Price$0.32 – $2.52
Buy on TCGplayerForgotten Ancient
Creature — Elemental
LegalRank #394
Whenever a player casts a spell, you may put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may move any number of +1/+1 counters from this creature onto other creatures.
0/3
Why is this card good?
Forgotten Ancient is a deceptively powerful counter engine that snowballs hard in multiplayer. Because it triggers off any player casting a spell, you're banking 3-5 counters per turn cycle in a typical four-player pod — far faster than it grows in 1v1. By your next upkeep you've got a pile of counters to redistribute wherever you need them.
That redistribution clause is the key. It feeds +1/+1 counter synergies and lets you pump up evasive threats, push lethal commander damage, or just spread counters across a token board. It shines in:
- +1/+1 counter decks (Ezuri, Ghave, Skullbriar) as a free counter battery
- Token/go-wide green strategies that want to anthem-pump permanently
- Proliferate decks, since stacked counters multiply your proliferate value
Downsides: it does nothing the turn it lands, it's a vanilla creature until it's grown, and it screams "kill me" — expect heavy removal targeting. It's also fragile; losing it dumps all your counters.
Skip it in decks that don't care about counters or can't protect it.
Related cards
Hardened Scales
Amplifies the +1/+1 counters Forgotten Ancient accumulates.
Doubling Season
Doubles counters placed on Forgotten Ancient each turn.
Branching Evolution
Doubles counter generation for explosive growth.
Champion of Lambholt
Similar green counter-scaling creature that grows with spells/creatures.
Managorger Hydra
Also grows a +1/+1 counter whenever any spell is cast.
Cathars' Crusade
Counter-spreading payoff across your creatures like the Ancient's move ability.
The Ozolith
Preserves and relocates counters synergizing with counter movement.
Inspiring Call
Draws cards and protects your counter-laden creatures.
Printings (21)
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Played by these commanders
Go-Shintai of Life's Origin100% of 1
Ms. Bumbleflower100% of 1
Atraxa, Praetors' Voice100% of 2
Adrix and Nev, Twincasters100% of 1
Ezuri, Claw of Progress100% of 1
Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener100% of 1
Tidus, Yuna's Guardian100% of 2
Zimone, Infinite Analyst100% of 1
Perrie, the Pulverizer100% of 1
Chishiro, the Shattered Blade100% of 1