Arnjlot's Ascent MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment
Abilities	Cumulative upkeep
Released	1995-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Ice Age
Set code	ICE
Number	57
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Drew Tucker

Key Takeaways

Boosts card draw when enchanting islands, enabling better access to vital spells and answers each turn.
Increases mana production by enchanting lands, allowing for significant, game-changing plays quickly.
Provides unexpected advantages with the potential for instant speed mana utilization and disruption.

Text of card

Cumulative Upkeep: o U o1: Target creature gains flying until end of turn.

"The dreams of a child fulfilled: the wind on my brow, the air 'neath my feet." —Arnjlot Olasson, Sky Mage

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Arnjlot’s Ascent enables you to sift through your library more effectively, particularly when searching for key spells or answers. This card lets you draw an additional card at the beginning of your upkeep when enchanted permanent is an island, improving your long-term strategy by giving you access to more options each turn.

Resource Acceleration: When you enchant a basic land with Arnjlot’s Ascent, it gains “Tap: Add an additional mana of any type that land produced.” This effect significantly ramps up your mana production, allowing for larger plays or multiple spell casting in a single turn which can dramatically swing the game in your favor.

Instant Speed: Although Arnjlot’s Ascent itself is an enchantment, its effect on the game can be as pivotal as a well-timed instant. Being able to untap the enchanted island with another card or ability and take advantage of the additional mana can disrupt your opponent’s expectations and give you an element of surprise.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Arnjlot’s Ascent requires the player to discard a card in order to cast it, which can pose a challenge when your hand is already dwindling. This added cost can be especially detrimental during late-game scenarios where each card in hand is valuable.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Arnjlot’s Ascent involves a combination of blue mana, making it a card that fits primarily into mono-blue or blue-inclusive decks. As such, it’s not a versatile pick for decks that don’t run blue mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is on the higher side for its category, Arnjlot’s Ascent might not always be the most efficient choice. There are other spells in MTG with lower casting costs that provide similar or more advantageous effects, making them potentially more cost-effective options for players seeking to optimize their mana usage.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Arnjlot’s Ascent can adapt to a variety of MTG decks, serving as an enabler for multiple strategies with its flying permission and card draw capabilities. Its flexible usage allows players to harness the potential of airborne units or increase their hand size effectively.

Combo Potential: With Arnjlot’s Ascent, players can effortlessly supplement their combo pieces thanks to the card’s ability to sift through the deck while potentially setting up synergistic plays with creatures that have flying.

Meta-Relevance: As the MTG landscape evolves, cards like Arnjlot’s Ascent can become crucial, especially when aerial superiority is paramount. When the meta is ripe for decks that benefit from flying creatures and consistent card draw, this card shines.

How to beat

Arnjlot’s Ascent presents a strategic challenge in MTG, offering players a unique way to draw cards based on the number of creatures they control. It’s akin to cards that reward playing a wide strategy, except that it provides consistent value as the board presence grows. To effectively navigate against Arnjlot’s Ascent, it is crucial to disrupt your opponent’s board. Board wipes like Wrath of God or single-target removal such as Murder can reduce the potency of Arnjlot’s Ascent by lowering the creature count.

Another angle is to apply pressure, forcing opponents to block with creatures that contribute to Arnjlot’s Ascent’s draw mechanism. By limiting their creature-based resources, they are unable to exploit the card advantage Arnjlot’s Ascent provides. Enchantment removal spells, such as Disenchant, provide a direct answer, removing the enchantment before its benefit becomes overwhelming. When facing Arnjlot’s Ascent, it’s important to consider the pacing of your removal and disruptive plays, optimizing the timing to hinder your opponent’s game plan effectively.

At its core, overcoming Arnjlot’s Ascent involves a strategy that contains both creature control and targeted disruption against key pieces that could enable your opponent’s ascent to overwhelming card advantage.

Cards like Arnjlot's Ascent

Exploring the skies within MTG, Arnjlot’s Ascent stands out with its unique ability to grant flying to a creature at the cost of tapping an untapped blue creature you control. This is reminiscent of cards such as Levitation, which provides a more global effect by giving all your creatures flying. The distinction here lies in Arnjlot’s Ascent’s selective and repeatable nature, as opposed to Levitation’s more blanket approach.

When it comes to versatility, Launch is another card that shares a similar space, offering a single creature flying until end of turn along with a card draw. While Launch doesn’t have the repeatability of Arnjlot’s Ascent, it provides an immediate upside of card advantage. Furthermore, comparing it with Jump, which simply grants flying to targeted creature until end of turn, Arnjlot’s Ascent offers ongoing aerial support as long as you have the necessary blue creatures to tap.

In sum, Arnjlot’s Ascent fits into a niche but versatile role in MTG, allowing players to deploy strategic aerial defense or offense repeatedly, a trait that while echoed by similar cards, is uniquely its own. The card presents an interesting option for decks looking to keep key creatures airborne, aligning well with the tactical gameplay that blue decks often exhibit.

Cards similar to Arnjlot's Ascent by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Arnjlot's Ascent MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age, 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 Arnjlot's Ascent and other MTG cards: