Magic the
Gathering
Unofficial Land
Rules
Special Single Land Rules
Any land cards that produce a single
general mana type are also counted as the general land that would produce that
mana.
For example, Urborg from Legends,
producing black mana therefore counts as a legendary swamp, Tolaria from
Legends, producing blue mana therefore counts as a legendary island, Teferi’s
Isle from Mirage, producing 2 blue mana therefore counts as a legendary island,
Abandoned Outpost from Odyssey, primarily produces white mana therefore counts
as a plains, Ancient Den from Mirrodin, produces white mana therefore counts as
a plains. Icatian Store of Fallen Empires, produces white mana therefore counts
as a plains even though production of mana is by slightly different rules.
Colorless or “BARREN” Land Rules
A Colorless or BARREN land is a land that primarily creates colorless mana. I use the word BARREN to symbolize that the land is stagnant of creating, in
general, one of the 5 basic mana types. Primarily means that in the top of its
text, it says “add one colorless mana to your mana pool”, or something similar,
as the first ability.
In the text of certain colorless/BARREN
land cards, you can create other types of mana through certain circumstances
like Adarkar Wastes which primarily
creates colorless mana, but can create white mana or blue mana with a cost.
When this card creates the other mana, its secondary
ability, it temporarily becomes the general land type of that mana (creates
blue mana, temporarily becomes an island until untapped and/or ability is done, rendered finished (as long as something is
tapped, its ability is still in use, unless said otherwise)).
In the text of other colorless/BARREN
land cards like Shivan Gorge, a legendary barren, you can “tap” for a colorless
mana or use its secondary ability to
do 1 damage to each of your opponents. Other interesting BARREN land cards are An-Havva Township from Homelands, Aysen Abbey from
Homelands, Blinkmoth Nexus from Darksteel, and Cathedral of Serra from Legends.
So, a BARREN land is any land that primarily
creates colorless mana.
Specific Dual-Land Rule
All land cards that produce two
types of mana, i.e. dual-lands, are also counted as the basic land types for
the mana they produce (if black and blue mana is produced, then the land is
counted as a swamp and island). Examples would be Azorius Gate from Return to Ravnica, producing white and blue mana therefore counts
as an island and plains, Orzhov Guildgate from Gatecrash, producing white and
black mana therefore counts as a plains and swamp, Akoum Refuge from Zendikar,
producing black and red mana therefore counts as a swamp and mountain, Dimir
Guildgate from Gatecrash, producing blue and black mana therefore counts as an
island and swamp, Salt Marsh from Invasion, producing blue and black mana
therefore counts as an island and swamp, and Dreadship Reef from Time Spiral,
producing blue and black mana therefore counts as an island and swamp.
Dreadship Reef might be a specialized
dual-land card because of its alternate rules, but because it is a dual-land,
the rule still applies of being counted as an island and swamp. As this is a
dual-land rule, it does not apply to single specialty lands (Dwarven Hold or
Rainbow Vale from Fallen Empires).
Special Land Rules
Rainbow Vale of Fallen Empires is
all 5 general land types until it produces the mana of player’s choice.
Crumbling Necropolis from Shards
of Alara follows the same rules of dual-lands except for a tri-land.
Rupture Spire from Conflux
follows the same rules as Rainbow Vale.
Exotic Orchard from Conflux is
all general land types that all opponents control.
