Ancestor's Chosen MTG Card


Arrival triggers life equal to graveyard cards, enhancing late-game strength or self-mill decks. Requires careful mana planning and can be slow to play against fast-paced decks. Fits well in collections for its defensive qualities in aggressive metagames and combo potential.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Cleric
Abilities First strike
Power 4
Toughness 4

Text of card

First strike When Ancestor's Chosen comes into play, you gain 1 life for each card in your graveyard.

Empowered by generations of strength.


Cards like Ancestor's Chosen

Ancestor’s Chosen is a unique fixture among creatures in MTG, fulfilling a distinct niche with its entry on the battlefield. Comparable to creatures like Luminous Broodmoth, Ancestor’s Chosen enriches your endgame with its seven points of life gained for each card in your graveyard when it lands on the field. Luminous Broodmoth, while not directly influencing life totals, provides a different form of resilience, granting second chances to your non-flyer creatures thanks to its reanimation ability.

Gravewaker is another card that echoes the sentiment of utilizing the graveyard, though it focuses more on reanimating creatures directly rather than bolstering your life points. Where Ancestor’s Chosen is a one-time sizeable life boost upon entry, Gravewaker offers recurrent strategic value by bringing creatures back to the battlefield. Sun Titan also shares this reanimation theme, capable of retrieving lower-cost permanents from your graveyard to the battlefield, yet the life-gain aspect of Ancestor’s Chosen is absent.

Overall, while each of these cards interplays with the graveyard to accrue benefits, the life-gaining prowess of Ancestor’s Chosen sets it apart as a definitive choice for players looking to turn their graveyard into a source of life, tipping the scales in prolonged matches.

Luminous Broodmoth - MTG Card versions
Gravewaker - MTG Card versions
Sun Titan - MTG Card versions
Luminous Broodmoth - MTG Card versions
Gravewaker - MTG Card versions
Sun Titan - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Ancestor's Chosen by color, type and mana cost

Elder Land Wurm - MTG Card versions
Seraph - MTG Card versions
Archangel - MTG Card versions
Serra Avatar - MTG Card versions
Drogskol Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Eternal Dragon - MTG Card versions
Soul of Eternity - MTG Card versions
Crowd Favorites - MTG Card versions
Kami of the Honored Dead - MTG Card versions
Luminous Angel - MTG Card versions
Angel of Retribution - MTG Card versions
Ghosts of the Innocent - MTG Card versions
Angel of Glory's Rise - MTG Card versions
Windbrisk Raptor - MTG Card versions
Pale Wayfarer - MTG Card versions
Yoked Plowbeast - MTG Card versions
Vengeful Archon - MTG Card versions
Angelic Arbiter - MTG Card versions
Kemba's Legion - MTG Card versions
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite - MTG Card versions
Elder Land Wurm - MTG Card versions
Seraph - MTG Card versions
Archangel - MTG Card versions
Serra Avatar - MTG Card versions
Drogskol Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Eternal Dragon - MTG Card versions
Soul of Eternity - MTG Card versions
Crowd Favorites - MTG Card versions
Kami of the Honored Dead - MTG Card versions
Luminous Angel - MTG Card versions
Angel of Retribution - MTG Card versions
Ghosts of the Innocent - MTG Card versions
Angel of Glory's Rise - MTG Card versions
Windbrisk Raptor - MTG Card versions
Pale Wayfarer - MTG Card versions
Yoked Plowbeast - MTG Card versions
Vengeful Archon - MTG Card versions
Angelic Arbiter - MTG Card versions
Kemba's Legion - MTG Card versions
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Ancestor's Chosen. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
The RockThe Rock PremodernMisty Premodern Winter Finals
DecklistDecklist Free formMiddle School World Championships

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Ancestor’s Chosen, the entry into the battlefield brings immediate value by potentially adding a significant number of cards to your hand. This effect is directly tied to the number of cards in your graveyard, making it immensely beneficial in the later stages of the game or in strategies focusing on self-milling.

Resource Acceleration: Though Ancestor’s Chosen does not directly produce mana or Treasure tokens, it sets the stage for massive resource acceleration. The gained life can be an indirect resource, buying you time to deploy other mana acceleration measures without the pressure of a low life total.

Instant Speed: While Ancestor’s Chosen itself is not an instant, it benefits greatly from instant speed spells in MTG. It synergizes well with cards that can fill your graveyard at instant speed before it enters the battlefield, thereby maximizing the card advantage gained through its entry effect.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ancestor’s Chosen demands precious graveyard resources to maximize its potential, which means that deploying it without a stacked graveyard can be less impactful than expected.

Specific Mana Cost: This card necessitates a specific blend of mana sources, including two white, which can pose a deckbuilding restriction, particularly in multicolored or mana-intensive decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a seven mana value, Ancestor’s Chosen can be a heavy investment considering the fast-paced nature of many game formats, potentially hindering your ability to respond to more immediate threats on the battlefield.


Reasons to Include Ancestor’s Chosen in Your Collection

Versatility: Ancestor’s Chosen is a flexible pick for decks that benefit from life gain and graveyard strategies. Its substantial life gain upon entering the battlefield can be a game-changer in long, drawn-out matches.

Combo Potential: With its ability to restore life equal to the number of cards in your graveyard, Ancestor’s Chosen works well with self-mill strategies or decks that fill the graveyard quickly, unlocking powerful synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In game environments where aggressive decks are prominent, Ancestor’s Chosen provides a considerable defensive boost. The life gain can be crucial for stabilizing the board and turning the tides of battle in your favor.


How to Beat Ancestor’s Chosen

Ancestor’s Chosen is a card that brings significant late-game impact to the tabletop. With a grand entrance, this card returns one life to its controller for each card in their graveyard. Naturally, this makes for an impressive swing in games with prolonged battles and densely filled graveyards. But how do you effectively counter this high-life-gain strategy?

Dealing with Ancestor’s Chosen starts with graveyard management. Utilizing cards that exile the graveyard, like Tormod’s Crypt or Relic of Progenitus, can diminish the life gained on entry. Additionally, employing removal spells before Ancestor’s Chosen can amass that life gain is key. Swift action with spells such as Path to Exile or Murderous Rider will dispose of the threat before it stabilizes your opponent’s position.

Furthermore, consider running cards that prevent life gain altogether. Tainted Remedy or Erebos, God of the Dead can turn this life-gain advantage into a disadvantage. Should Ancestor’s Chosen hit the board, these cards ensure its ability doesn’t alter the state of play. Keeping these strategies in mind will aid in mitigating the impact of Ancestor’s Chosen and maintaining control of the game.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ancestor's Chosen MTG card by a specific set like Judgment and Tenth Edition, 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 Ancestor's Chosen and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ancestor's Chosen Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2002-05-27 and 2018-12-07. Illustrated by Pete Venters.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-05-27JudgmentJUD 11997NormalBlackPete Venters
22007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 12003NormalBlackPete Venters
32007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 1★2003NormalBlackPete Venters
42018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 92015NormalBlackPete Venters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ancestor's Chosen has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal