Ascendant Spirit MTG Card


Ascendant Spirit provides scaling benefits, giving you multiple advantages from just one card. Instant speed upgrades boost reactive play, offering strategic gameplay options. Requires significant snow mana investment, potentially limiting deck-building choices.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeSnow Creature — Spirit
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

{S}{S}: Ascendant Spirit becomes a Spirit Warrior with base power and toughness 2/3. {S}{S}{S}: If Ascendant Spirit is a Warrior, put a flying counter on it and it becomes a Spirit Warrior Angel with base power and toughness 4/4. {S}{S}{S}{S}: If Ascendant Spirit is an Angel, put two +1/+1 counters on it and it gains "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card."


Cards like Ascendant Spirit

Ascendant Spirit is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering that offers players an exciting, scalable effect based on the snow mana you invest into it. A comparable card is Figure of Destiny, which also evolves with more investment, growing in power and abilities. Both cards start as a small creature but can become formidable threats as the game progresses. However, Figure of Destiny requires any color of mana to level up, whereas Ascendant Spirit needs specifically snow mana to upgrade its stages.

Another similar card is Warden of the First Tree. Like the Ascendant Spirit, the Warden can be elevated multiple times using various amounts of mana, gaining new abilities and stats with each level. However, Ascendant Spirit’s snow requirement gives it a unique place in decks that focus on that particular mana type. Warden’s flexibility with mana types can both be an advantage and a disadvantage, as it doesn’t synergize with snow-specific perks or effects.

In the realm of incremental growth creatures, these cards demonstrate diverse strategies and resource allocation. Ascendant Spirit, with its snow mana niche, stands out and complements a specific deck type, embodying the adaptability and strategic depth MTG players cherish.

Figure of Destiny - MTG Card versions
Warden of the First Tree - MTG Card versions
Figure of Destiny - MTG Card versions
Warden of the First Tree - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Ascendant Spirit by color, type and mana cost

Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions
Flying Men - MTG Card versions
Shrieking Drake - MTG Card versions
Cloud Pirates - MTG Card versions
Fledgling Osprey - MTG Card versions
Manta Riders - MTG Card versions
Faerie Squadron - MTG Card versions
Faerie Seer - MTG Card versions
Fugitive Wizard - MTG Card versions
Wandering Ones - MTG Card versions
Teardrop Kami - MTG Card versions
Dreamcatcher - MTG Card versions
Drifter il-Dal - MTG Card versions
Sage of Epityr - MTG Card versions
Screeching Sliver - MTG Card versions
Timebender - MTG Card versions
Cloud Sprite - MTG Card versions
Merrow Witsniper - MTG Card versions
Cursecatcher - MTG Card versions
Martyr of Frost - MTG Card versions
Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions
Flying Men - MTG Card versions
Shrieking Drake - MTG Card versions
Cloud Pirates - MTG Card versions
Fledgling Osprey - MTG Card versions
Manta Riders - MTG Card versions
Faerie Squadron - MTG Card versions
Faerie Seer - MTG Card versions
Fugitive Wizard - MTG Card versions
Wandering Ones - MTG Card versions
Teardrop Kami - MTG Card versions
Dreamcatcher - MTG Card versions
Drifter il-Dal - MTG Card versions
Sage of Epityr - MTG Card versions
Screeching Sliver - MTG Card versions
Timebender - MTG Card versions
Cloud Sprite - MTG Card versions
Merrow Witsniper - MTG Card versions
Cursecatcher - MTG Card versions
Martyr of Frost - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Ascendant Spirit. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-Blue SpiritsMono-Blue Spirits PioneerMono-Blue SpiritsPioneer League 2024-04-13

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ascendant Spirit’s ability to scale and provide different benefits at each level means you can extract multiple abilities from a single card, effectively edging over opponents who may need multiple cards to achieve similar effects.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct source of mana ramp, the optimization of snow mana through Ascendant Spirit’s abilities allows for a more efficient use of resources. It transforms the investment into significantly bolstered board presence.

Instant Speed: The adaptability to upgrade Ascendant Spirit at instant speed creates reactive potential during gameplay. You can enhance its abilities in response to threats or at the end of an opponent’s turn to maintain the element of surprise, maximizing strategic depth.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ascendant Spirit requires you to shape it with snow mana multiple times to unlock its full potential. This process can be inefficient as it demands a consistent flow of resources over several turns, leaving you vulnerable to disruptions from your opponent’s plays.

Specific Mana Cost: The fact that Ascendant Spirit needs snow mana exclusively for its abilities means it’s inherently limited to a deck that can produce this type of mana. This can significantly narrow down deck-building options and affect the card’s versatility in various formats.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: To fully evolve Ascendant Spirit into its most powerful form, a substantial investment of mana is required. In the early stages of a game, this can impede your development since the card’s benefits are only maximized after multiple level-ups – an investment that can sometimes be too slow against more aggressive strategies.


Reasons to Include Ascendant Spirit in Your Collection

Versatility: Like a chameleon on the battlefield, Ascendant Spirit is a card known for its adaptability. It can occupy different roles in your deck, evolving to meet the current needs of the game, whether that’s as a swift attacker in the early game or a formidable entity in the later stages.

Combo Potential: Ascendant Spirit shines in decks designed to manipulate +1/+1 counters or snow mana. Its ability to grow and gain additional abilities presents numerous synergies, particularly with cards that care about creature types or enabled keyword abilities.

Meta-Relevance: Given its snow-centric nature, Ascendant Spirit holds its ground well in meta environments where snow mechanics are prevalent or in strategies that capitalize on the versatility of instant-speed transformations to adjust to constantly shifting gameplay dynamics.


How to Beat Ascendant Spirit

Ascendant Spirit is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to scale its power through various stages, much like a mana sink. At its base, it’s a modest 1/1 Spirit, but with sufficient snow mana, it can become a formidable threat, evoking the adaptability of Figure of Destiny.

When squaring off against Ascendant Spirit, timing is critical. Players must consider when to disrupt its growth. Early removal spells are most effective before the spirit evolves. Use instant-speed interactions like Shock or Fatal Push to eliminate it swiftly. If it’s already leveled up, employing bounce effects or exile-based removal such as Path to Exile can reset its progress and force your opponent to reinvest their resources.

Controlling the board state is also vital. Limiting the opponent’s snow mana production disrupts their ability to enhance Ascendant Spirit. Cards that restrict land usage or counter abilities can prevent the spirit from reaching its full potential. In summary, staying proactive and disrupting your opponent’s snow mana are key strategies to prevent Ascendant Spirit from ascending beyond reach.


BurnMana Recommendations

Ascendant Spirit is an MTG card that evokes the true spirit of adaptability and strategic depth. Its stage-based transformation allows players to wield a single card like a swiss army knife, adapting to the shifting tides of battle with each upgrade. Given its reliance on snow mana, this card is a compelling inclusion for specialized decks, rewarding those who master its snow-related intricacies. If you’re intrigued by the prospect of commanding this versatile Spirit and want to explore the snowy peaks of its potential, join our community. Learn tips, strategies, and deck-building secrets to harness the true power of Ascendant Spirit in your MTG collection.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ascendant Spirit MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Kaldheim, 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 Ascendant Spirit and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ascendant Spirit Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2021-02-06. Illustrated by Lie Setiawan.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 882422015NormalBlackLie Setiawan
22021-02-05KaldheimKHM 3412015NormalBlackLie Setiawan
32021-02-05KaldheimKHM 432015NormalBlackLie Setiawan
42021-02-06Kaldheim PromosPKHM 43p2015NormalBlackLie Setiawan
52021-02-06Kaldheim PromosPKHM 43s2015NormalBlackLie Setiawan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ascendant Spirit has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
BrawlLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-02-05 Activating the second ability after Ascendant Spirit has already been legally blocked by a creature without flying or reach won’t change or undo that block.
2021-02-05 Any effects that modify Ascendant Spirit’s power or toughness without setting it to a specific value will apply after its base power and toughness are set, regardless of the order in which those effects were created. The same is true of counters that modify its power and toughness.
2021-02-05 Any of Ascendant Spirit’s abilities may be activated repeatedly. Multiple flying counters on the same permanent provide no additional benefit; however, each time the last ability resolves while Ascendant Spirit is an Angel will give Ascendant Spirit two more +1/+1 counters and cause it to gain another instance of the triggered ability. All of those instances trigger separately.
2021-02-05 None of Ascendant Spirit’s abilities has a duration. If one of them resolves, it will remain in effect until Ascendant Spirit leaves the battlefield or a subsequent effect changes its characteristics.
2021-02-05 Snow is a supertype, not a card type. It has no rules meaning or function by itself, but spells and abilities may refer to it.
2021-02-05 Snow isn’t a type of mana. If an effect says you may spend mana as though it were any type, you can’t pay for {S} using mana that wasn’t produced by a snow source.
2021-02-05 Some cards have additional effects for each {S} spent to cast them. You can cast these spells even if you don’t spend any snow mana to cast them; their additional effects simply won’t do anything.
2021-02-05 The Kaldheim set doesn’t have any cards with mana costs that include {S}, but some previous sets do. If an effect says such a spell costs less to cast, that reduction doesn’t apply to any {S} costs. This is also true for activated abilities that include {S} in their activation costs and effects that reduce those costs.
2021-02-05 The first and second abilities cause Ascendant Spirit to lose any other creature types it may have. It retains any card types or supertypes it may have.
2021-02-05 The first and second abilities overwrite any previous effects that set Ascendant Spirit’s base power and toughness to specific values. Any effects that set Ascendant Spirit’s base power and toughness that start to apply after one of these abilities will override the effect of that ability.
2021-02-05 The {S} symbol is a generic mana symbol. It represents a cost that can be paid by one mana that was produced by a snow source. That mana can be any color or colorless.