Court of Ambition MTG Card


Strategically enforces discard, accelerating your resource advantage and shifting game power dynamics. Demands thoughtful deck building, due to specific mana requirements potentially limiting multi-color decks. Combines continuous opponent pressure with political play, enhancing control-focused deck strategies.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment

Text of card

When Court of Ambition enters the battlefield, you become the monarch. At the beginning of your upkeep, each opponent loses 3 life unless they discard a card. If you're the monarch, instead each opponent loses 6 life unless they discard two cards.


Cards like Court of Ambition

Court of Ambition stands out among the enchantments that dominate opponents in Magic: The Gathering. It shares some resemblance with cards like Torment of Scarabs, which also imposes a taxing effect on opponents during their upkeep. However, Court of Ambition adds a layer of strategy with its monarchy mechanic. Players must weigh the risk of becoming the monarch against the potential benefit of forcing opponents to lose life or discard cards.

Another comparable card is Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted. While Ob Nixilis does not interact directly with life totals, it incentivizes players to draw cards at a cost—much like Court of Ambition punishes opponents. Although a planeswalker, Ob Nixilis’s influence is similarly oppressive. Both cards excel in environments where players have to continuously assess the value of their actions versus the relentless pressure these cards apply.

Ultimately, Court of Ambition is a unique piece in MTG’s range of control cards. It effectively combines pressure with political play, potentially impacting multiple opponents and altering the course of the game through its dual modes of punishment.

Torment of Scarabs - MTG Card versions
Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted - MTG Card versions
Torment of Scarabs - MTG Card versions
Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Court of Ambition by color, type and mana cost

Pestilence - MTG Card versions
Lich - MTG Card versions
Cursed Land - MTG Card versions
Nether Void - MTG Card versions
Breeding Pit - MTG Card versions
Greed - MTG Card versions
Feast of the Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Koskun Falls - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Servitude - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Embrace - MTG Card versions
Brink of Madness - MTG Card versions
Death Pit Offering - MTG Card versions
Tainted Aether - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Desire - MTG Card versions
Last Laugh - MTG Card versions
Nightmare Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Erebos, Bleak-Hearted - MTG Card versions
Night of Souls' Betrayal - MTG Card versions
Measure of Wickedness - MTG Card versions
Grave Pact - MTG Card versions
Pestilence - MTG Card versions
Lich - MTG Card versions
Cursed Land - MTG Card versions
Nether Void - MTG Card versions
Breeding Pit - MTG Card versions
Greed - MTG Card versions
Feast of the Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Koskun Falls - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Servitude - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Embrace - MTG Card versions
Brink of Madness - MTG Card versions
Death Pit Offering - MTG Card versions
Tainted Aether - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Desire - MTG Card versions
Last Laugh - MTG Card versions
Nightmare Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Erebos, Bleak-Hearted - MTG Card versions
Night of Souls' Betrayal - MTG Card versions
Measure of Wickedness - MTG Card versions
Grave Pact - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Rakdos ScamRakdos Scam LegacyRakdos ScamLegacy League 2023-12-02

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Court of Ambition provides a recurring method for diminishing your opponents’ resources while potentially allowing you to draw extra cards if you hold the monarch status.

Resource Acceleration: By causing opponents to discard cards, this card indirectly accelerates your effective resource advantage over them, shifting the balance of power in your favor.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant itself, the power of Court of Ambition lies in its constant pressure each upkeep, aligning with instant speed strategies that leave opponents always guessing and unable to settle into a comfortable game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Court of Ambition enforces a discard strategy that can backfire if you’re already behind in card advantage. Should your hand be depleted, meeting its trigger to maintain or gain the monarch status can become challenging, diminishing its overall value during the course of play.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring two black mana as part of its casting cost, Court of Ambition can present deck-building restrictions. Its reliance on a specific color demands a strong mana base, which might be problematic in multi-color decks that need to balance various mana requirements.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, including two that are color-specific, this card enters the battlefield at a point when players may wish to deploy more impactful threats or defenses. While its potential for recurring damage and card advantage is notable, the initial investment might steer players towards alternatives that provide immediate board presence or interaction.


Reasons to Include Court of Ambition in Your Collection

Versatility: Court of Ambition is a flexible enchantment that can slide into numerous black-aligned decks. Its dual modes cater to aggressive strategies needing a consistent drain on an opponent’s life, while offering a powerful upkeep trigger for decks aiming to control opponents’ hand sizes.

Combo Potential: With Court of Ambition, players have found intriguing synergies with cards that compel opponents to discard or offer rewards for doing so. This card easily becomes a engine in strategies revolving around punishment and resource denial.

Meta-Relevance: As games tend to slow down in more control-focused metas, Court of Ambition shines by applying relentless pressure each turn. It matches well against decks that rely heavily on card advantage by punishing their larger hand sizes, making it a significant threat that can sway the game in your favor.


How to Beat Court of Ambition

Court of Ambition is one of those cards in MTG that can relentlessly chip away at an opponent’s life total if left unchecked on the battlefield. Part of the Monarch mechanic, it provides you with a beneficial status that potentially draws extra cards while punishing others. Tackling this enchantment requires a steady approach.

Keys to dismantling the Court’s influence include enchantment removal spells, becoming the Monarch yourself, or deploying strategies that limit hand sizes, rendering the card’s second ability less threatening. Cards like Disenchant or Feed the Swarm offer straightforward solutions to remove it directly from the battlefield. Alternatively, employing your own creatures or spells that can steal the Monarch status can help turn the tables and direct the game’s momentum in your favor. In essence, maintaining pressure and control over the board state are paramount to ensure the Court of Ambition does not dominate the game.

In summary, it’s critical to address the Court swiftly and decisively, dissolving its rule before it becomes too taxing. Whether through targeted removal or clever maneuvering, keeping a lid on what the Court can inflict will help you maintain an advantage over your heralded adversary.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic depth of MTG is showcased beautifully with the Court of Ambition. This card’s capability to disrupt your opponent’s game plan while solidifying your own is a layered tactic that speaks to experienced players. To incorporate strategies around Court of Ambition or counter its effects, understanding the nuances of the monarch mechanic and card synergies is vital. Enhance your deck with tools designed to manipulate resources or simply learn how to edge out your opponents by controlling the monarchy. If you’re keen on refining your skills and expanding your collection with strategic cards like Court of Ambition, join our community where insights flourish and victory awaits.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Court of Ambition MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander Legends, 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 Court of Ambition and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Court of Ambition Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-11-20 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Ravenna Tran.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 859782015NormalBlackRavenna Tran
22020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 6452015NormalBlackRavenna Tran
32020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 1142015NormalBlackRavenna Tran

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Court of Ambition has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-11-10 As Court of Ambition's second ability resolves, first the next opponent in turn order chooses whether they are discarding or not. If they are, they choose a card without revealing it (or two cards without revealing them, if you're the monarch), then each other opponent in turn order does the same. Then each chosen card is discarded simultaneously, and finally each player who couldn't or didn't discard loses the appropriate amount of life.
2020-11-10 If combat damage dealt to the monarch causes that player to lose the game, the triggered ability that causes the controller of the attacking creature to become the monarch doesn't resolve. In most cases, the controller of the attacking creature will still become the monarch as it is likely their turn.
2020-11-10 If the monarch leaves the game during another player's turn, that player becomes the monarch. If the monarch leaves the game during their turn, the next player in turn order becomes the monarch.
2020-11-10 If the triggered ability that causes the monarch to draw a card goes on the stack and a different player becomes the monarch before that ability resolves, the first player will still draw the card.
2020-11-10 The game starts with no monarch. Once an effect makes one player the monarch, the game will have exactly one monarch from that point forward. As a player becomes the monarch, the current monarch (if any) ceases being the monarch.
2020-11-10 There are two inherent triggered abilities associated with being the monarch. These triggered abilities have no source and are controlled by the player who was the monarch at the time the abilities triggered. The full texts of these abilities are "At the beginning of the monarch's end step, that player draws a card" and "Whenever a creature deals combat damage to the monarch, its controller becomes the monarch."