Enlightened Ascetic MTG Card

Enlightened Ascetic - Magic Origins (ORI)

Magic Origins (ORI)
2015-07-17 - Number 12

Enlightened Ascetic - Mystery Booster (MB1)

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 94

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number ORI-12

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Cat Monk
Power	1
Toughness	1

Key Takeaways

Enlightened Ascetic’s ability offers strategic enchantment removal on entry, crucial in specific gameplay scenarios.
Its specific mana cost and sacrifice requirement limit versatility, demanding thoughtful deck construction.
Counters like instant-speed removals and spells efficiently tackle the Ascetic, preserving your enchantments.

Text of card

When Enlightened Ascetic enters the battlefield, you may destroy target enchantment.

"I do not reject the gods. I reject their authority, their pettiness, and their arrogance."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Enlightened Ascetic offers a tactical edge by allowing you to remove an enchantment upon entering the battlefield, potentially stripping your opponent of a key resource while maintaining parity on the board.

Resource Acceleration: While this creature itself doesn’t directly generate additional mana or resources, its low casting cost facilitates a swift play, enabling you to deploy more threats or answers rapidly and more efficiently manage your mana curve.

Instant Speed: Although Enlightened Ascetic is a creature and not an instant, the utility it provides can be as opportunistic as many instant-speed interactions. By deploying it at the right moment, you can dismantle an opponent’s strategy in much the same way an instant might disrupt their play in the middle of a critical turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Enlightened Ascetic requires you to sacrifice it to reap the benefits of its ability. This can be a setback for players who need to maintain a board presence or who are looking to leverage the Ascetic for longer-term value.

Specific Mana Cost: Enlightened Ascetic has a mana cost that includes white mana, which restricts it to decks running white or at least having a mana base that can consistently produce white mana. This could be a limitation for players who prefer a more flexible and varied mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While its effect of enchantment removal is useful, the Ascetic’s combined mana and sacrificing costs may seem too steep, especially when there are other lower-cost creatures or spells that deal with enchantments more efficiently or offer additional benefits.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Enlightened Ascetic can easily fit into various deck archetypes, particularly those aiming to exploit enter-the-battlefield effects or leverage enchantment removal as a key tactical element.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to sacrifice itself and remove an enchantment from play can synergize with strategies that capitalize on sacrificing creatures, or it can help to dismantle your opponent’s key enchantments, disrupting their game plan significantly.

Meta-Relevance: With the diverse range of enchantment-based strategies often prevalent in the current meta, having an efficient removal option such as Enlightened Ascetic can provide you with an edge against opponents by efficiently handling potential threats or pivotal combo pieces.

How to beat Enlightened Ascetic

Enlightened Ascetic offers a unique piece of utility for decks in MTG that focus on the removal of enchantments. Its ability to demolish enchantments upon entering the battlefield makes it a target you’ll want to address swiftly. At a surface glance, this could seem challenging, yet there are several strategies to neutralize this creature’s advantage before it becomes a nuisance.

To suppress the Ascetic’s influence, consider using instant-speed removal spells that can be cast in response to its enter the battlefield trigger. Cards like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can often catch an opponent off-guard, eliminating the Ascetic before it executes its purpose. Another tactic is countering the Ascetic with spells like Counterspell or Mana Leak to thwart its play altogether. Furthermore, utilize cards that can remove the Ascetic regardless of summoning sickness, such as Wrath of God or Doom Blade. These approaches can maintain control over your own enchantments, securing your battlefield presence against the disruptive capabilities of Enlightened Ascetic.

Ultimately, the key to outmaneuvering Enlightened Ascetic lies in preparedness and a swift reaction. Keep those counters and targeted spells at the ready to ensure the Ascetic’s visit to the battlefield is short-lived, preserving your enchantment-based strategies intact.

Cards like Enlightened Ascetic

Enlightened Ascetic offers a unique utility among white creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It aligns closely with an array of cards that specialize in enchantment removal. One such card is Leonin Relic-Warder which, like Enlightened Ascetic, provides a way to exile target enchantment. However, Relic-Warder has the potential to temporarily remove artifacts as well and comes with a stronger body.

Kami of Ancient Law stands out as another equivalent, bearing the same mana cost and the ability to sacrifice itself to destroy an enchantment. Nonetheless, unlike our focal card, it doesn’t provide immediate value upon entering the battlefield. Felidar Cub follows a similar template but with a lean towards a more aggressive two mana 2/2 stat line, providing a better offensive presence while still holding onto the enchantment removal option.

Overall, while the Enlightened Ascetic may not be the strongest creature in terms of power and toughness, its on-entrance enchantment exile ability allows players to promptly react to opponent threats or strategies, setting it apart in strategy and execution from its cousins in the realm of enchantment-handling creatures.

Cards similar to Enlightened Ascetic by color, type and mana cost

Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions

Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Enlightened Ascetic MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins and Mystery Booster, 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 Enlightened Ascetic and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Enlightened Ascetic Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2015-07-17 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by James Zapata.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2015-07-17	Magic Origins	ORI	12	2015	Normal	Black	James Zapata
2	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	94	2015	Normal	Black	James Zapata
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	ORI-12	2015	Normal	Black	James Zapata