The Battlefield

Ancestral Statue

$0.15

Animar, Soul of Elements

$47.95

AI DraftFeb 26, 2026

Ancestral Statue + Animar, Soul of Elements

Overview

If you cast Ancestral Statue while you control Animar, Soul of Elements, Animar’s triggered ability from casting the creature spell will go on the stack and resolve before the Statue spell resolves, giving Animar a +1/+1 counter (Ruling [2018-03-16]). That counter is added after you have already cast and paid for the Statue, so it does not reduce the cost you just paid for that Statue spell (Ruling [2018-03-16]). When the Statue then resolves and enters the battlefield it will cause its own enter-the-battlefield ability to trigger; you may choose to return Animar to your hand when that trigger resolves (Ruling [2015-02-25]), and Animar becomes a new object in your hand with no memory of its former counters (400.7).

Step 1

You cast Ancestral Statue (a creature spell). Animar’s triggered ability triggers as a result of you having cast a creature spell (Ruling [2018-03-16]).

Step 2

Put Animar’s triggered ability on the stack above the Statue spell; you have already paid the casting cost for Ancestral Statue using Animar’s current number of counters (Ruling [2018-03-16]).

Step 3

The Animar trigger resolves, and you put a +1/+1 counter on Animar (Ruling [2018-03-16]).

Step 4

Later, the Ancestral Statue spell resolves and is put onto the battlefield as a creature (302.2).

Step 5

When Ancestral Statue enters the battlefield its 'When this creature enters, return a nonland permanent you control to its owner's hand' ability triggers and goes on the stack (302.2).

Step 6

When that triggered ability resolves you choose a nonland permanent you control to return to its owner’s hand; you may choose Animar if it is still on the battlefield (Ruling [2015-02-25]).

Step 7

If you return Animar to your hand, Animar is moved to hand and becomes a new object with no memory of its previous counters or status (400.7).

Resolution

When you cast Ancestral Statue, Animar’s triggered ability (from casting a creature spell) triggers and will resolve before the Statue spell resolves, giving Animar a +1/+1 counter even if the Statue spell is later countered (Ruling [2018-03-16]). That counter is placed after you paid costs for the Statue, so it does not retroactively reduce the cost you paid for that spell (Ruling [2018-03-16]). After the Statue enters, its ETB return ability can be chosen to return Animar to your hand as it resolves (Ruling [2015-02-25]); when Animar moves to your hand it is a new object and no longer has those counters (400.7).

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