Walk with the Ancestors is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Return up to one target permanent card from your graveyard to your hand. Discover 4. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
Complete guide
Walk with the Ancestors is a versatile green sorcery that bridges the gap between your past and your future. It allows you to recover a fallen tool from your graveyard while simultaneously digging into your library for a fresh threat.
Dual Value: Regrowth and Discovery
This spell performs two distinct actions in sequence. First, it targets a permanent card in your graveyard to return to your hand. Second, it initiates the Discover 4 keyword, which automates finding and playing a card from your deck with mana value 4 or less.
Resolution Step-by-Step
When you cast Walk with the Ancestors, you choose up to one target permanent card in your graveyard. Upon resolution, that card moves to your hand. Then, you begin exiling cards from the top of your library one by one. Once you hit a nonland card with mana value 4 or less, you choose to either cast it for free or put it into your hand. All other exiled cards are randomized and put on the bottom of your library.
Common Pitfalls
Note that 'Discover' is not optional; you must exile cards until you find a valid target. However, once found, you can choose to put it in your hand instead of casting it if the board state is unfavorable. Also, if the initial target in your graveyard becomes illegal before resolution, the entire spell fails and you will not get to Discover.
When to Play It
This card is best utilized in the mid-to-late game when your graveyard contains high-impact permanents. Since it costs 5 mana, it is a tempo-neutral play that refills your hand while immediately impacting the board through the Discover trigger.
Interaction examples
Skyshroud ClaimIf you cast Walk with the Ancestors and find Skyshroud Claim during the Discover 4 process, you can cast it immediately. Since Skyshroud Claim has a mana value of 4, it qualifies. This results in returning a permanent to your hand and putting two Forests onto the battlefield.
Rishkar's ExpertiseYou cannot cast Rishkar's Expertise off of the Discover 4 trigger because its mana value is 6, which exceeds the limit. However, you can use Walk with the Ancestors to return a dead creature to your hand, and then later cast Rishkar's Expertise to draw cards based on that creature's power once it is back on the battlefield.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Walk with the Ancestors
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
A spell's mana value is determined only by its mana cost. Ignore any alternative costs, additional costs, cost increases, or cost reductions.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
When you discover, you must exile cards. The only optional part of the ability is whether you cast the exiled card or put it into your hand.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You exile the cards face up. All players will be able to see them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a spell "without paying its mana cost", you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If the discovered card has
in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If you can't cast the discovered card (perhaps because there are no legal targets for the spell), you'll put it into your hand.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Some spells and abilities that cause you to discover may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve and you won't discover.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
The mana value of a split card is determined by the combined mana cost of its two halves. If discover allows you to cast a split card, you may cast either half (as long as its mana value is less than or equal to the effect's discover value) but not both halves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
If you discover an adventurer card, split card, or modal double-faced card, you might be able to cast that card with either set of characteristics depending on the effect's discover value. For example, if you discover 4 and reveal Galvanic Giant (an adventurer card from Wilds of Eldraine with a mana value of 4), you could cast Galvanic Giant, but not Storm Reading (its Adventure, which has a mana value of 7). If you discover 7 and reveal Galvanic Giant, you could cast either Galvanic Giant or Storm Reading.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Walk with the Ancestors
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.