Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Creature — Kor Scout
Abilities Partner
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Ardenn provides cost-effective card advantage by equipping Auras and Equipment for free.
  2. Resource acceleration is achieved as mana is conserved for other plays.
  3. Flexibility in strategy is enhanced through pre-combat equipment reassignment.

Text of card

At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may attach any number of Auras and Equipment you control to target permanent or player. Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)

"With the right tools, even the sky is within reach."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist excels in equipping your creatures at no cost. At the beginning of combat on your turn, you can attach any number of Auras and Equipment you control to target permanent or player, ensuring your valuable cards are always utilized efficiently. This ability can equate to drawing multiple cards in the form of equipment and enchantment synergies without having to spend the mana turn after turn.

Resource Acceleration: The inherent ability of Ardenn to bypass the equip costs of powerful artifacts can act as resource acceleration. By not spending mana to equip, you are free to use your resources elsewhere, effectively increasing your mana availability and allowing you to develop your board or hold up mana for responses much more rapidly than usual.

Instant Speed: While Ardenn itself does not operate at instant speed, the ability to rearrange Equipment and Auras before the combat phase allows for a level of flexibility and surprise akin to instant speed interactions. You can adapt to the board state dynamically, pivoting your strategy as needed right before the action phase without giving your opponents a chance to prepare during your main phase.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist can provide valuable equipment attachment at no cost, this advantage can be undercut if you’re required to discard other beneficial cards to enable his ability, particularly in a game where maintaining card advantage is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: Ardenn requires white mana, restricting its inclusion to decks that can produce this color reliably. Players running multicolored decks may find it challenging to consistently meet the mana cost, especially in the early game stages where color fixing is essential.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though having a mana cost of three might seem moderate, in formats where speed is paramount, this can be seen as too slow. Considering the plethora of low-cost creatures with impactful abilities, Ardenn’s cost efficiency in competitive play may be a subject of debate.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist has a dynamic role in various deck builds, thriving in strategies that leverage Equipment and Auras. This adaptability makes it a staple for enhancing creatures across the board.

Combo Potential: Ardenn’s ability to attach Auras and Equipment at no cost during combat enables powerful synergies, allowing for unexpected plays and maximizing the utility of your Equipment and Auras — all without spending mana.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame where Voltron strategies or Commander games are prevalent, Ardenn can be a gamechanger. Its power to freely equip makes it a compelling choice, ensuring your key creatures are always battle-ready and optimally outfitted.


How to beat Ardenn Intrepid Archaeologist

Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist, carves a niche for itself amongst MTG partners and equipment enablers. Versatile and pivotal in Commander games, Ardenn can turn the tide with its ability to freely attach equipment and auras at the beginning of combat. A seemingly benign three-drop, Ardenn can rapidly elevate the pressure on opponents by optimizing your board state without the usual mana investment.

To defuse the tactical advantage Ardenn renders, prioritize removal spells that can target it before the combat phase, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile. Control strategies using countermagic like Negate or Essence Scatter work well to halt Ardenn from hitting the battlefield. Additionally, preventing the Archaeologist from exploring its full potential involves managing the artifacts and enchantments it seeks to exploit. Cards like Disenchant and Abrade are efficient tools to dismantle the accompanying gear, turning Ardenn’s lucrative dig into a fruitless endeavor. Lastly, using cards that restrict your opponent’s ability to declare attackers can neutralize Ardenn’s influence significantly, making Silent Arbiter or Ensnaring Bridge particularly effective frustrations in this scenario.

Defeating a card like Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist requires a blend of swift interception and strategic inhibitions, outmaneuvering the potential onslaught of geared-up creatures it promises. By understanding the tactical underpinnings of the Archaeologist’s power and preparing accordingly, maintaining the upper hand becomes a well-mapped excavation.


BurnMana Recommendations

Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist, presents a unique opportunity for MTG enthusiasts looking to harness the full potential of their Equipment and Aura cards. Our takeaway from this deep dive into Ardenn’s capabilities suggests that it’s a card well worth considering for your collection. If you’re interested in building a strategy that maximizes efficiency and board presence while minimizing mana expenditure, Ardenn is an asset that can pivot your deck into a formidable setup. Eager to learn more intricacies about deck-building or want insights into seamlessly integrating Ardenn into your lineup? Stick with us to explore winning strategies, tips, and expert advice that could elevate your MTG experience to the next level. Join our community and uncover the secrets to making every draw count.


Cards like Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist

Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist lends a unique twist to the vast MTG card pool by catering to equipment and aura enthusiasts. Similar to cards such as Brass Squire, Ardenn allows players to attach equipment to creatures without paying their equip cost. However, Ardenn’s ability affects multiple equipment and auras and offers a perfect complement to a strategy centered on voltron commanders—a deck archetype where a single creature is loaded with buffs to become an unstoppable force.

Looking at cards like Armory Automaton, we find parallel mechanics where the Automaton can attach all equipment on the battlefield to itself when it enters or attacks. Although similar to Ardenn in expanding equipment potential, Ardenn’s skill triggers during the precombat main phase, allowing more planning and strategy adjustments. The flexibility gained from Ardenn, who can be used both as a commander and in the 99, outshines the fixed role of Armory Automaton.

Therefore, while examining MTG’s wide array of synergy-driven cards, Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist stands out for decks committed to enhancing a single juggernaut creature, bridging the gap between resource-intensive strategies and swift, game-ending voltron tactics.

Brass Squire - MTG Card versions
Armory Automaton - MTG Card versions
Brass Squire - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Armory Automaton - Commander 2016 (C16)

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Freewind Equenaut - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
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Field Marshal - Coldsnap (CSP)
Kithkin Healer - Lorwyn (LRW)
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander Legends, 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 Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-11-20 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Jason Rainville.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 863042015normalblackJason Rainville
22020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 102015normalblackJason Rainville
32020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 5492015normalblackJason Rainville

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelRestricted

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-11-10 An effect that checks whether you control your commander is satisfied if you control one or both of your two commanders.
2020-11-10 Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards (or 58 cards in a Commander Draft game) of your deck are shuffled to become your library.
2020-11-10 If something refers to your commander while you have two commanders, it refers to one of them of your choice. If you are instructed to perform an action on your commander (e.g. put it from the command zone into your hand due to Command Beacon), you choose one of your commanders at the time the effect happens.
2020-11-10 If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can only include cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders' combined color identities. If Falthis and Kediss are your commanders, your deck may contain cards with black and/or red in their color identity, but not cards with green, white, or blue.
2020-11-10 Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won't have to pay an additional the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 damage from any one of them, not from both of them combined.
2020-11-10 Other players and permanents controlled by other players can be targeted by Ardenn's ability. This can cause Equipment under your control to be attached to a creature an opponent controls. Auras and Equipment that say "you" still refer to you, as you still control them. Ardenn's ability can't cause an Aura or Equipment to be attached to something it couldn't be attached to.
2020-11-10 To have two commanders, both must have the partner ability as the game begins. Losing the ability during the game doesn't cause either to cease to be your commander.
2020-11-10 You can choose two commanders with partner that are the same color or colors. In Commander Draft, you can even choose two of the same commander with partner if you drafted them. If you do this, make sure you keep the number of times you've cast each from the command zone clear for "commander tax" purposes.
2020-11-10 You choose which Auras and Equipment to move as Ardenn's ability resolves. Players can't take actions between the time you choose what to move and the time they're attached to the target permanent or player.

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