Descendants' Path MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Descendants’ Path can provide significant card advantage by placing creatures into play without additional mana costs.
  2. Resource acceleration is a key benefit, allowing faster deployment of creatures to outpace opponents.
  3. The enchantment’s unique abilities make it a valuable inclusion in tribal and creature-focused MTG decks.

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal the top card of your library. If it's a creature card that shares a creature type with a creature you control, you may cast that card without paying its mana cost. Otherwise, put that card on the bottom of your library.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Descendants’ Path can help you consistently put creatures from your deck onto the battlefield at no extra cost each upkeep, essentially drawing you a creature card if its type matches one you control.

Resource Acceleration: By putting creatures directly onto the field without paying their mana cost, you effectively accelerate your resource deployment, potentially allowing you to outpace your opponent’s developments.

Instant Speed: While Descendants’ Path itself is not at instant speed, it allows you to deploy creatures at the beginning of your upkeep which could include creatures with flash, therefore not requiring you to commit mana to them on your turn and keeping it open for instant speed interactions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Descendants’ Path in your deck doesn’t come with a discard requirement, which can be beneficial as it retains your hand size and keeps your options open for future plays.

Specific Mana Cost: Descendants’ Path has a specific mana cost that includes one green mana. This could potentially limit its inclusion exclusively to green-themed decks or those that can generate green mana effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a converted mana cost of three, Descendants’ Path may be considered a bit pricey for an enchantment that doesn’t provide an immediate impact on the board state. In fast-paced games, this may set back your momentum in establishing early-game dominance.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Descendants’ Path is a unique enchantment that can smoothly slot into any tribal deck, amplifying creature play from Elves to Dragons. Its ability to potentially place creatures from the top of your library onto the battlefield caters to various strategies and card synergies within those tribes.

Combo Potential: This card serves as an engine for decks that aim to cheat creatures into play, working exceptionally well with library manipulation tools or creature top-deck strategies. With Descendants’ Path, you can quickly amass an overwhelming board presence that can turn the tide of the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where tribal decks are prominent or as a tech choice in a diverse local meta, Descendants’ Path stands out by allowing frequent and cost-free creature deployment. This continuous advantage can outpace opponents and aligns perfectly with the tribal deck’s game plan, maintaining relevance in both casual and competitive play.


How to beat

Descendants’ Path is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that gives players an edge by potentially casting creatures for free from the top of their library if they share a type with a creature they control. This can rapidly escalate their board presence and become a daunting challenge to overcome. However, one strategic approach is to tackle their library and creature synergy. Playing cards that disrupt creature types, such as Arcane Adaptation, or altering the top deck sequence with cards like Brainstorm or Sensei’s Divining Top can mitigate Descendants’ Path’s effectiveness.

Targeted removal spells also play a pivotal role. Destroying or exiling a key creature that shares the tribal connection can significantly hinder the enchantment’s ability to free-cast creatures. Another tactic is to employ counter magic against crucial tribal cards or Descendants’ Path itself, which prevents the setup entirely. Moreover, cards like Rest in Peace can negate any graveyard strategy that might complement Descendants’ Path, thus minimizing its impact on the game.

Overall, while Descendants’ Path can offer substantial value in creature-heavy decks, understanding and interrupting the synergies it relies on can effectively neutralize this card’s potential and maintain control of the game. Implementing these strategies will be essential for players aiming to beat decks harnessing the power of Descendants’ Path.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG’s dynamic play means delving into the intricacies of each card, like Descendants’ Path, which can be a game-changer in tribal decks. Its ability to cheat powerful creatures onto the battlefield aligns with various tribal synergies, offering a strategic edge in both casual and competitive scenes. To truly harness the potential of Descendants’ Path, integrating library manipulation and creature support cards will amplify its efficiency. Embrace the challenge of optimizing your deck and ensure you’re prepared for the meta shifts. Elevate your game knowledge and strategic play by incorporating Descendants’ Path into your arsenal, and stay ahead in MTG’s evolving landscape. Explore more insights and strategies with us to reinforce your deck-building skills and gameplay tactics.


Understanding Descendants’ Path in the Context of Similar Cards

Descendants’ Path is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that can give players an advantage by potentially allowing them to cheat creatures into play. This card finds itself in a special group of MTG cards that manipulate the top of the library to gain an edge. It’s akin to Call to the Kindred which also deals with creature-specific types but lacks Descendants’ Path’s mana-free mechanic. Call to the Kindred, however, lets the player look at the top five cards, potentially offering a more controlled choice.

Similarly, Kinship’s mechanic, found on cards like Cream of the Crop, shares the ability to sift through the top cards of your deck. Cream of the Crop provides a proactive approach, letting the player rearrange the top cards for a better draw, unlike Descendants’ Path’s more random but mana-efficient process.

Another related card is Lurking Predators, which also interacts with the top of the deck and creatures entering the battlefield but triggers on opponent’s actions, making it more unpredictable yet potentially more rewarding. It’s a bit more expensive but can be more impactful due to its reactive nature.

In essence, Descendants’ Path stands out for its ability to bypass mana costs and offers a form of “deck manipulation” that can synergize well with creature-heavy decks, cementing its unique position among similar MTG cards.

Call to the Kindred - MTG Card versions
Cream of the Crop - MTG Card versions
Lurking Predators - MTG Card versions
Call to the Kindred - Dark Ascension (DKA)
Cream of the Crop - Morningtide (MOR)
Lurking Predators - Magic 2010 (M10)

Cards similar to Descendants' Path by color, type and mana cost

Kudzu - MTG Card versions
Wanderlust - MTG Card versions
Thelon's Chant - MTG Card versions
Maddening Wind - MTG Card versions
Cycle of Life - MTG Card versions
Dense Foliage - MTG Card versions
Hall of Gemstone - MTG Card versions
Momentum - MTG Card versions
Ancestral Mask - MTG Card versions
Broken Fall - MTG Card versions
Lure - MTG Card versions
Food Chain - MTG Card versions
Howling Moon - MTG Card versions
The Dragon-Kami Reborn // Dragon-Kami's Egg - MTG Card versions
Squirrel Nest - MTG Card versions
Alpha Status - MTG Card versions
Lifegift - MTG Card versions
Blanchwood Armor - MTG Card versions
Rites of Flourishing - MTG Card versions
Raking Canopy - MTG Card versions
Kudzu - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Wanderlust - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Thelon's Chant - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Maddening Wind - Ice Age (ICE)
Cycle of Life - Mirage (MIR)
Dense Foliage - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Hall of Gemstone - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Momentum - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Ancestral Mask - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Broken Fall - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Lure - Tenth Edition (10E)
Food Chain - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Howling Moon - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
The Dragon-Kami Reborn // Dragon-Kami's Egg - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Promos (PNEO)
Squirrel Nest - World Championship Decks 2002 (WC02)
Alpha Status - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Lifegift - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Blanchwood Armor - The Brothers' War (BRO)
Rites of Flourishing - Future Sight (FUT)
Raking Canopy - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Descendants' Path MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Descendants' Path and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Descendants' Path Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2012-05-04 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-05-04Avacyn RestoredAVR 1732003normalblackTerese Nielsen
22019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 11832015normalborderlessTatamepi
32023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 2382015normalblackCarlos Palma Cruchaga

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Descendants' Path has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2012-05-01 If the card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value.
2012-05-01 If the revealed card is a creature card that shares a creature type with a creature you control, but you choose not to cast it, it's put on the bottom of your library. (This is a recent change.)
2012-05-01 If you cast a card "without paying its mana cost," you can't pay any alternative costs. You can pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the card has mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks