Ancient Grudge MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 11 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Flashback

Key Takeaways

  1. Flashback ability gives Ancient Grudge exceptional value, disrupting multiple artifacts across different turns.
  2. Instant speed allows for surprising plays, keeping opponents on their toes and preserving mana efficiency.
  3. Flexibility in various metas makes Ancient Grudge a versatile card, especially useful in artifact-heavy environments.

Text of card

Destroy target artifact. Flashback (You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then remove it from the game.)

The time rifts remind Yavimaya of the enemies of its past and provide fresh fuel for its fires.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With the flashback ability, Ancient Grudge effectively serves as two spells in one card, giving you the chance to destroy multiple artifacts and thereby providing exceptional card efficiency.

Resource Acceleration: As this card dismantles opponents’ artifacts that could be crucial for their mana ramp or combo pieces, it indirectly accelerates your resources by disrupting their strategy and board state development.

Instant Speed: This card’s instant nature allows for reactive play during either player’s turn, giving you the flexibility to remove an artifact threat as it arises or after an opponent has committed to a line of play, without hindering your own turn’s progression.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ancient Grudge doesn’t necessitate discarding a card, but having it in the graveyard is key for its flashback ability. This means there’s an inherent push towards ensuring it’s in the graveyard, which can be a strategic disadvantage in some situations.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s initial casting requires a red mana, which could potentially restrict it to red-inclusive decks. While flexible, this cost does make it less universally applicable.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost for using the flashback feature of Ancient Grudge is comparatively steep, considering you’re only destroying one target artifact. There are instances where alternative, less mana-intensive spells could be more effective, particularly in fast-paced games where mana efficiency is crucial.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Ancient Grudge offers flexibility to players by providing an efficient answer to artifacts at an accessible cost. It’s a splendid addition to sideboards, able to adapt to various gameplay situations thanks to its flashback ability.

Combo Potential: This card effortlessly integrates into decks focusing on graveyard synergies, allowing players to exploit its casting cost from beyond the grave to feed into larger combo chains or recurring destruction.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where artifacts are prevalent, having Ancient Grudge in your arsenal means you’re well-prepared to dismantle key pieces of your opponent’s strategy, keeping you one step ahead in the match.


How to beat

Ancient Grudge is a red and green spell that has been a solid performer in various Magic: The Gathering formats. Its strength lies in its ability to destroy artifacts with efficiency and flexibility. A standout feature is its flashback ability, permitting a second use from the graveyard. Nonetheless, overcoming this card is about preemptive measures and strategic counterplay.

To effectively neutralize the impact of Ancient Grudge, consider diversifying your threats beyond artifacts. Deploying enchantments or creatures with robust abilities can shift the focus away from targets vulnerable to Ancient Grudge. When using critical artifacts, timing is pivotal; you may opt to wait out the Grudge’s first use or bait it out if you suspect your opponent is holding the card. Additionally, cards with hexproof or indestructible attributes can prove to be reliable safeguards against such targeted removal.

Ultimately, respecting the power of Ancient Grudge in MTG while thoughtfully advancing your strategy can turn the tide in your favor. Being unpredictable and adaptable, while also including cards that protect your assets or recur them from the graveyard, can reduce Ancient Grudge to a mere inconvenience rather than a game-ending threat.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the MTG landscape unveils tactics that could edge you towards victory. The Ancient Grudge card exemplifies such a strategic gem for its artifact disruption prowess. With its versatility and synergy with graveyard mechanics, it’s a game-changer in metal-heavy metas, easily earning a slot in your sideboard. We encourage you to deepen your understanding and expand your collection strategically. Consider Ancient Grudge as a key piece in building a deck that consistently outmaneuvers artifact-reliant opponents. Dive into our resources for a comprehensive guide on optimizing your arsenal for that next triumphant match.


Cards like Ancient Grudge

Ancient Grudge shines in the realm of artifact destruction within Magic: The Gathering. Its direct comparison, Naturalize, offers the outright destruction of an artifact or enchantment at the same mana cost but lacks Ancient Grudge’s valuable flashback mechanic, which allows it to be played again from the graveyard—an important tactical advantage for managing multiple threats across turns.

In a similar category falls Shatter, a spell that, like Ancient Grudge, also destroys artifacts at the cost of two mana. But once again, Shatter doesn’t offer the recyclability that makes Ancient Grudge a staple in decks that seek to efficiently handle artifacts repeatedly.

Examining its usage, versatility, and cost-to-benefit ratio, Ancient Grudge stands out for its ability to provide persistent control over artifacts, establishing it as a formidable option for players who anticipate facing artifact-heavy opponents in Magic: The Gathering. Thus, when analyzing these aspects, Ancient Grudge holds a distinct place due to its flashback feature, offering a strategic depth that similar cards just don’t match.

Naturalize - MTG Card versions
Shatter - MTG Card versions
Naturalize - Onslaught (ONS)
Shatter - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Ancient Grudge by color, type and mana cost

Surge of Strength - MTG Card versions
Simoon - MTG Card versions
Artifact Mutation - MTG Card versions
Manamorphose - MTG Card versions
Colossal Might - MTG Card versions
Signal the Clans - MTG Card versions
Gruul Charm - MTG Card versions
Pit Fight - MTG Card versions
Destructive Revelry - MTG Card versions
Atarka's Command - MTG Card versions
Colossal Growth - MTG Card versions
Friendly Rivalry - MTG Card versions
Questing Druid // Seek the Beast - MTG Card versions
Surge of Strength - Hobby Japan Promos (PHJ)
Simoon - World Championship Decks 2002 (WC02)
Artifact Mutation - New Capenna Commander (NCC)
Manamorphose - The List (PLST)
Colossal Might - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Signal the Clans - Gatecrash (GTC)
Gruul Charm - Explorer Anthology 3 (EA3)
Pit Fight - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Destructive Revelry - Theros (THS)
Atarka's Command - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Colossal Growth - Dominaria United (DMU)
Friendly Rivalry - The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth (LTR)
Questing Druid // Seek the Beast - Wilds of Eldraine (WOE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ancient Grudge MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Time Spiral, 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 Ancient Grudge and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ancient Grudge Magic the Gathering card was released in 11 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2021-05-27. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 435902003normalblackWayne England
22006-10-06Time SpiralTSP 1432003normalblackJim Nelson
32010-11-08Magic Online Theme DecksTD0 A532003normalblackJim Nelson
42011-09-30InnistradISD 1272003normalblackRyan Yee
52012-01-01Friday Night Magic 2012F12 52003normalblackWayne England
62017-03-17Modern Masters 2017MM3 882015normalblackRyan Yee
72019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 8382015normalblackRyan Yee
82019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 982015normalblackAlbaBG
92020-09-26The ListPLST MM3-882015normalblackRyan Yee
102021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 1512015normalblackJim Nelson
112021-05-27Historic Anthology 5HA5 122015normalblackRyan Yee

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ancient Grudge has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-03-19 A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in some other way.
2021-03-19 If a card with flashback is put into your graveyard during your turn, you can cast it if it’s legal to do so before any other player can take any actions.
2021-03-19 To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a flashback cost) you’re paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.
2021-03-19 You can cast a spell using flashback even if it was somehow put into your graveyard without having been cast.
2021-03-19 You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions, including those based on the card’s type. For instance, you can cast a sorcery using flashback only when you could normally cast a sorcery.
2021-03-19Flashback
-ost]” means “You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying
-ost] rather than paying its mana cost” and “If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack.”

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