Ancient Amphitheater MTG Card


Seamlessly integrates into Giant tribal decks and supports quick mana fixing. Encourages earlier plays of demanding spells for a competitive edge. Requires showing a Giant to enter untapped, which may narrow utility.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeLand

Text of card

As Ancient Amphitheater comes into play, you may reveal a Giant card from your hand. If you don't, Ancient Amphitheater comes into play tapped. : Add or to your mana pool.

The arbiter Galanda Feudkiller judges Lorwyn's squabbles from a lofty perspective.


Cards like Ancient Amphitheater

Ancient Amphitheater is an intriguing land card in Magic: The Gathering, not only for its utility in mana fixing but also for its tribal synergy. This card is often weighed against cards like Unclaimed Territory, which provides mana of any color for casting creatures of a chosen type. While Unclaimed Territory is versatile across various creature types, Ancient Amphitheater also offers a ‘no comes into play tapped’ condition if you reveal a Giant card from your hand.

Another card worthy of comparison is Cavern of Souls, which similarly allows the casting of creatures of a chosen type and makes them uncounterable, giving it an edge in control-heavy environments. Although Cavern of Souls presents a broader protection for your creatures, Ancient Amphitheater’s distinction lies in its compatibility with the Lorwyn block’s Giants and their quirky tribal mechanics.

Tying it all together, while there are other lands that cater to tribal decks, Ancient Amphitheater stands unique within the Giant tribe, offering both a strategic mana fix and an early game tempo advantage, provided you have one of Lorwyn’s towering denizens in hand. It definitely holds a special place in decks that favor the formidable footsteps of Giants.

Unclaimed Territory - MTG Card versions
Cavern of Souls - MTG Card versions
Unclaimed Territory - MTG Card versions
Cavern of Souls - MTG Card versions

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Temple of Triumph - MTG Card versions
Furycalm Snarl - MTG Card versions
Battlefield Forge - MTG Card versions
Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion - MTG Card versions
Rugged Prairie - MTG Card versions
Boros Guildgate - MTG Card versions
Wind-Scarred Crag - MTG Card versions
Needle Spires - MTG Card versions
Inspiring Vantage - MTG Card versions
Stone Quarry - MTG Card versions
Clifftop Retreat - MTG Card versions
Sunbaked Canyon - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tapping into the lineage of Lorwyn’s Giants, Ancient Amphitheater provides a seamless inclusion in tribal decks. It can straightforwardly be counted as a card that effortlessly synchronizes with your Giants, giving you the benefit of reliable mana fixing without the downside of entering the battlefield tapped—if you reveal a Giant from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: As a land that potentially taps for two colors of mana from the moment it hits the field, Ancient Amphitheater can play a pivotal role in speeding up your plays. It lets you cast more demanding spells earlier in the game, ensuring a swifter and more efficient deployment of your strategy, which can be critical in gaining the upper hand over your opponents.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, the Amphitheater aligns well with decks that favor instant speed interactions. By providing a reliable mana base for your Giants or other red or white spells, it supports casting impactful instants on your opponent’s turn with greater confidence, keeping your options open and your plays unpredictable.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike lands that come into play untapped without caveats, Ancient Amphitheater mandates revealing a Giant card from your hand or having to wait till your next turn to utilize it for mana, potentially delaying your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: Outfitted to specifically support red and white mana costs, Ancient Amphitheater may not fit smoothly into multicolored decks that don’t feature Giants or do not run on these colors, thereby narrowing its utility across a broader range of deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When considering lands that provide colored mana without entering the battlefield tapped, Ancient Amphitheater doesn’t offer the immediate utility some players might seek, especially in a fast-paced game where every turn counts and mana efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include Ancient Amphitheater in Your Collection

Versatility: As a land with the ability to potentially come into play untapped, Ancient Amphitheater offers solid mana-fixing for decks that emphasize Giants. This utility makes it an easy inclusion for tribal builds or any red-white Commander decks that could benefit from its dual-color offering.

Combo Potential: Beyond just mana production, Ancient Amphitheater works well with cards that care about land types, such as those with Domain or Landfall. It can activate and enhance these strategies by providing consistent access to its two specific colors of mana.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where tribal synergies are celebrated and Giants enjoy prevalence, including Ancient Amphitheater in your deck keeps your plays swift and your mana base stable. This adaptability makes it a relevant choice for players aiming to stay competitive within such a meta landscape.


How to beat Ancient Amphitheater

Ancient Amphitheater is a land card that, while potentially powerful in the right deck, has its vulnerabilities that can be exploited. This card thrives in decks built around Giant creatures, granting both a mana advantage and tribal synergy. To counteract its benefits, disrupting the opponent’s land base can be effective. Land destruction spells or effects that prevent land searching can neutralize the advantage that Ancient Amphitheater provides.

Additionally, countering the tribal aspect by removing Giants or using effects that negate the ability to cast creature spells can also be a robust strategy. This cuts off the synergy that Ancient Amphitheater aims to enhance. Keep in mind that diversifying your threats and not relying on a single land type can outpace a deck that uses this card as a cornerstone. By employing these tactics, the edge that Ancient Amphitheater offers can be significantly diminished, paving the way to victory against decks that heavily rely on it.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ancient Amphitheater MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn and Commander 2015, 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 Ancient Amphitheater and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ancient Amphitheater Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2007-10-12 and 2018-06-08. Illustrated by Rob Alexander.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-10-12LorwynLRW 2662003NormalBlackRob Alexander
22015-11-13Commander 2015C15 2762015NormalBlackRob Alexander
32018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 2322015NormalBlackRob Alexander

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ancient Amphitheater has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal