Oloro, Ageless Ascetic MTG Card
2013-11-01 - Number 203
2014-01-01 - Number 9
2002-06-24 - Number 52316
2020-09-26 - Number C13-203
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Giant Soldier |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Text of card
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 2 life. Whenever you gain life, you may pay . If you do, draw a card and each opponent loses 1 life. At the beginning of your upkeep, if Oloro, Ageless Ascetic is in the command zone, you gain 2 life.
Cards like Oloro, Ageless Ascetic
Oloro, Ageless Ascetic holds a unique position in the realm of life gain commanders within Magic: The Gathering. Its closest comparison is with Trostani, Selesnya’s Voice, which also provides a life gain advantage but focuses heavily on token creature synergies. Oloro, unlike Trostani, allows players to gain life consistently without necessitating a board presence, thereby providing a more passive strategy.
Another contender is Karlov of the Ghost Council, who thrives off life gain as well, but with an aggressive twist. Karlov can grow in power with each life gained and has the ability to remove troublesome creatures, contrasting with Oloro’s more laid-back life gain and card draw approach. Also in the mix is Sanguine Bond, an enchantment that, similar to Oloro, capitalizes on life gain but uses it to directly drain opponents’ life, offering a more offensive strategy compared to Oloro’s defensive and incremental card advantage.
When analyzing the various life gain options in Magic: The Gathering, Oloro, Ageless Ascetic emerges as a favorite for its reliable life gain and incremental card draw, making it a commander that can dominate the long game with its resilience and ability to outvalue opponents.
Cards similar to Oloro, Ageless Ascetic by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: A key aspect of Oloro, Ageless Ascetic is his ability to grant you a life point during your upkeep, which, if he’s in the command zone or on the battlefield, allows you to also draw a card. This feature fortifies your hand, offering a consistent stream of new options to outmaneuver your opponents.
Resource Acceleration: Oloro’s life-gain mechanic can be a springboard for resource acceleration. Many decks synergize with life increase, transforming your higher life total into additional resources that can help you deploy more threats, stabilize the board, or even activate abilities that require life payment without jeopardizing your position in the game.
Instant Speed: Though Oloro himself does not operate at instant speed, his passive life gain enables you to confidently reserve mana for instant-speed interactions. With a healthy life buffer, you can afford to wait on casting spells until the most opportune moment, thereby maximizing their impact and maintaining the element of surprise.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Oloro, Ageless Ascetic provides a steady life gain, he demands deck strategies revolving around card draw to avoid being penalized by hand-size limits. Without proper setup, this incremental advantage could force unwanted discards, turning potential into a pitfall.
Specific Mana Cost: Oloro’s Esper identity means he requires white, blue, and black mana. This tri-color demand makes him less versatile for monochromatic or even two-color decks, potentially narrowing deck-building options.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial cost of six mana, Oloro’s deployment on the battlefield can be slow, especially compared to other commanders that offer similar life gain effects or advantageous abilities at a lower cost.
Reasons to Include Oloro, Ageless Ascetic in Your Collection
Versatility: Oloro, Ageless Ascetic provides a unique flexibility as it can enhance both life-gain and control strategies. Even when not in play, its ability to consistently gain life can be an asset in various deck builds.
Combo Potential: With its life-gain trigger, Oloro can set off a cascade of synergistic effects. Its high combo potential makes it a linchpin in decks that exploit life total changes for benefits, such as triggering card draw or empowering creatures.
Meta-Relevance: In a game dominated by aggressive strategies, Oloro’s ability to passively increase life is particularly potent. Its presence in a deck can shift the balance in your favor, making it a relevant choice against the current swath of competitive decks.
How to beat
Oloro, Ageless Ascetic is a powerhouse in Commander games, offering consistent life gain and a steady advantage to its controller. Facing down Oloro can be daunting, but like all MTG cards, it’s not invincible. Disruption is key – use cards that restrict life gain or punish the opponent for amassing too much life. Tainted Remedy and Erebos, God of the Dead can shut down Oloro’s life gain strategy, flipping the script on the player.
Moreover, employ targeted discard spells or extraction effects to address Oloro directly in the command zone, since its passive life gain applies even there. Thoughtseize and Sadistic Sacrament can deal with Oloro before it has a chance to hit the battlefield. In the event that Oloro does make an appearance, employ removal to keep it off the board. Swords to Plowshares and Path to Exile remove it cleanly while avoiding giving opponents further life-gain benefit.
Don’t forget about aggressive strategies. Pressure the Oloro player early on, forcing them to defend rather than setting up the ideal board. Oloro decks often rely on the long game, so a swift and resolute offense can tip the balance in your favor. Adjust your tactics, keep the upper hand, and you’ll be able to dismantle the resilience of Oloro, Ageless Ascetic.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Oloro, Ageless Ascetic MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander 2013, 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 Oloro, Ageless Ascetic and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Oloro, Ageless Ascetic Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2013-11-01 and 2014-01-01. Illustrated by Eric Deschamps.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 52316 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Eric Deschamps | ||
| 2 | 2013-11-01 | Commander 2013 | C13 | 203 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Eric Deschamps | |
| 3 | 2014-01-01 | Judge Gift Cards 2014 | J14 | 9 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Eric Deschamps | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | C13-203 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Eric Deschamps |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Oloro, Ageless Ascetic has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Restricted |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Oloro, Ageless Ascetic card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-10-17 | If Oloro is your commander, its last ability will trigger at the beginning of the upkeep step on your first turn. |
| 2013-10-17 | If two creatures you control with lifelink deal combat damage at the same time, Oloro’s ability will trigger twice. However, if a single creature with lifelink deals combat damage to multiple creatures, players, and/or planeswalkers at the same time (perhaps because it has trample or was blocked by more than one creature), the ability will trigger only once. |
| 2013-10-17 | In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate won’t cause the ability to trigger, even though it causes your team’s life total to increase. |
| 2013-10-17 | In some unusual cases, you can gain life even though your life total actually decreases. For example, if you are being attacked by two 3/3 creatures and you block one with a 2/2 creature with lifelink, your life total will decrease by 1 even though you’ve gained 2 life. Oloro’s second ability would trigger. |
| 2013-10-17 | Oloro’s first ability works only if Oloro is on the battlefield. |
| 2013-10-17 | Oloro’s second ability triggers just once for each life-gaining event, no matter how much life is gained. |
| 2013-10-17 | You decide whether to pay as the second ability resolves. If you do, you’ll draw a card and each opponent will lose 1 life. |
| 2015-01-19 | Oloro, Ageless Ascetic is banned as a commander in Duel Commander format, but it may be part of your deck. |