aretopolis can be quite the powerhouse in a game of Magic: The Gathering, with its ability to scry for valuable cards and its potential to become a land that taps for two mana of any color. To effectively combat this formidable card, it’s essential to have a strategy that disrupts your opponent’s game plan.
One of the keys to taking down Aretopolis lies in direct land destruction or cards that can inhibit the opponent’s mana base. Such spells as Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin can target Aretopolis directly, neutralizing its benefits before it transforms. In addition, enchantment removal spells come in handy to handle the other half of Aretopolis, given it initially resides on the battlefield as an enchantment. Naturalize or Disenchant can serve as inexpensive and efficient solutions to this threat.
Moreover, controlling the game pace through counter spells like Negate or Dovin’s Veto when your opponent attempts to flip Aretopolis by having seven or more lore counters is vital. Keeping a tight check on their scrying by applying pressure and making every land count can often sway the game in your favor. In summary, though Aretopolis presents a unique challenge in MTG, it’s not unbeatable with a little foresight and the right disruption in your deck.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Aretopolis MTG card by a specific set like Planechase Anthology Planes, 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 Aretopolis and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
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- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Aretopolis card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2012-06-01 | For both abilities that count the number of scroll counters on Aretopolis, count all scroll counters on it, not just ones you put there. |