Sheltering Ancient
~$1.76 low · ~$7.37 high
Green. Creature — Treefolk
Coldsnap #121 · Illustrated by Pete Venters
Coldsnap #121 · Illustrated by Pete VentersWhat is Sheltering Ancient worth?
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TCGplayer market prices in USD, updated October 14, 2026. Each price is for one printing and one finish.
Oracle text
Trample
Cumulative upkeep—Put a +1/+1 counter on a creature an opponent controls. (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)
5/5
Format legality
All 2 printings of Sheltering Ancient
| Printing | Rarity | Non-foil | Foil | Cardmarket (EUR) | My collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The List plst #CSP-121· 2020uncommon· Cardmarket €0.57 foil | uncommon | No non-foil printing | $1.76 | €0.57 foil | |
 Coldsnap csp #121· 2006uncommon· Cardmarket €0.44 · €2.69 foil | uncommon | $1.90 | $7.37 | €0.44€2.69 foil |
Prices are TCGplayer market prices in USD for each printing and finish, via Scryfall. They are a guide, not an appraisal.
Where to buy Sheltering Ancient
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Card details
- First printed
- 2006
- Printings
- 2
- Mana value
- 2
- EDHREC rank
- #11,137 on EDHREC (Commander popularity)
- Keywords
- Trample, Cumulative upkeep
- Artist
- Pete Venters
What the codes mean
The small print at the bottom of the Coldsnap card (#121).
121
- 121Collector number: this card's place in the set list. Main-set cards print it over the set's card count.
Cards from 1998 to mid-2014 print the collector number over the set's card count (like 90/383) next to the copyright line. They have no rarity letter, set code or language code: the set symbol and its colour show the set and rarity.
How to read a Magic card: every part and code, on real cards.
Rulings (4)
2006-07-15
If no opponent controls a creature, you can’t pay the upkeep and must sacrifice Sheltering Ancient.
2006-07-15
You may choose a different creature to put each counter on, but you can also choose the same creature multiple times. The creatures don’t have to be controlled by the same opponent.
2006-07-15
Creatures that can’t be the target of abilities can have +1/+1 counters put on them by Sheltering Ancient’s cumulative upkeep ability because it doesn’t target them. The same is true for creatures with protection from green or protection from any other quality Sheltering Ancient has.
2008-10-01
Paying cumulative upkeep is always optional. If it’s not paid, the permanent with cumulative upkeep is sacrificed. Partial payments of the total cumulative upkeep cost can’t be made. For example, if a permanent with “cumulative upkeep
” has three age counters on it when its cumulative upkeep ability triggers, it gets another age counter and then its controller chooses to either pay 
or sacrifice the permanent.
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