Path of Ancestry MTG Card

Scrying with Path of Ancestry boosts draw quality and accelerates finding essential spells. Its specific mana-fixing aids multicolored tribal Commander decks, boosting play flexibility. While tapped upon entry, the instant-scr
Card setsReleased in 34 setsSee all
RarityCommon
TypeLand
Abilities Scry

Text of card

Path of Ancestry enters the battlefield tapped. : Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity. When that mana is spent to cast a creature spell that shares a creature type with your commander, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)

Cards like Path of Ancestry

Path of Ancestry is a standout among MTG lands, offering both mana fixing and a pseudo scry ability. Cards like Command Tower also provide any color of mana you need, but Path of Ancestry goes a step further by supporting decks that revolve around creature types. When you compare it to Unclaimed Territory, another land that aids tribal decks, Path of Ancestry’s advantage is clear as it allows you to scry with each cast of a creature that shares a type with your commander.

Opal Palace is a comparable card that also custom-fits commander focused decks by not only fixing mana but enhancing your commander with +1/+1 counters. While Opal Palace focuses on empowering the commander, Path of Ancestry gives you a broader benefit for an entire tribe, along with valuable deck filtering. Furthermore, Reflecting Pool is a strong contender that can generate mana of any type that other lands you control could produce, but it lacks the tribal synergy and scrying potential that Path of Ancestry provides.

To sum up, in the vast array of mana-producing lands within MTG, Path of Ancestry holds a distinctive position, notably beneficial for tribal decks, by blending perfect mana fixing with a useful ability to streamline your draws, refining gameplay turn after turn.

Command Tower - MTG Card versions
Unclaimed Territory - MTG Card versions
Opal Palace - MTG Card versions
Reflecting Pool - MTG Card versions
Command Tower - MTG Card versions
Unclaimed Territory - MTG Card versions
Opal Palace - MTG Card versions
Reflecting Pool - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Path of Ancestry confers a distinct advantage by scrying 1 whenever you cast a creature spell that shares a type with your commander. This minor filtering effect can significantly improve the quality of your draws and ensure you get to your key spells faster.

Resource Acceleration: This land comes into play tapped but provides immediate access to any color of mana, as long as it’s for casting a creature that shares a type with your commander. It’s a versatile tool for mana fixing in multicolored decks, ensuring a smoother and more flexible play experience.

Instant Speed: While Path of Ancestry operates at sorcery speed as a land, the scry feature activates the instant you cast a qualifying creature spell, allowing you to plan ahead in the moment without losing tempo. This can strategically prepare your next turn while you continue to deploy threats or responses during the current turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Path of Ancestry doesn’t demand players discard cards, it’s important for MTG enthusiasts to recognize the specific deckbuilding constraints it imposes. This land is most beneficial in decks with a high concentration of creatures sharing a type, potentially limiting deck diversity and strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Path of Ancestry provides mana in any color but only when it’s used to cast a creature that shares a type with your commander in a Commander game. This specificity means the card is less flexible in decks without this synergy, potentially making it a less optimal choice for certain mana bases.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not costing mana itself, the land enters the battlefield tapped. This can be a significant downside, especially in the early game where tempo is crucial. Other lands might offer immediate mana availability or additional benefits without the entering tapped drawback.

Reasons to Include Path of Ancestry in Your Collection

Versatility: Path of Ancestry serves as a powerful addition to any Commander deck, especially those centered around a single creature type. It not only taps for any color of mana but also supports tribal synergies, making it an excellent choice for multicolored decks.

Combo Potential: This land’s ability to scry provides an extra layer of utility every time you cast a creature that shares a type with your commander. It facilitates top-deck manipulation, increasing the likelihood of drawing into game-changing combos or essential cards for your strategy.

Meta-Relevance: Consistent mana fixing is crucial in a variety of MTG formats, and the value of scrying cannot be overstated in games that demand precise planning and execution. Path of Ancestry’s dual utility ensures that it remains relevant in numerous meta environments, complementing decks that aim for the long game while accommodating diverse tribal themes.

How to beat

Path of Ancestry is a versatile land card that can be quite powerful in commander decks, especially those that lean heavily on a single tribe. Its ability to both generate mana and offer potential card advantage via scrying can give tribal decks a significant edge. To counter this card effectively, disruption is key. Strategies include land destruction, cards that restrict the abilities of lands, or aggressive plays that outpace the incremental advantage offered by the scry ability.

Targeting the mana base with cards that destroy or change land types can hinder a player’s ability to use Path of Ancestry to its full potential. Spells like Ghost Quarter or cards that cause opponents to sacrifice lands are particularly effective. Another approach is to undermine tribal synergies with cards that remove or alter creature types. Without a firm tribal presence, Path of Ancestry becomes little more than a basic land with no additional benefits.

Ultimately, the most effective way to beat Path of Ancestry and the decks that utilize it is to apply pressure and force your opponent to react instead of setting up their board. Rapid deployment and swift attacks can outmaneuver the value generated by this powerful land, making it critical to establish an early lead and maintain it throughout the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Path of Ancestry MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Treasure Chest, 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 Path of Ancestry and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Path of Ancestry Magic the Gathering card was released in 28 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by 8 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 861122015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
22016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 656792015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
32017-08-25Commander 2017C17 562015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
42019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 2502015NormalBorderlessJulio Reyna
52020-04-17Commander 2020C20 2982015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
62020-09-26The ListPLST CMR-3532015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
72020-09-26The ListPLST C17-562015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
82020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 3532015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
92020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 7082015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
102021-02-05Kaldheim CommanderKHC 1172015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
112021-06-22Love Your LGS 2021PLG21 C32015NormalBlackAndreas Rocha
122021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 2542015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
132021-09-24Midnight Hunt CommanderMIC 1782015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
142021-11-19Crimson Vow CommanderVOC 1772015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
152022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 4192015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
162022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 9072015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
172022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 287★2015NormalBlackAnthony Devine
182022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 2872015NormalBlackAnthony Devine
192022-11-18The Brothers' War CommanderBRC 1921997NormalBlackAlayna Danner
202023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One CommanderONC 1612015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
212023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 4182015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
222023-05-08From Cute to BrutePCTB 772015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
232023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 3222015NormalBlackHristo D. Chukov
242023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 6612015NormalBorderlessMark Poole
252023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 4232015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
262023-09-08Wilds of Eldraine CommanderWOC 1652015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
272023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2932015NormalBlackFang Xinyu
282023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8842015NormalBlackFang Xinyu
292023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 3462015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
302024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 2792015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
312024-03-08FalloutPIP 2792015NormalBlackMarco Gorlei
322024-03-08FalloutPIP 8072015NormalBlackMarco Gorlei
332024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder Junction CommanderOTC 3102015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
342024-06-14Modern Horizons 3 CommanderM3C 3632015NormalBlackAlayna Danner

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Path of Ancestry has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Path of Ancestry card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2020-11-10 If Path of Ancestry's last ability produces two mana (most likely due to Mana Reflection), spending those two mana to cast creature spells that share a creature type with your commander will cause two abilities to trigger. Each of those abilities will cause you to scry 1. You won't scry 2. This is true whether you spend the mana on one creature spell or two.
2020-11-10 If you cast your commander with mana from Path of Ancestry, and your commander hasn't somehow lost all of its creature types while on the stack, you'll scry 1.
2020-11-10 If you don't have a commander, Path of Ancestry's ability produces no mana.
2020-11-10 If your commander has no creature types, it can't share a creature type with any spell that you cast.
2020-11-10 If your commander is a card that has no colors in its color identity, Path of Ancestry's ability produces no mana. It doesn't produce .
2023-07-28 If you have two commanders, the last ability adds one mana of any color in their combined color identities. When you spend that mana on a creature spell that shares a creature type with either of your commanders, you'll scry 1.
2023-07-28 Your commander's creature types are checked immediately after you cast a creature spell spending mana from Path of Ancestry's last ability. They aren't set before the game begins, and they may not be the same types your commander had when you activated that ability.