Ancestral CommunionHow it works & interactions with other cards

Dual Purpose Recovery

At its core, Ancestral Communion allows you to return a permanent card—such as a creature, enchantment, or land—from your graveyard to your hand. However, the spell features a cast trigger: if you control your commander as you cast it, the spell copies itself. This allows you to target two different permanent cards in your graveyard, providing significant card advantage for just two mana.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, you cast Ancestral Communion and choose a target permanent card in your graveyard. If your commander is on the battlefield, the triggered ability goes on the stack above the original spell. You may then choose a new target for this copy. The copy resolves first, returning a card to your hand, followed by the original spell resolving and returning its target to your hand.

Timing and Control

The check for your commander happens only at the moment you cast the spell. If you lose control of your commander after the spell is cast but before the trigger resolves, the copy will still be created. Conversely, if you do not control your commander at the moment of casting, playing your commander later will not trigger the copy effect. Also, remember that the copy is not 'cast,' so it won't trigger other 'when you cast' abilities.

Strategic Considerations

This card is best utilized in decks that frequently put permanents into the graveyard through combat, sacrifice, or milling. Because it targets 'permanent cards,' it cannot return instants or sorceries. Use it mid-to-late game to recover key pieces that your opponents have dealt with, or to reclaim utility lands that were sacrificed for value.

Interaction examples

Basic Recursion

If you do not control your commander, you simply spend two mana to return one permanent card, such as a creature or a land, from your graveyard to your hand as the spell resolves.

Maximizing Value with Lands

Cultivate

After using Cultivate to ramp your mana, you might find yourself needing more resources later. If you control your commander and cast Ancestral Communion, you can return two permanent cards you previously discarded or that were destroyed, ensuring your hand remains fueled even after early-game ramp.

Fixing the Graveyard

Farseek

While Farseek helps you find specific lands, Ancestral Communion helps you get them back if they are destroyed. If your commander is out, you can target a land card and a creature card simultaneously, effectively doubling the efficiency of your recursion for the same low mana cost.