Force me to draw 3 cards plz

  -- By Anonymous from Clevekand,OH USA on April 01, 2011

Fantastic Magic Card. Its true, there are other cards in other sets that do this effect for MORE mana, but the point to Magic is to win, regardless whether or not your having fun doing so. And if you can win quicker, then your obviously going to have the upper hand. so, say you decide to go with something like, idk, Blue Sun's Zenith; Instant Speed, XUUU draw spell. Well, you would have had to wait til turn 4 for this to be any good-ish. OR. you could go, turn 1 Ancestral Recall. By doing this, your already 3 cards ahead of your opponent (2 if your on the play). The advantage to this is that, regardless of what you had drawn, you now have ~50 cards in your deck as opposed to their ~53 cards (in a 60 card deck). This can provide you with more options than you would have had previously if you were to wait til turn 4-7 to cast a mind spring or what not. Point is, there is no other single card in magic that can increase your card drawing ratio in magic on turn 1. Period.

  -- By Animefiend7 from Denver, CO on January 31, 2011

You people who rated below 5 don't know what the heck you're doing. Legacy - you can win on turn one, thanks to this card, and the other 8 cards (Power 9). This card is one of the best, the 9 are most definitely the best cards ever printed.

  -- By Anonymous from Power 9, USA on December 23, 2010

A Mint Alpha Ancestral Recall is one of the best cards in Magic that you can have in your collection. An awesome card, drawing 3 cards for U as an instant is nuts. Amazing artwork and rarity.

  -- By Orestes from Johannesburg, SA on October 27, 2010

I am thinking these card should be banded for how good card they are but Black Lotus is better because you can make more free manas with it and you cant make spells to battlefield with no manas. what will you do with your 3 more cards if you cant make spells with no manas? If you are having good conditions these is good but if not use lotus instead. you will thank for me.

  -- By Jace Beleron from banding on July 14, 2010

The debate whether Ancestral Recall is or isn't the best Magic card "ever" is futile. If you gave this card less than 4-stars for ANY reason, you've demonstrated your lack of experience or inability to compete in Vintage tournaments.

  -- By ferrioso from Sioux Falls, SD on June 12, 2010

Only reason Black Lotus is better is because it is colorless and can be played in ANY deck. Ancestral Recal is by far the best blue card ever printed no question. BUT it requires a blue mana to play it meaning you need to have a blue mana base to support it. So second best card in the game.

  -- By Chris from San Antonio on June 04, 2010

Theres a reason there called the POWER 9. Madd powerful. All of them. One blue draw three, one blue/one colorless- take another turn. Dont get me started on the moxes and black lotus. That being said, I don't deny the power of this or the power 9. However, it is beatable. Ive beat it myself with a deck consisting of zero power 9 cards. First time I ever saw a Black Lotus too. LOL. My jaw dropped.

  -- By Anonymous from Ga. on May 27, 2010

@power9 h8ter- Thoughtcast....you'd play a 5 casting cost card that draws you 2 cards over Ancestral Recall (and no, I don't care that it has affinity). I hope you enjoy winning on turn 35. Wait, did I say winning? I meant losing on turn 1 to a vintage deck that runs 1 Ancestral Recall : - ) Oh, and if you play with Ivory Mask but you can afford an Ancestral Recall something is very very wrong with your deck. @Raleigh & By Anonymous from Cleveland, OH USA on August 20, 2009 - Ancestral Vision takes 4 turns before you get your cards by which time you will be dead in vintage, which is the only competitive format this card is played in. @ Mark- Tidings casting cost is ridiculous since you pretty much have to tap out on your turn with a deck that plays counterspells in order to draw your cards. Not good. While foresee does allow you to go 6 cards deep potentially to find something it costs 4 mana to play and suffers from the same problem tidings does, tapping out on your turn. @Ancestral Recall- Nothing has printed that comes close to the power of this card. It's almost never dead (unless you're playing true believer or ivory mask......) and will help you (in a vintage deck) if your hand size is 0 or 7. Definitely worth getting if you can afford it.

  -- By Khurtz from Fairport, NY on February 19, 2010

Is ok but i like tidings better becuz u can draw more cards then with ansectral recall and forsee is better to becuz u git to look at your cards first before you draw so you can put the good card on top to draw them in the good way

  -- By Mark from Wisconsin on December 03, 2009

I splash blue into my T1 G/R for this card and Timetwister. Along with Moxen lotus petals instead of birds. 4 Berserk. Card draw is important, and got this one before the Lotus. Thee best card. Works as power anytime in the game.

  -- By Frank Ferretti from south jersey on November 02, 2009

Let's see, where do I begin? For starters, This is the best drawing spell they have ever printed, no question. You have never seen better. Ancestral Vision (which DOES have a cost) and Gush don't even come close. While it's true that the person who draws the most cards usually will win the game, to say "If you play Ancestral Recall, you will win" is overstating it's power a little bit. But definitely a 5 star card. Mana efficiency and card advantage are two basic concepts of this game, and there is no card that does a better job of combining them.

  -- By Jim from Madison, WI on October 28, 2009

This is the greatest and strongest card of all!Recall is better than even Lotus,Walk,Yawgmoth.If you play Ancestral Recall,you'll win.

  -- By Keep from Japan on September 17, 2009

It's a good card, but I think ancestral vision is better. Good for type 1 though.

  -- By Anonymous from Cleveland, OH USA on August 20, 2009

Great card, BUT..... better than bloack lotus? I THINK NOT! Can anyone think of a moment (that doesn't involve a completely imlpausible four+ card combo) where this card wins the first turn. because I can't. I can think of a dozen with black lotus. Sure black lotus isn't that great late game but IF the game makes it to late game and you had a lotus in your opener you need to take it out of your deck and give it to someone that knows what they're doing. Becasue you don't.

  -- By Xarr from Colorado on July 31, 2009

I only rate it 3 stars since its really overpriced, and ancestral vision is just as good (and it has no cost!)

  -- By Anonymous from Raleigh, NC USA on February 02, 2009

the best card out there. insanely expensive and restricted everywhere, but that doesn't make it any less game-changing. sure, some cards come close. still...amazing.

  -- By greg from here on January 24, 2009

thers no "best card" its all situational, there are over powered cards (this being one of them) n yes in ur ur 1st 7 it is amazing, but say u draw it late against a deck that is crippling ur mana (land/artifact destruction), n u cant play, sure u can draw 3 cards...... n then discard them. Tbh its all about ur situation, this card and even more black lotus is about speed, but speed without balance is useless, like say u play a blue/black deck and on the 1st turn u draw 2 phyrexian negators (urzas set i know) 5/5 trample 1 black mana 2 generic, swamp, dark ritual, island, ancestral recall, black lotus, now u can play the island n then the recall, or u can play swamp>lotus>ritual> 6 black mana play both negators n have 2x 5/5 trample creatures on the 1st turn, 3rd turn is game over, there is no best card... only cards that do well in MOST situations.

  -- By Phalx from England on November 11, 2008

The Best Legal Card in MTG. You heard it from me.

  -- By Matt Snihur from Corbin, KY on July 21, 2008

Ancestrall Recall is -the- best card in Magic the Gathering. Followed by Black Lotus. After those two, take your pick, it gets controversial.

  -- By Some Random Gangster from The Hood. on June 19, 2008

This card is, by a country mile, one of the best cards in the entire game...and it's not even close...

  -- By Lunaticfringe from So Cal, USA on May 16, 2008

Five stars. No explanation required.

  -- By Anonymous from Los Angeles, CA USA on July 25, 2007

This card is a great card! I've relied on it many times to get a card advantage early on in the game. Drawn late in the game, it also allows you to replenish your hand, especially when you are low on counterspells. The only gripe I have about this card is the "stressful" artwork, but I guess it portrays the essence of going into a trance and recalling your ancestors.

  -- By Gerald from Providence, RI USA on February 25, 2007

It's an okay card drawer, but since it targets a player, it can be misdirected or diverted to the opponent for him to draw the cards instead. Worthless if I have Ivory Mask or True Beliver in play :(. Also Chalice for 1 makes it a dead card. I would play thoughtcast or gush instead.

  -- By power9 h8ter from Nashville, TN USA on February 19, 2007

100% perfect. This card is the best card of magic and is definitely better than black lotus. On the 5th turn of the game which one would you prefer a black lotus or this card; or on the 10th turn (if it lasted that long in a T1 game), is it better to have 3 useless mana in your mana pool or 3 more cards in your hand... i wish i could afford buying one..

  -- By Anonymous from Turkey on January 22, 2007

Only card that's better is Yawgmoth's Will and MAYBE Balance.

  -- By Sven from Here on November 15, 2006

i've seen better...

  -- By Anonymous from Pheonix, Az on June 27, 2005

It is officially a decent card. You'd have to be a Card-Nazi to own one and not play with it. My god i love this card.

  -- By Explosion Sandwich!!! from Squildomulosis on January 19, 2005

i dont like this card i think its just an underpriced reach through mists and its not good! like black lotus (ppl only like it for its rareness, it was never good)

  -- By Anonymous from The magical land of Yam on December 15, 2004

Speaks for itself, solid platinum short list material! Personally I prefer lightning bolt, but this card is still unreal. A point one can raise about thsi card goes as follows "What good are the cards if you don't have the mana to play them?" That in my opinion cools this card down some, but its advantages are obvious especially because it has no drawback.

  -- By Nick from Tampa on November 01, 2004

in an essence the card its self is a card, so you would either get 2 extra cards, if you choose to draw the cards in which 99% of the time you would do.

  -- By Anonymous from Seatle, WA USA on October 05, 2004

This card is an absolute must have for any casual or type 1 magic player. Its cousins Dark Ritual and Lightning Bolt are equally impressive but nothing can beat a 3 card advantage over your opponent especially early in the game. This card is second only to the Black Lotus with its 3 free mana and its a very close second.

  -- By Anonymous from USA on September 02, 2004

THAT CARD IS LEGEND! C'MON ADMIT ONE BLUE MANA FOR THREE CARDS! INSANITY!

  -- By CLAUDEKORN from LAFONTAINE,QC,CANADA on February 17, 2004

This Is the best card for blue ever made! Three cards for one??? ONE MANA?????? This is the game's basis on speed drawing!

  -- By Oweyn L. Wood from Perth WA Australia on December 22, 2003

Ahh the best card in hulk smash such a shame its restricted in t1 and ban in everything else. This is probally only as good as stroke of genius if your running moxen just for the fact you can draw more then 3 cards using stroke. It all depends on the deck your playing if you were playing stax this card would even be as good as stoke since you can produce so much mana. Still an insane card.

  -- By Ryan from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on December 18, 2003

Draw three or make your opponent draw three, great card no questions asked.

  -- By Anonymous from california on November 14, 2003

great card

  -- By froggy16 from penticton b.c canada on October 13, 2003

claro q si guapisimo

  -- By Anonymous from Cleveland, OH MAtalascaņas on September 13, 2003

This card is the best card in the game because anytime you draw it, it's useful. I own 3 of these, and put them in all my blue decks and have won alot of games due to this card.

  -- By Rick from Pittsburgh on January 30, 2003

Drawing three cards, in a sense, gives you a three turn advantage on your opponent. also works great as offense when you have out a black vise. Hands down one of the most powerful cards in the game.

  -- By Grayson from Louisville, KY on November 11, 2002

I have just got one of these and I can assure u this is the best card I have ever played with.

  -- By tom cadden from scotland on October 01, 2002

a classic. this card is beyond broken. most powerful card in the game because its useful at any time. one of the top 3 cards to have in opening draw along with black lotus and library of alexandria

  -- By brent b. from woonsocket, ri. on April 08, 2002

This card is very helpful and useful anytime in the game. Being extremely cheap, it is a quick, and easy way to gain more power in your hand. You could also add more to your opponent, although this would not be advantageous unless they were short on cards, or really could not use having more.

  -- By Magic Master from Denver, Colorado USA on November 30, 2001

It was one of the original power 9 cards and the best mana to card drawing ratio that magic has ever seen. In combination with time walk and moxes and the renowned black lotus anything was possible.

  -- By Frankie Kehs from Barto, PA USA on June 29, 2001

This is rated the best card in magic by many magzines and players including my self, It's even better then black lotus

  -- By Anonymous from New Jersey on April 23, 2001