Anaba Ancestor MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Minotaur Spirit
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides card advantage by pumping Minotaurs, enhancing board presence without extra cards.
  2. Allows for resource acceleration, aiding swift tribal strategy execution and board influence.
  3. Instant speed ability grants tactical advantage during combat or against opponents’ moves.

Text of card

oc T: Target Minotaur gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

"The Ancestors are the wisdom of the tribe and the soul of the Homelands. I am eternally in their debt." —Taysir


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Anaba Ancestor features a unique ability allowing you to pump a Minotaur creature, which can indirectly lead to card advantage by strengthening your board presence and reducing the need for additional creature spells.

Resource Acceleration: This card’s totemic support, representative of its tribal synergy for Minotaurs, encourages a swifter development of your tribal strategy, expediting your deck’s capacity to present threats and influence the board.

Instant Speed: The activated ability of Anaba Ancestor can be utilized at instant speed, offering the flexibility to bolster your creatures during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions, making it a tactical asset in battle.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Anaba Ancestor necessitates discarding another card to activate its ability. This can be particularly taxing if you’re already managing a smaller hand, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage with fewer options for subsequent turns.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a blend of both red and generic mana, Anaba Ancestor demands a dedicated slot in your mana base. This can make it challenging to cast in multi-colored decks that might not have ready access to red mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana to cast, including one red, Anaba Ancestor’s impact on the game may not align with its mana investment when compared to other creatures or spells at a similar mana tier. This could potentially slow down your game plan, especially in formats where speed is crucial.


Reasons to Include Anaba Ancestor in Your Collection

Versatility: Anaba Ancestor offers widespread utility in Minotaur tribal or aggro decks, reinforcing the board with its ancestral heritage by boosting fellow Minotaurs. Its inclusion can diversify your gameplay, offering pivotal support in crucial match moments.

Combo Potential: As a tribal boon, this card synergizes seamlessly with Minotaur-themed cards, particularly those that feed off of buffs to creatures. This interplay can yield overwhelmingly powerful creatures that dominate the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where tribal decks make a splash, Anaba Ancestor finds its place by solidifying the creature line-up. This card can play a crucial role, especially in formats that favor robust, creature-based strategies.


How to beat

Anaba Ancestor is a card that offers tribal synergy in Magic: The Gathering, specifically within Minotaur decks. At face value, its ability to bolster other Minotaurs may seem daunting, especially considering the cumulative power boost it offers in a creature-heavy setup. However, this card’s potential can be mitigated tactically.

Key to defeating an opponent’s Anaba Ancestor strategy is to disrupt their board presence. Removal spells are crucial in this endeavor. Direct removals like Doom Blade or Path to Exile will eliminate the Ancestor before its ability becomes a significant problem. Using counter spells like Negate or Mana Leak can also prevent the Ancestor or other Minotaur cards from hitting the field at all. Additionally, board wipes such as Wrath of God can reset the game, nullifying the accumulated bonuses from Anaba Ancestor.

Since Anaba Ancestor hinges on a concentrated tribal strategy, dismantling that unity by selectively removing creatures or negating abilities can turn the tide of battle. Prioritizing threats and maintaining control of the board will often lead to victory against a deck with Anaba Ancestor at its core.


Cards like Anaba Ancestor

Anaba Ancestor adds to the lineage of Magic: The Gathering’s tribal support cards. It’s analogous to cards like Goblin Warchief in that it empowers its tribe – Minotaur in this case – much like the Warchief does for Goblins. Nevertheless, Anaba Ancestor provides a distinct advantage of bolstering Minotaur creatures with banding ability, making combat more favorable for them. Goblin Warchief, differs by offering cost reduction and haste to its tribe, thus enhancing their speed rather than their combat interaction.

In resemblance, we can look at Elvish Archdruid, which is also a tribal-boosting card. Much like Anaba Ancestor, the Archdruid offers a static power and toughness boost to its specific tribe – Elves. Additionally, Elvish Archdruid provides a ramping ability by producing mana, contrasting with Anaba Ancestor’s focus on fortifying defensive and tactical combat strategies with banding.

Reviewing the MTG landscape, Anaba Ancestor holds a unique place within Minotaur tribal cards. It stands out by strengthening the cohesion within a Minotaur deck, highlighting its ability to turn individual Minotaur creatures into a formidable, unified force on the battlefield.

Goblin Warchief - MTG Card versions
Elvish Archdruid - MTG Card versions
Goblin Warchief - Scourge (SCG)
Elvish Archdruid - Magic 2010 (M10)

Cards similar to Anaba Ancestor by color, type and mana cost

Rock Hydra - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Weaponsmith - MTG Card versions
Goblin Rock Sled - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Lieutenant - MTG Card versions
Goblin Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Heart Sliver - MTG Card versions
Mogg Flunkies - MTG Card versions
Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions
Fireslinger - MTG Card versions
Skittish Kavu - MTG Card versions
Rage Weaver - MTG Card versions
Minotaur Explorer - MTG Card versions
Sparksmith - MTG Card versions
Goblin Lookout - MTG Card versions
Skirk Marauder - MTG Card versions
Hellspark Elemental - MTG Card versions
Storm Entity - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Soldier - MTG Card versions
Mogg War Marshal - MTG Card versions
Mudbrawler Cohort - MTG Card versions
Rock Hydra - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Dwarven Weaponsmith - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Goblin Rock Sled - The Dark (DRK)
Dwarven Lieutenant - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Goblin Recruiter - Visions (VIS)
Heart Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
Mogg Flunkies - Stronghold (STH)
Goblin Elite Infantry - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Fireslinger - Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra (JVC)
Skittish Kavu - Invasion (INV)
Rage Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Minotaur Explorer - Odyssey (ODY)
Sparksmith - Onslaught (ONS)
Goblin Lookout - Legions (LGN)
Skirk Marauder - Legions (LGN)
Hellspark Elemental - DCI Promos (PDCI)
Storm Entity - Future Sight (FUT)
Dwarven Soldier - Masters Edition (ME1)
Mogg War Marshal - Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins (DD1)
Mudbrawler Cohort - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Anaba Ancestor MTG card by a specific set like Homelands and Masters Edition III, 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 Anaba Ancestor and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Anaba Ancestor Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1995-10-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by Anson Maddocks.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11995-10-01HomelandsHML 651993normalblackAnson Maddocks
22009-09-07Masters Edition IIIME3 861997normalblackAnson Maddocks

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Anaba Ancestor has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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