The 2017 Aether Revolt expansion features the Walking Ballista foil card (card number 181), a distinctive artifact creature designed by Daniel Ljunggren.
2017 • Magic: The Gathering • Aether Revolt
New
Shipping Calculated at Checkout
The Walking Ballista from the 2017 Magic: The Gathering Aether Revolt expansion stands out as a unique artifact creature within the TCG landscape. Designed by Daniel Ljunggren and numbered 181, this foil card captures the mechanical ingenuity of the set's theme. As an artifact construct, it offers collectors a tangible piece of the game's rich history, appealing to those who appreciate both strategic depth and aesthetic finish. The foil treatment enhances its visual appeal, making it a desirable addition for enthusiasts completing sets or building collections focused on iconic creatures. Its design reflects the era's creative direction, blending fantasy elements with mechanical precision. Collectors often seek this card for its role in the game's lore and its status as a key piece in the Aether Revolt series. The card's identity as a construct with a scalable power level adds to its narrative charm, inviting players and collectors alike to engage with its story. Whether for personal collection or investment in the TCG market, this card represents a notable entry in the Aether Revolt catalog.
5 days ago
We'll pre-fill the product details from this catalog entry, so your listing lands on this exact page. Just add photos of your copy, pick its condition, and set your price.
The catalog profile below summarizes the card identity, featured subject, and notable collectible traits.
The core identity of the card within the set.
The subject, team, league, and sport context tied to this card.
Featured
Walking Ballista
Game
Magic: The Gathering
Rarity, print treatment, and game-specific stats for this card.
Rare
Daniel Ljunggren
Card Stock
English
Foil
{X}{X}
Artifact Creature — Construct
0 / 0
Abilities, attacks, oracle text, and flavor text printed on the card.
This creature enters with X +1/+1 counters on it. {4}: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. Remove a +1/+1 counter from this creature: It deals 1 damage to any target.
Compare prices, grades, photos, and shipping from verified sellers
Walking Ballista commands a premium driven primarily by competitive playability rather than collector-only demand, as it has seen consistent inclusion across multiple formats including Modern, Legacy, and Commander since its 2017 release in Aether Revolt. As a Rare rather than a Mythic Rare, its price ceiling is somewhat tempered compared to Mythic staples, yet its cross-format demand keeps it trading well above typical Rare benchmarks. Foil copies, particularly from the original Aether Revolt print run, attract a meaningful premium from both players seeking bling copies and foil collectors.
Aether Revolt Rares appear at a standard pull rate of roughly one per booster pack, meaning Walking Ballista is not particularly scarce from a sealed product perspective, yet sustained demand has offset this accessibility. The set features traditional foil variants as the primary premium version, with no full-art or alternate-art treatments in the original printing, though the card has since appeared in supplemental products and The List, which introduces additional non-foil copies that can dilute perceived scarcity. Graded copies in high grades (PSA 9 or BGS 9.5+) represent a niche but growing segment, as pristine foil copies from the original set carry meaningful collector appeal.
Walking Ballista's investment case is anchored in its format-agnostic playability — cards that see simultaneous demand across Modern, Legacy, and Commander are far more resilient to single-format rotation risk than Standard-only staples. Sealed Aether Revolt product is no longer in print, which gradually tightens supply of original foil copies over time and supports the foil premium for patient holders. Nostalgia factor is modest given the card's 2017 origin, but its status as a competitive staple with crossover appeal among Commander completionists and foil collectors provides a durable demand floor.