Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears MTG Card


Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears - Theros Beyond Death
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Ashiok
Abilities Mill
Released2020-01-24
Set symbol
Set nameTheros Beyond Death
Set codeTHB
Loyalty 4
Number274
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byDaarken

Key Takeaways

  1. Gain card advantage with Ashiok’s ability to draw and cause graveyard milling for opponents.
  2. Ashiok’s ultimate accelerates board presence, summoning threats that can overwhelm adversaries.
  3. Despite a specific and high mana cost, Ashiok’s versatility in control strategies is undeniable.

Text of card

+2: Draw a card. Each player puts the top two cards of their library into their graveyard. −5: Put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. −11: Gain control of all creatures target opponent controls.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears ensures you stay ahead in the game by providing consistent card draw. When using Ashiok’s plus ability, you not only draw a card but also force your opponent to put the top two cards of their library into their graveyard. This dual effect strengthens your hand while depleting your opponent’s resources.

Resource Acceleration: With Ashiok’s ultimate ability, you can summon an array of nightmarish creatures onto the battlefield. This ability doesn’t just change the game’s dynamics; it accelerates your board presence drastically, overwhelming opponents with powerful threats much faster than they might be ready for.

Instant Speed: Although not at instant speed, Ashiok’s abilities can significantly disrupt your opponent’s strategy. Controlling the pace of the game and disrupting opponent plans at pivotal moments is a crucial strategy, and Ashiok excels at it. By utilizing the minus ability, you can return a creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield at a pivotal moment during your turn, catching your opponent off guard.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears compels you to exile cards from your hand, which can be a steep price to pay, particularly when your hand is full of key strategy cards.

Specific Mana Cost: This planeswalker card demands a particular blend of mana — two blue and four others — which could potentially restrict deck-building options to more blue-centric structures.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a six total mana cost, Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears becomes a late game play. In many scenarios, there might be other, more cost-effective ways to generate a similar impact on the board earlier in the game.


Reasons to Include Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears in Your Collection

Versatility: Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears provides a dynamic approach to gameplay. Capable of both milling opponents and creating creature tokens, this planeswalker can adapt to various situations on the battlefield, making it a suitable pick for control and mill strategies alike.

Combo Potential: The abilities of Ashiok not only disrupt opponents but also create opportunities to capitalize on graveyard interactions. With the potential to reanimate powerful creatures from any graveyard, this card works seamlessly in decks built around graveyard synergies, offering numerous combo possibilities.

Meta-Relevance: With a sturdy place in the current meta, Ashiok can be a game-changer, especially in formats where control decks are prevalent. Its ability to dismantle an opponent’s library and provide threats makes it a strategic addition to any deck aiming to stay ahead of the competition.


How to beat Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears

Defeating Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears in Magic: The Gathering requires a strategy that disrupts their control of the board. This planeswalker can facilitate both deck and graveyard manipulation which makes a direct approach necessary. Combat their abilities by employing spells that can remove them from the battlefield quickly. Cards that can target planeswalkers such as Hero’s Downfall or Dreadbore offer efficient solutions. Also, maintaining pressure with aggressive creatures can help shift the game in your favor.

Another tactic is disrupting your opponent’s hand which could contain the spells necessary to protect Ashiok. Thoughtseize or Duress can force the removal of key defensive spells early on. Additionally, implementing enchantments like Pithing Needle can prevent the activation of Ashiok’s loyalty abilities. It’s vital to remember that allowing Ashiok to utilize their -7 loyalty ability can decisively tilt the game, so swift and decisive action is paramount when facing this powerful adversary on the field.

In essence, quick elimination, hand disruption, and preventive measures are key to overcoming Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears, safeguarding your deck, and ultimately, leading you to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Perfecting your MTG tactics involves a deep understanding not only of your cards but of potential threats like Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears. This planeswalker can shift the tide of the match, offering advantages through card draw and graveyard shuffling, essential for control decks. Keep in mind its cons, such as the specific mana needs and the later game play which can impact your overall strategy. If you are considering adding this powerful planeswalker to your arsenal or devising ways to defeat it, there’s much to explore and plan for. Curious about optimizing your gameplay with or against Ashiok? Connect with us to delve deeper into advanced strategies and ensure your deck is fearsome on any battlefield.


Cards like Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears

Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears stands out in the landscape of planeswalkers within Magic the Gathering. This card can be compared with other planeswalkers like Jace, Memory Adept, whose card draw ability aligns with Ashiok’s -2 ability to draw cards and force a mill strategy. Where Ashiok gains an edge is through its -5 ability, creating a double-sided effect by both returning a creature to the battlefield under your control and milling your opponent’s deck.

Another relative is Tamiyo, Collector of Tales. What binds them is the aspect of manipulating the hand by either drawing or recurring cards from the graveyard. Here, Ashiok’s advantage is its nightmarish ability to exile all opponent’s graveyards, disrupting any strategies reliant on recursion. Furthermore, Ob Nixilis Reignited shares a similar mold with its draw-card ability, yet Ashiok’s versatility and ability to exile cards can often be more disruptive to opponents, especially in matches where graveyards play a crucial role.

Through its combination of milling, card draw, and graveyard exile, Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears provides a dynamic and potent choice for players looking to exert control while guiding the game’s tempo in their favor.

Jace, Memory Adept - MTG Card versions
Tamiyo, Collector of Tales - MTG Card versions
Ob Nixilis Reignited - MTG Card versions
Jace, Memory Adept - Magic 2012 (M12)
Tamiyo, Collector of Tales - War of the Spark (WAR)
Ob Nixilis Reignited - Battle for Zendikar Promos (PBFZ)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death, 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 Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-01-24 In a multiplayer game, if a player leaves the game, all cards that player owns leave as well. If you leave the game, any permanents you control from Ashiok’s second ability are exiled, and the control effect of Ashiok’s last ability ends.
2020-01-24 The effect of Ashiok’s last ability lasts indefinitely. It doesn’t expire as the turn ends or if Ashiok leaves the battlefield.

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