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The Ancient One

BlackBlue

4 printings listed in our catalog, from newest to oldest.

The Ancient One, The Lost Caverns of Ixalan printing
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan LCI · No. 222 2023-11-17

Card text

{U}{B}
Legendary Creature — Spirit God
Descend 8 — The Ancient One can't attack or block unless there are eight or more permanent cards in your graveyard. {2}{U}{B}: Draw a card, then discard a card. When you discard a card this way, target player mills cards equal to its mana value.
8 / 8
Keywords: Descend, Mill
EDHREC rank #5889 Mythic Not on the Reserved List
Seen in store
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The 4 printings

All, with their prices ↓

Standard ✓ Legal
Pioneer ✓ Legal
Modern ✓ Legal
Legacy ✓ Legal
Vintage ✓ Legal
Pauper ∅ Not legal
Commander ✓ Legal
Oathbreaker ✓ Legal
Brawl ✓ Legal
Historic ✓ Legal
Timeless ✓ Legal
Alchemy ∅ Not legal
Explorer ∅ Not legal
Gladiator ✓ Legal
Penny ✓ Legal
Duel ✓ Legal

Official rulings

4 rulings · in English, source Scryfall

Once The Ancient One has legally attacked or blocked, removing permanent cards from your graveyard so the descend 8 ability no longer applies won't remove The Ancient One from combat.

2023-11-10 · Wizards of the Coast

Some descend triggered abilities include intervening "if" clauses (i.e. "if you have [four or eight] permanent cards in your graveyard" in the middle of the ability). Each of these abilities checks your graveyard at the moment it would trigger to see if it does. If you don't have the required number of permanent cards in your graveyard at that time, the ability doesn't trigger at all. If it does trigger, it will check again as it tries to resolve. If you don't have the required number of permanent cards in your graveyard at that time, the ability won't resolve and none of its effects will happen.

2023-11-10 · Wizards of the Coast

Cards with the ability word "descend N" have abilities that care if you have at least N permanent cards in your graveyard.

2023-11-10 · Wizards of the Coast

You don't choose a target for The Ancient One's activated ability at the time you activate it. Rather, a second "reflexive" ability triggers when you discard a card this way. You choose a target for that ability as it goes on the stack. Each player may respond to this triggered ability as normal.

2023-11-10 · Wizards of the Coast

All printings

The Ancient One, The Lost Caverns of Ixalan printing
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
LCI · #222
Mythic
Tapt's Canadian calculation. How to read these prices
Fusion Gaming · Condition DMG
The Ancient One, The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Promos printing
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Promos
PLCI · #222p
Mythic
∅ No QC price
The Ancient One, The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Promos printing
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Promos
PLCI · #222s
Mythic
∅ No QC price