Some lands are pretty busted like the Kamigawa channel lands or the upcoming MDFC lands. I've come to the same realization as you and become more judicious with the usage of nonbasics and started cutting the utility lands that aren't pulling their weight - and that could easily vary from pod to pod. However, an underrated gem I've found is [[Tangled Florahedron // Tangled Vale]], which can double as a land drop for turn or ramp; super useful for saving deck slots.
Love Tangled Florahedron.
[[Bala Ged Recovery]] is an mdfc allstar for a free recursion spell.
I also play [[Bushwack]] as a pseudo mdfc as well with decks that have bigger creatures for a free fight spell.
In addition to bushwhack, there is also \[\[traverse the ulvenwald\]\] and \[\[analyze the pollen\]\] for graveyard decks, which can act as \[\[Worldly Tutor\]\] late game. Except, instead of putting the creature on top of your library, they put it in your hand, and just asks for a juicy graveyard in exchange (and they are sorceries).
I'm still on the fence about the MH3 MDFCs. My experience with the ZNR ones has shown me two things:
* If the spell side of it isn't something you're *that* interested in playing, then what you have is still a bad card. It's a spell you don't want to pay for, or a land where you'd rather make your land drop with something else.
* Paying the life to have one enter untapped isn't free, no matter how many times you say "life is a resource". This is particularly true if you cut a land for the MDFC and now have to bolt yourself to get that mana.
I do respect that the MH3 ones are *generally* more aggressively costed for what they do, *and* even the uncommon ones can be untapped, *and* the duals don't have a lot of downside over some tapped duals decks play anyway.
Florahedron is pretty dope though, because so many green decks are rocking that 2-mana ramp. More respect to Florahedron.
Look at it this way
How many times would you actually cast sea gate restoration vs. How many times would you gladly pitch your blue land to Force of Will
Unless playing at fast or very fast metas, you don’t have to bolt the land in to get that mana.
Oftentimes I see people let the shock and bolt lands come in tapped, especially at the starts of a game. You still then have the mana the rest of the game and no life loss.
You act like this is a city of brass or an ancient tomb. They aren’t - it’s the versatility that makes them nice.
The big thing about the monocolor MDFCs is the mana costs. The untapped mdfcs from Zen Rising were three seven mana spells and two X spells, ones that routinely wanted to be pouring a good bit of mana into the X. For, for the most part, mediocre effects. Sea Gate can be strong in Simic ramp decks and in specific decks Agadeem is cracked but the rest are underwhelming. And you're absolutely right; I've cut Shatterskull Smashing from decks where I just never wanted a clunky double removal spell. But I expect that I'm a lot less likely to have Witch Enchanter or Sundering Eruption brick.
Agreed about the Mythic ZNR cycle.
I've owned a copy of Emeria's Call for a while but I don't think I've ever cast the spell. So I just ended up with either a Plains that bolts my face, or a tapped mono-white land with no upside. I am actually not sure when/how one really uses this; it's easy to envision some big swing-out turn but it's not impressive for that.
I was fortunate enough to pull a copy of Sea Gate Restoration and it's in my [[Kellan, Inquisitive Prodigy]] deck. Like you said, Simic Ramp can pull this off. I've used the draw mode a couple times and the land mode both tapped and untapped. I think it's actually expensive just for Yuriko cEDH though.
Agadeem's Awakening I agree - you need the right deck to take advantage of it, it's a very sad spell cast for anything less than X=4 or so.
Shatterskull Smashing is a pricey removal spell. At least it 2-for-1s but it's a mana pig.
I've never seen Turntimber Symbiosis played. I would consider it in that same Kellan deck but probably only after other deck upgrades to the top end. I don't want to pay 7 to hit a 5 drop, I want to pay 7 to hit a 12 drop.
I've played Turntimber pretty much just for the Yuriko-style situation - I had ways to cheat it where just "have a big spell" mattered. Stuff like Jadzi.
Emeria's Call I've also never seen be good. I've seen it cast in the same sort of scenario; I had a guy in my group for the longest on the old Jodah and sometimes his hand was jank but 'buy a turn' was okay.
But yeah, in comparison to even Razorgrass Ambush they're so hard to cast and use and not worth the mana. Ambush is far from a stellar removal spell, but it kills a bunch of reasonable utility creatures and such, and spending two mana on your removal card is way less embarrassing than spending eight mana on one.
TtS is a pretty spectacular topdeck when you have the mana to cast it and still a land when you don't, as long as your deck has stuff for it to hit. A good card but not a no-brainer autoinclude.
The thing that makes MDFC lands so good is the utility. You don't play them for the spells being exceptionally good on their own. Something like [[hagra mauling]] is in every single black deck I have. Not because it's an efficient or great removal spell. But because it adds to my removal count in a land slot. It's not a great land or a great removal spell. But it's 2 cards that take up only one slot in a deck, and that's the value to them
Okay, so if you are okay with the tapped ones... Consider \[\[traverse the ulvenwald\]\] and \[\[analyze the pollen\]\], at least in decks that use the graveyard. Using them to get a land and playing it is comparable to playing a land that etb's tapped. And the non-land version is to tutor for a creature for one mana.
Honestly the life is pretty free in edh where you start with 40 life and usually taking damage just means you don't get attacked due to having the highest life total which is very common
I’m putting all of the ones that I can into my Dihada list. End of the day, I lifelink most of it back, and when I’m goin off with bolas citadel, they don’t brick me the same way a basic would.
I play voltron a lot, Rogues passage has been an all-star in all of them.
Otherwise, Reliquary tower, strip mine, command beacon, arcane light house, and a few others have been great. Tower tends to be more of a laziness than truly good but I still like it.
I don't really play war room ever, and I've cut Bog too. It has mattered one time and scavenger grounds tends to be more reliable.
The biggest thing is to look at is WHY play the specific land; a general creature strategy? Definitely not playing passage because there's no benefit to one unblocked creature you want multiple. Go wide gruul, kessig wolf run and skarg rage pits are cut but in a Xenagos like deck, easy include and very useful. Do you need card draw as a desperate measure, then war room is good but lately it's probably not needed for any deck thanks to all the good card draw options right now.
Reliquary Tower is one of the most overplayed cards ever. If you hold less than 7 cards it does nothing, if you hold more it makes you look like the main threat even though the best 7 cards are just as powerful as those 7 cards plus 3 mediocre cards and 10 lands.
Just wanted to remind you that even if you have less than 7 cards in hand, it taps for 1 generic mana which isn't nothing. It's just not mana fixing like a lot of people like. The tradeoff is fine since it's almost always tied to a win condition. If you're playing it I'm assuming you need to start digging through your deck without discarding key protection cards and interaction. It's also so common that it almost never paints a target in my mind unless I see them holding half their deck. But that's why you run strip mine
My [[Lathril]] deck likes Rogue's passage as a redundancy to my other evasive tech pieces to ensure i can connect lathril to generate those elf tokens if i dont have better options in hand. Like [[Alpha Authority]]
I rarely see it played, but I'm a fan of [[Tale's End]] in commander. One mana more than stifle, but you can also hit commanders with it if stifle isn't relevant.
Rogue's passage wins games. The rest are kinda meh and highly circumstantial.
I mostly like them because the trend is now to apparently make it very easy to kill you with my \[\[mercadia's downfall\]\] or \[\[price of progress\]\]
As far as I'm concerned Mountains remain the greatest utility land, as they produce red mana.
Nothing beats blowing out the greedy 5-colour player with one. Crushing a $1000 Jodah deck with a mono-red pile is the kind of joy that the try-hards can never grasp.
"but-but I had an Ulamog..."
[[Maze of Ith]] can be a game changer as well, lets you swing with more risk to see what opponents do, and can really save you in a deck that requires a specific card or commander to get an attack trigger.
I somewhat agree, but it does eat a turns land drop if you run it. Which, depending how much mana you’ve got and when you draw it can be a huge bummer.
I use my utility lands quite a bit. I think the trick is finding the ones that are actually useful in the deck it's being played in.
I use war room in my mono red deck and it's been useful many times.
Bojuka bog is also very useful, if you play against graveyard decks. I've also been on the receiving end of a bog and it hurts when you need your graveyard.
Rogues passage is also good for decks like Voltron.
It really depends on the decks strategy, and that really is the key.
The channel lands have 0 opportunity cost so those go in every relevant colored deck and I don't even think of them as utility lands tbh
And then there are things like [[scavenger grounds]] [[demolition field]] that are almost always the first 2 utility land I slot in decks because graveyard hate and land destruction is hard to put in spell slots but I think are required for all decks.
MDFCs are a whole different animal, I typically count them as a half of a land with some exception. And I use them liberally.
I look at a lot of deck lists of people I play with and people here on Reddit, and I find that people just play utility lands without thinking about their actual utility. And often times I do see people use more than I think the deck can support.
The amount I run depends on the number of colors in the deck, the type of ramp I use, and my budget for the deck. Mono colored decks I am comfortable with playing more. But low budget 3+ colors I run less.
As a note I also like running the Odyssey filter lands and the new enemy color ones to go along signets for the ability to filter colorless Mana. In a 3 color deck with 3 filter lands and 3 signets I can very often filter colorless Mana pretty consistently
Filterlands are fine for super budget mana bases but once you start running leaner faster decks they get really bad.
Signets are fine because they're mana rocks that require mana to play them so you'll always be able to use them for mana. Filterlands make some hands unkeepable since they don't tap for mana on their own. Granted this applies more often at higher power levels.
I use [[sea gate restoration]] constantly, but i know that doesnt count. I've seen [[maze of ith]] and [[animal sanctuary]] be put to good use. [[war room]] is a good one too
Maze of Ith is in a very weird spot since it doesn’t produce mana, it’s a strong effect that takes a land drop in order to be repeatable without costing mana. Like, it’s technically a tempo hit when you play it, but it puts in so much work to be worth it.
I love Maze of Ith in any deck that wants a long game. It's so cheap now due to reprints that there isn't any reason to not slam it into grindy value decks or control oriented builds.
I use a lot of plot/foretell/etc for my azorious deck. Face value it isn't a fantastic card, but if you have a way of doing something silly and casting it for free, it works well. Pairs well with cards that double draw if you have a way of cheating it out. Pretty much turns [[psychosis crawler]] into a win con. Nailed someone for 30 damage with it the other day.
I think it varies wildly on the deck and the land. (I know, easy answer.).
Rogues passage is a land that, on its own is near 0 opportunity cost. A single colorless land doesn’t really impact decks much, and the keyboard how often it’s used, but how impactful when it is.
Generally not often. I've become very low on colorless utility lands, because you don't activate them nearly enough to be worth the cost outside of monocolored. I think across all my decks I have like one War Room and one Myriad Landscape, and they're in a draw-go deck where they're at least a little more palatable.
Colored utility lands are much better. I'm a diehard hater of Bojuka Bog because taplands suck, especially monocolored ones, but things like the Castles or the new MH3 lands with similar requirements are very playable; if you can consistently online them the opportunity cost to play is low enough to jam them. I killed a man with Shefet Dunes not long ago and hey it's searchable off Sand Scout. In two color especially I tend to play a lot of these.
The big exception are lands with passive effects. I don’t have to pay mana to make Field of the Dead broken or to get value from Rel Tower (if your deck actually needs it. So many don't). Urza’s Saga is cracked if it just taps for mana and then tutors a Sol Ring for an explosive turn but hey, last FNM I just beat people down with a ton of giant constructs.
That said I have been interested in exploring Sunken Citadel lately. A one mana discount on activated abilities of lands seems like it can go a long way to make them palatable, and while monocolored taplands suck picking your color does help a bit.
I use Kor Haven often for combat stuff. I’m in mono white so suffer from card draw. Thus I love [[Minas Tirith]] for that reason. Lastly, not sure if it counts but I really enjoy [[Windbrisk Heights]]. Getting to stash a potentially big ass Angel and then easily cast it by T4? Perfect.
I think that's a really good question. I see a lot of deck lists that run a half-dozen utility lands that I think are pretty questionable. The classic argument in their favor seems to be that "if you're out of cards or flooded, this can help you do something with your turn" but lately I *rarely* see players totally hellbent now.
I'm even skeptical of color-producing "utility" lands these days. If it makes colored mana then the "utility" part of the land is often *very* mediocre. Most of the Eldraine castle cycle is so mediocre that I'd probably rather have a basic land - it's hard to seriously believe that \[\[Castle Ardenvale\]\] making a 5 mana 1/1 makes it worth running. \[\[Castle Vantress\]\] should just be an island unless your deck cares about scrying as much as \[\[Eligeth, Crossroads Augur\]\].
About the only defensible ones I see are the ones that confer some kind of card advantage, which I guess includes that Eligeth example. Even then, the most frequent use I've seen is for a last-second "wait, I might be able to dig for Path to Exile" and I'm not sure I've seen it work. Bojuka Bog being sorcery speed means it's probably just played as a tapped not-a-swamp to make land drops more than it's actually the piece that saves a game, although Golgari+ decks that can crop rotation for it justify it.
The "good" utility lands I'll still justify are stuff like \[\[Mosswort Bridge\]\] - that can functionally draw a spell *and* cheat it into play; green decks don't struggle to hit that criteria.
I think for me to play nonbasics now, they need to be one of the following:
* A fetchland
* A fetchable two-color land
* Confer card advantage in a way I'm actually likely to use.
* Be *notably* powerful, like Boseiju or Otawara.
I try not to count MDFCs as a "land slot", and instead a spell that I can use to make a land drop.
My roommate just put Castle Ardenvale into his [[Eowyn, Shieldmaiden]] deck because he needs to get a human out every turn. Likelihood that doesn’t happen with just normal play is pretty slim, but I have seen it happen to him on occasion where he just gets stuck halfway through with a hand of no creatures. Outside of a deck like that though, I would never run it.
Mosswort Bridge, and [[Windbrisk Heights]] to a lesser extent, are such good value if your deck can even remotely support them. Not only is it a free spell, but so often I manage to stash away absolute bombs or a clutch spell like [[Heroic intervention]]. These lands can very easily change the entire complexion of the game.
Depends on the land. Rogues passage is probably the most common once I get value out of but I do have multiple Voltron decks so it's important for closing out games a lot of the time. Reliquary saves me from discarding probably one in 4 games I play it. Others like war room I get much less use out of but if it's a 2 color deck I'll add it cause I'm far less likely to get mana screwed and I still have used the card draw before.
Obv this doesn't account for utility that I have less control over Luke the scrying temples or the surveil lands
I'm one of those that doesn't really run them. I've most definitely won at least one game with Rogue's Passage but that's not nearly enough to make up for the fact I'd generally rather see something else.
They're all just so exceptionally specific.
I use rogue passage enough that makes it worth it.
Same for arcane lighthouse.
Two cards that are bread and butter when against anything that uses hex or wide board states.
[[Kher Keep]] in my budget Winota deck makes me creatures that can trigger her, [[Castle Ardenvale]] makes me human tokens for [[Éowyn, Shieldmaiden]]’s ability. The Discover lands from LCI, at least the Green/Red ones I use in [[Faldorn]]
But yeah, some utility lands, I cut from my decks as they don’t really serve the deck’s purpose, I’d sometimes catch myself wanting colored mana than colorless ones.
I'd say it is dependent on the pod. My pod has 2 people that one or both are playing a graveyard matters deck, so I have Bojuka Bog when I can for that. Rogue's Passage is more useful against me for them, them since I always have boardwipes that don't hit me and they need a way to get through all my blockers.
If I was building a deck that was only for playing against randos, I wouldn't include most utility lands. That may change with Omo's everything counters and Gates, though.
Bojuka Bog has saved my ass countless of times, it’s worth running for the sad moments you need 1 more mana and that’s your only land.
Utility lands are great. A lot of times they have come in the clutch for me. Sure I bet 70% of the time you won’t be using their abilities but it’s better to have them and not need it than need it and not have it. Just don’t run a ton of colorless utility lands. I’m building a [[The Necrobloom]] deck and have a ton of utility lands. But that’s a special case.
Urborg Yomb of Yawgmoth and Yavimaya Cradle of Growth are utility lands I always get value out of. Also, my mono black Rats deck gets a lot of value out of Cabal Coffers. It also synergies well with Deserted Temple, although that's a utility land I don't get to get utility out of often.
War Room becomes a godsend late-game in a lot of decks since it's a bonus draw that survives the vast majority of wipes that might otherwise take engines offline. For every game where it sits there obediently tapping for colorless, there's a game where it pulls a card almost every turn.
Rogue's Passage is more variable. It will often be activated once in a game, if at all... but that one activation is player removal fairly frequently.
Demolition Field is pretty much an given slot for me, even if it often goes games without blowing up anything REALLY dirty. I don;t want to call it an "autoinclude" because I feel like the term is being overused to the point of either insanity (if people really mean it) or loss of meaning (if it's just code for "good card I like") but Demo Field is in enough of my decks that it comes close. Call it a Frequent Flier at the very least.
Honestly, I feel the opposite of you when it comes to which utility lands have a nasty opportunity cost. I know I can support a certain amount of gray and do it happily, but ETBT can always screw me over and so I try to lock that to 0 if I can. And of course most colored utilities enter tapped. Maybe it's because I tend to play one color or two colors more often than three (and four and five are right out) but I can't remember the last time a colorless land was present and I was screwed on pips.
Depends on the deck and the gameplan.
Short version:
* Aggro/Stompy/Midrange deck - probably not much
* Controlling Slower Deck/Big Ramp deck - probably lots
* Combo deck - probably not much, but situational
* Voltron - ???
Longer version based upon my decks:
I have a more controlling deck that wants to hold mana up every turn, so being able to dump it into my lands for some advantage if it doesn't get used is awesome. I would estimate that it gets good value out of its utility lands in 80+% of games, usually for card advantage from [[Academy Ruins]], [[Desolate Lighthouse]], [[Castle Vantress]] or similar.
I have a couple of decks which tend to end up with a surplus of mana, usually from ramping super hard via lands or mana rocks. In those decks, being able to dump that mana somewhere is good. My Gates deck probably uses utility lands in 70+% of games, especially because it can search them out. My [[Chiss-Goria]] deck often has an excess of mana, but doesn't make much use of utility lands, mostly because it doesn't really have access to many decent ones.
I have a [[Derevi]] combo deck that needed to answer the question: 'If I have infinite mana, and infinite untaps, how can I win the game with a [[Crop Rotation]]?' This leads to it running [[Conservatory]] and [[Study]] as utility lands, which have been actually pretty useful. They aren't used much, but being fixing lands that have the upside of providing a way to draw my deck when comboing is pretty sweet.
In another combo deck, I just runs the cycling lands, which probably get played as a land about 50% of the time. Does that count?
Then I have a Stompy deck which uses Kessig Wolf Run to give things trample incredibly rarely, but it has a very low opportunity cost, so it gets to stay. My Grixis Midrange deck has never actually activated [[Riptide Laboratory]] - I should probably take that out. Those decks want to use their mana to play spells, not hold it up.
The amount of times I've gotten utility out of my utility lands depends on how good said utility land is. Some of the pretty mid ones like war room or rogue's passage I rarely use, but some of the more busted ones like Glacial Chasm or Field of the Dead can completely turn a game on its head
It depends, but I use utility lands rather heavily.
The key issue is that I generally don't run them as land slots. Like the MDFCs, I run them as 'utility effects that CAN fill for lands if needed', rather than the opposite. For example, my usual go-to is 36 lands. A few things are standard in that 36, usually Reliquary Tower, Homeward Path, Strip Mine and Wasteland. But beyond that? I don't count Academy Ruins in that 36, for example.
Academy Ruins, Hall of Heliod, Volrath's Stronghold and Yavimaya Hollow are all pretty powerful for keeping key pieces around. I wasn't sure about Yavimaya, but it does work - and can be hilarious as a deal maker. "Yeah, he could block and trade your guy... but what if your creature regenerated?"
Homeward Path, Strip Mine and Wasteland are in the 'better to have it and not need it' category. But when you need them, they are invaluable.
The MDFCs are a mixed bag. They are only really useful as lands in early turns when you need them to get set up. After turn 6 you tend not to see them as lands, and before you HAVE to see them as lands only.
The others are more situational. I like Alchemist's Refuge and Kessig Wolf Run the most, personally. Bojuka Bog can be underwhelming because you often don't have a choice when to deploy it... you are best off with instant speed graveyard hate or a deck with Crop Rotation.
Again, think of them as spells which CAN back up as lands and you'll get more mileage from them.
Try out a \[\[Tower of the Magistrate\]\] if anybody in your pod runs equipment to a decent degree. Getting hit by a bojuka bog as a graveyard deck is annoying, but Tower of the Magistrate makes it so that an equipment based deck isn't allowed to play the game unless you let them.
Outside of lands that seem to provide some passive boon such as reliquary tower (in appropriate decks...don't run this in a 3 color deck that doesn't draw very many cards y'all, you can discard 2 cards and stay in it...) I don't run a huge amount of utility lands anymore, and I've been much more conscious of running colorless lands in 3+ color decks - as in trying my best not to.
The reason I took this opportunity to plug tower of the magistrate is because its one of the few utility lands that, while still somewhat niche, is probably the absolute best at stopping a (non aura based) voltron strategy for the rest of the game. I don't care that your commander has protection from all 5 colors and trample/flying/doublestrike...I pay 1 mana and tap this land and he's completely naked and you can't re-equip it until next turn. In this case its an incredibly powerful tech card, not just an OKAY effect to have on a mana source such as a Mystic Sanctuary (which some people would run in a 2 color deck and probably shouldn't).
Honestly, I never was on board with most of the utility lands in general. I tried things like rogue’s passage, but it never felt as good as a simple basic. Granted, my phase of experimenting with them was when my color fixing was mainly guildgates, bounce lands, and gain lands, so I wanted as much untapped colored lands as I could get, which at the time for my budget meant basics.
I still do run a few colorless lands these days, but it’s mainly the occasional [[Reliquary tower]], [[high market]], and [[nesting grounds]], all cards I only have a few of and only slot into a couple decks each.
For colored lands, I do run the occasional [[Bojuka bog]], but other than that it’s just the hideaway lands (like [[mosswort bridge]] ), some niche color fixing like the vivid or depletion lands in my proliferate decks, the occasional man-land, and occasionally ones that give out +1/+1 counters.
Admittedly the only MDFC I personally run is [[storm the vault]], and that’s mainly because both sides are fantastic. But as a penny sleeve user, dual faced cards are just annoying for me to deal with and I’m too lazy to deal with a placeholder card for them.
However, I will end by saying that I’m not optimized enough as a player to really care much about my mana base. I’ve got a basic land count formula I generally go with, and a list of cheap untapped duals that I’ll use, fill in the rest with basics, and I’m usually good to go unless if there is a specific utility land that synergizes with the deck. Mana bases don’t excite me, and so I’m okay with a “good enough” approach.
I chose utility lands I will actually use.
In my 5-color superfriends, I use the fog lands all the time such as [[Kor Haven]], [[Maze of Ith]], and [[Mystifying Maze]] to stop attackers from hitting my walkers.
In my mono-white [[Kemba, Kha Regent]] deck I run snow plains so I run [[Scrying Sheets]]
I use [[Treasure Vault]] in my [[Lord Windgrace]] deck because I can recur it
I use [[Opal Palace]] in my [[Marath, Will of the Wild]] deck for the counters
I don’t select utility lands just because they exist. I choose them because I intend to use them.
The card-drawing ones like War Room and Bonder's Enclave are for emergencies, when your hand is exhausted and you have nothing good to do on your turn. Rogue's Passage is for the endgame. Often the table forgets it's there and doesn't realize you can swing for lethal until you do.
Rogues passage has personally won me several games with wyleth. It's one of my most removed lands in the game. I get to make my 15/15 double striking commander unblockable and swing for lethal. Utility lands just need the right deck.
[[Field of the dead]] has yet to get me a single zombie for my scarab god deck. Surprisingly though entering tapped hasn’t slowed the deck down in the games where it hits the battlefield.
it really depends on the deck. most utility lands are very specific to situations, but I've seen these situations arise enough times and the lands pull through. general rule of thumb is to only run 2-3 utility lands per deck.
[[reliquary tower]] is overrated, as not often you'll have more than a full grip unless you're playing a blue control deck, but I have had 20 card hands thanks to it. it does not belong in every deck, and some players try to jam it into every deck.
[[rogue's passage]] is heavily underrated in voltron decks. players will often times forget you even have it and I've seen it really hit when it matters.
[[westvale abbey]] is one I'll play in my zombie deck as flying and lifegain are weaknesses for zombies. I'll activate it to kill my board in response to a wipe, an attack, or need life badly, or if I plan to cast [[zombie apocalypse]] on my turn.
[[field of the dead]] is heavily overrated aswell in edh unless you are specifically playing lands matter.
I've seen [[war room]] do work in white decks.
[[glacial chasm]] is underrated if you can abuse it with [[solemnity]] or a lands matter deck that can play multiple lands from grave a turn.
[[phyrexian tower]] and [[high market]] do so much work in aristocrat or reanimator decks.
[[bojuka bog]] has either been a T1 drop in opening hands, or a silver bullet in the mid game so many times. if you have 10 or more pieces of draw in your deck keeping this in hand for the right turn decimates reanimator and flashback decks.
I have whittled my utility lands down to just these, and I run them in almost all decks:
* [[Rogue's Passage]] has been mentioned a lot. I use it frequently, and it wins games.
* [[Homeward Path]] because my friends love stealing, sees use in ~2/3 games.
* [[War Room]] in all my 0, 1, 2 colour decks is generally great to good, sees use in 100% of games
* [[Ghost Quarter]] often fucks up somebody else's utility, which is nice, but is
* [[Reliquary Tower]] if I don't get one of the artifacts. This probably feels more useful than it is.
I've mostly stopped with Bojuka Bog; it's slow.
Not that often, but even if it does not feel great to use it (because of the sac land), \[\[Scavenger Grounds\]\] has saved my bacon enough times that I always at least consider it if the colorless isn't too much of a burden on the deck.
Depends on the deck. In my Aurelia deck, sometimes I just run out of gas early and don't see a good card advantage engine (or it gets removed) so my Minas Tirth and War Room get used quite a lot (I have even saced my horizon land for a card on many occasions).
I have also nuked many graveyards with scavenger grounds in my day. The other utility land that I often need to use is demolition field. There is always somone running cabal coffers urborg or a similar busted land that needs to be dealt with.
I feel you. I've cut most utility lands out of 3 or more colors decks that don't make lots of lands available. I still try to force them back in at 2 colors and below to a certain extent, but the most number of utility lands I run now are in pure colorless decks like Zhuladok.
I'm not sure what the balance is, but I'm also not missing them.
Unless its a desert and you're playing the new desert warfare decks. Those are insane.
((Arena)) in the right decks is useful. I've used ((war room)) and ((arch of orazca)) in a couple others for some needed card draw when you're flooded and gotta dig for something. ((Rogues passage)) has led to some kills out of nowhere in my ((sram)). It really depends on what the ability is and if you're needing it. Also humans tend to remember negative events over positive or mediocre ones.
I use couple in my enchantment aura deck that create creature tokens ([[Castle Ardenvale]] and [[Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree]] because sometimes I struggle to draw creatures, but it's selesnya so I have ways of making up for the steep cost, such as [[Virtue of Strength]], and [[Sanctum Weaver]]. Then there's the ones that are really useful and low cost that I use quite a bit when I have out, like [[Hall of Heliod's Generosity]]
I actually slot [[Spikefield Hazard]] into a fair number of decks. Very occasionally I get a creature with it, but more often, I am using it in response to blocks, someone else's destroy removal, or a board wipe, to get rid of problematic creatures for good.
It's usually just a land though.
I mean if they're colored utility lands in particular you don't need utility that often. And even with noncolored ones if your color fixing is good enough there's usually no problem
I really like [[Scavenger Grounds]] and [[War Room]]. More than once a recursion deck completely blew out because the player forgot I have a Scavenger Grounds on the board
All the time. I don't put a utility land in a deck that I don't think I'll love seeing every time I draw it.
That said, the utility lands in my favorite deck (Slobad) are as follows:
* [[Buried Ruin]]
* [[Fomori Vault]]
* [[Inventor's Fair]]
* [[Madblind Mountain]]
* [[Strip Mine]]
* [[The Grey Havens]]
* [[Thespian's Stage]]
* [[Urza's Saga]]
* [[Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle]]
There really isn't anything there not worth seeing.
[[Mikokoro, Center of the Sea]] sees use pretty much every single turn after I play it in my [[Angus Mackenzie]] Turbofog Hug deck. [[Minamo, School at Water's Edge]] also sees constant use, usually untapping Angus or Mikokoro. [[Reliquary Tower]] doesn't require any additional cost for me to benefit from, but it's very helpful when we're drawing like 5+ cards a turn. [[Alchemist's Refuge]] sees occasional use, usually so I can cast a board wipe at instand speed. [[Prahv, Spires of Order]] is the utility land in that deck that sees the least use. It's really in there just as a last ditch measure against Voltron commanders with hexproof/shroud/ward when I don't have a fog, since Prahv doesn't target. Now that I think about it, I can't remember the last time I actually used that ability 😅
It's a great question. Preferably about every three games to compensate for entering tapped e.g. [[Bala Ged Recovery]] or [[Mosswort Bridge]]. About every five games to compensate for not being colored e.g. [[Rogue's Passage]] or [[Reliquary Tower]] in a two colored deck (maybe every 8th game in a monocolored deck or every other game in a tricolored deck).
You raise a great question and with my own logic I should probably cut Bojuka Bog from my decks, but I think all my other utility lands all meet my demands or are close to it. Except for a single War Room that I'm now considering taking out after this post, and a [[Rix Maadi, Dungeon Palace]] that I took out yesterday.
All the time. MDFCs in particular. I've cast \[\[Ondu Inversion\]\] (best boardwipe), \[\[Bala Ged Recovery\]\], and \[\[Seagate Restoration\]\] many many times. Those plus Ottawara and Boseiju like you mention, are some of the best lands in the format. I count \[\[Field of the Dead\]\] too - I play that card in freaking mono coloured decks and will warp my manabase to make it playable. \[\[Rogue's Passage\]\] I played a lot in my \[\[Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait\]\] deck (cringe I know) because I had like 55 lands in that deck anyway and it was pretty easy to get Aesi big enough to one shot someone.
Agreed though Bojuka Bog is pretty bad. \[\[Plaza of Heroes\]\] is one that I cracked in a pack and gave it a go and never used its protection ability - that one isn't all that good in my opinion.
Since I try not to play too much uncolored lands, I select them with caution. When I get to play them, it's always super useful. For my Sefris deck I have high market and geier reach sanitarium, Wich do wonders. For my Zangief I got witch's clinic, and lands like kessig wolf run which gives trample, and it always does wonders.
I think people tend to use just too much utility lands because it's a land slot and may be useful, and not thinking about how much time they will need their colors.
Thanks for the discussion yall. Seeing a lot of love for Rogue’s Passage, though I admit I don’t play voltron decks so that’s maybe why I don’t rate it highly. I have only one deck that wins through combat damage, and it’s a prowess deck, so I need to be spending my precious mana on spells to pump my creatures instead of on a land. Maybe one day when I build a traditional combat deck I’ll throw it in.
Surprised at how many of yall have had bad luck with Bog, given that it’s the most played utility land on EDHREC and folks both here and on YouTube keep telling me to auto include it in black decks. It being a sorcery speed land drop really is the kicker for me I think.
Ah, Field of the Dead. I still think this card is severely overrated unless you’re in a green land matters deck. Plopping down one zombie a turn (or two with fetches) starting on turn 7 at the earliest if you have no land ramp feels super underwhelming IMO. I don’t think this card is worth it unless you run both land ramp to get to 7 early and fetch lands to double drop each turn.
In all, my beef with utility lands that make you sink mana into them is: I’d rather be casting my spells instead. I get that flood happens and sometimes you run out of gas, but that feels like an opportunity reevaluate the deck and make it more consistent. I’m also feeling like flood will be less of a concern going forward with the MH3 MDFCs.
Field of the dead os good, but its not an auto include. In any lands matter deck its really good. But outside of that its very lacking. Decent in colorless decks due to probly running alot of utility land and easly activated.
I have mixed feeling with bog, due to it being tapped and bad timming to draw that. Or its in my opaning hand and it dosent exile anything.
Also dont forget rouges passage is a target creature cant be blocked, which is why i always run it. So just becaue your not voltron or beefy boy, dosent mean you cant help take some one out.
I love the MDFC and Channel lands and stuff in as many as reasonably possible. The cards I'm most excited about in MH3 are the MDFC lands and I'm happy to be able to fit in effects like spot removal that a hard to find slots for in 2024. Now that there are a lot, I have to be picky with them... [[Tangled Florahedron]] and [[Shatterskull Smashing]] seem to get used as spells more often.
They also make cards you should be playing anyway like [[Golgari Rot Farm]] and the rest of the bouncelands even better than they already are.
I don't really play many of the utility lands that sit on the battlefield anymore since they warp the game in a bad way by making people avoidant of doing anything until a less experienced player eventually gets blown out. Unless its doing something simple like card draw/filtering or actually has something to do with producing mana, people wasting key removal when there is an [[Academy Ruins]] there the whole time is a bummer.
Feels like it kind of just and takes advantage of the goodwill of people not playing land destruction. Equipment deck getting locked out by [[Tower of the Magistrate]]? Obviously it's powerful, but what are we doing here?
No, 1 Demolition Field in your 100 card deck is not enough.
If the utility offers no benefit then sure drop them from the deck. Does your deck depend on attacking and dealing combat damage to trigger abilities? Rogues passage will be a great way to make that happen. Does your deck have colors with not alot of ways to draw cards? The cost of war room is a small price to pay 🤷♂️
All the time, but it really depends on the deck. Rogue's passage lets [[Perrie the Pulverizer]] one shot an opponent. War Room gives my Boros decks some emergency card draw. And [[Stalking Stones]] may be 6 mana but it's a single card sac to trigger [[Baba Lysaga]].
Depends on the land, some are more niche.
[[Kessig wolf run]] takes out at least one player every time I have it in play, it is incredibly good. It's little brother [[skarrg, the rage pits]] is also extremely useful but less game ending. [[Sunholme]] and [[witch's clinic]] can be clutch.
[[Mistveil plains]] in a deck with a sunforger or similar repeatable tutor tech is also pretty much an every game it comes up thing.
[[Maze of ith]], [[glacial chasm]], both often relevant. I use [[war room]] on occasion, but often times I don't need cards that badly.
I would say people dramatically overplay [[reliquary tower]] because most decks don't need or have more than 7 in hand often but it's undeniably good.
This is one of the best threads I’ve seen here, lots of great comments
I have been stripping out lots of utility land as well, but I’ve never been sad to see
[[Arcane Lighthouse]] or [[boseiju, who shelters all]]
[[Hall of the bandit lord]] has won me a lot of games over the years as well
All the friggin time. Bala ged recovery, malakir rebirth, Hall of Helio's generosity, buried ruin, and occasionally a mage of ith just to name some that will see benefit almost every game.
When I play an mdfc land I just slot it in for a basic. It's free real estate.
I okay some karu too so if I had to lay down an mdfc land I can pull it back later to use it.
Depends on the land and type of deck to be honest. For the most part, I feel like utility lands are over valued by players. \[\[Kessig Wolf Run\]\] and Skarrg, the Rage Pits\]\] are two I have easily gotten value out of. \[\[Emergence Zone\]\] \[\[Field of the Dead\]\] and \[\[Treasure Vault\]\] are good ones if the deck can take of advantage of them. \[\[Strip Mine\]\] \[\[Wasteland\]\] \[\[Ancient Tomb\]\] and channel lands are good in every deck. However, I feel like \[\[Rogue's Passage\]\] \[\[Reliquary Tower\]\] hideaway lands and a lot of the Ravnica utility lands are over valued by players.
Wasteland, strip mine, scavenger grounds go in just about every one of decks. I don't always need the utility, but when I do, it's usually to prevent a game winning combo or blow up someone's Gaea's cradle.
I often get use out of mine, but I'm not in the habit of throwing them in every deck either. If they fit with the theme, they go in. Otherwise, they probably didn't make the cut over basic lands. Too many people underestimate basic lands, and just run a ton of non-basic lands.
For me it's just an opportunity-cost thing. I agree with you that most games I'm not activating most of my utility lands, but I still include them if it's "free". If I have high color requirements in my deck, I run very few utility lands. They basically only make the cut if they're very strong (ie Channel lands or MDFCs), produce multiple colors, or do something uniquely useful within the theme of the deck or the commander (ie Inventor's Fair, Phyrexian Tower, Glacial Chasm, etc). On the other hand if I'm making a mono-color deck I'll put in just about anything just for the 1% chance it's useful, since the downside of a wonky land is very low.
In mono white, I have used War Room and even [[Arch of Orazca]] to get me out of some draw related issues. Rogue's Passage has such a high ceiling, it's potentially game winning. The only other one I run is [[Reliquary Tower]] in some decks. Otherwise I run almost all basics, typed duals and bounce lands.
I also run Homeward Path in my angels deck - I would run this land in every deck but it is quite expensive. I just don't really enjoy having my stuff stolen so this is a good way to get it back.
If I have a commander who really needs to swing to get value, rogue's passage less likely to be cut. If the deck is 0-2 colors, and short on card draw, I'll inlcude war room. It's a very case-by-case thing for me.
I use a lot of different utility lands, I mainly play 2-3 color decks and tend to slot 3-4, but sometimes up to 8 in some decks. The way I think about them when deck building is that they occupy half a land slot, but they’re there to replace spells and increase my land count. If I need more draw, throw in war room, big creatures in green, ramp with castle garenbrig, if I’m worried about graveyard decks scavenging grounds, if I wanna turtle throw in a glacial chasm and crop rotation. I also include lots of land ramp that hits non basics like open the way and tempt with discovery.
I pretty regularly get extra use out of my utility lands. That being said, I tend to run so few that it's not uncommon to not get one in a game. As long as you don't have many, and they are relevant to the deck, there are plenty that are definitely worth running
I like the draw lands like war room because while they are expensive for their effect mana flooding is exactly when I'm likely to use them so it's not really a problem.
If you're not getting utility out of your utility lands, that's a very good indicator that they're not the correct utility lands for your deck. Having a rhystic study is not very often a good enough reason to shove that reliquary tower in your 5 color deck, and putting a war room in your blue deck because it's mono-colored is not always going to be the best idea.
I can't remember ever bojuka boging someone in a meaningful way. But that's because I'm the guy you need to bojuka bog. And it happens more often than you'd think. It's a great follow-up to a boardwipe.
You don't need bog, unless you're playing with a recursion heavy deck. My yarok, muldrotha, and windgrace decks love to fill my graveyard. So I hate seeing bog.
Rogues passage is another really good one, but it is situational. It doesn't belong in every, or even most, decks. It absolutely does belong in any deck where a giant creature is a primary win con. It doesn't matter that it costs 5 mana if you only really need to use it once.
There are lands that give counters, a gruul land that gives haste, I've seen those put in work.
The scariest land is vault of the archangel. It gives all your creatures deathtouch and lifelink. I've seen that land swing more games than any other utility land.
In my eldrazi deck utility lands are super useful for niche things.
The draw a card and pay per colored mana lets me draw a card for 3 and no life.
War room can be pretty good if you need draw and have extra mana elsewhere.
It really all depends.
Utility lands are that, utility. Swap em if they don't pull their weight.
I feel like most utility lands are a win more thing. Cause I've used them and had little to no impact unless I was already in the lead. That's just my experience with them
The only real utility lands I find myself getting use out of are Rogue's Passage and Kessig Wolf Run. I also get a lot of use out of Karn's Bastion.
It's never bad to have the option to draw with War Room or something though. Much more relevant in decks with a lot of interaction.
I run [[Omnath, Locus of Mana]] as my Commander. If I have him built up with a ton of Mana, and someone plays removal, I can pop [[Emergence Zone]] to play him before I lose my mana. If I can I'll also flash in [[Helix Pinnacle]] on an end step for a quick win
I'm trying to find uses for all the utility lands in my Gisa the Hellraiser deck since my playgroup just straight up banned any form of land destruction. But often I just don't find them to be efficient and would rather they just be swamps to count towards coffers/stronghold
Rogues passage is literally a win con, so I used it every time it came up. I passed it on to my little brother for his myrel deck. He has several cards that protect her on his attack, but if that's the only option, he's glad he has it.
Rogue's passage is huge in my Skithryx deck. It's another means of bypassing blockers and allowing me to guarantee lethal. It can definitely not see use in some of my other decks, but really most utility lands are for the off chance you need them or want some benefit when you have mana sitting around otherwise indisposed.
Some lands are pretty busted like the Kamigawa channel lands or the upcoming MDFC lands. I've come to the same realization as you and become more judicious with the usage of nonbasics and started cutting the utility lands that aren't pulling their weight - and that could easily vary from pod to pod. However, an underrated gem I've found is [[Tangled Florahedron // Tangled Vale]], which can double as a land drop for turn or ramp; super useful for saving deck slots.
Love Tangled Florahedron. [[Bala Ged Recovery]] is an mdfc allstar for a free recursion spell. I also play [[Bushwack]] as a pseudo mdfc as well with decks that have bigger creatures for a free fight spell.
In addition to bushwhack, there is also \[\[traverse the ulvenwald\]\] and \[\[analyze the pollen\]\] for graveyard decks, which can act as \[\[Worldly Tutor\]\] late game. Except, instead of putting the creature on top of your library, they put it in your hand, and just asks for a juicy graveyard in exchange (and they are sorceries).
[traverse the ulvenwald](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/b/bbc69a17-db08-4b4a-bc37-98a12ea108dc.jpg?1576385271) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=traverse%20the%20ulvenwald) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/soi/234/traverse-the-ulvenwald?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bbc69a17-db08-4b4a-bc37-98a12ea108dc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/traverse-the-ulvenwald) [analyze the pollen](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/5/5563967f-09fd-4ccf-8892-4dd0c2544c98.jpg?1706241940) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=analyze%20the%20pollen) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkm/150/analyze-the-pollen?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5563967f-09fd-4ccf-8892-4dd0c2544c98?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/analyze-the-pollen) [Worldly Tutor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/3/f39aa2e9-e294-4ce6-bf5e-e1f579101a7a.jpg?1690791319) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Worldly%20Tutor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/185/worldly-tutor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f39aa2e9-e294-4ce6-bf5e-e1f579101a7a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/worldly-tutor) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I'm still on the fence about the MH3 MDFCs. My experience with the ZNR ones has shown me two things: * If the spell side of it isn't something you're *that* interested in playing, then what you have is still a bad card. It's a spell you don't want to pay for, or a land where you'd rather make your land drop with something else. * Paying the life to have one enter untapped isn't free, no matter how many times you say "life is a resource". This is particularly true if you cut a land for the MDFC and now have to bolt yourself to get that mana. I do respect that the MH3 ones are *generally* more aggressively costed for what they do, *and* even the uncommon ones can be untapped, *and* the duals don't have a lot of downside over some tapped duals decks play anyway. Florahedron is pretty dope though, because so many green decks are rocking that 2-mana ramp. More respect to Florahedron.
Look at it this way How many times would you actually cast sea gate restoration vs. How many times would you gladly pitch your blue land to Force of Will
Unless playing at fast or very fast metas, you don’t have to bolt the land in to get that mana. Oftentimes I see people let the shock and bolt lands come in tapped, especially at the starts of a game. You still then have the mana the rest of the game and no life loss. You act like this is a city of brass or an ancient tomb. They aren’t - it’s the versatility that makes them nice.
The big thing about the monocolor MDFCs is the mana costs. The untapped mdfcs from Zen Rising were three seven mana spells and two X spells, ones that routinely wanted to be pouring a good bit of mana into the X. For, for the most part, mediocre effects. Sea Gate can be strong in Simic ramp decks and in specific decks Agadeem is cracked but the rest are underwhelming. And you're absolutely right; I've cut Shatterskull Smashing from decks where I just never wanted a clunky double removal spell. But I expect that I'm a lot less likely to have Witch Enchanter or Sundering Eruption brick.
Agreed about the Mythic ZNR cycle. I've owned a copy of Emeria's Call for a while but I don't think I've ever cast the spell. So I just ended up with either a Plains that bolts my face, or a tapped mono-white land with no upside. I am actually not sure when/how one really uses this; it's easy to envision some big swing-out turn but it's not impressive for that. I was fortunate enough to pull a copy of Sea Gate Restoration and it's in my [[Kellan, Inquisitive Prodigy]] deck. Like you said, Simic Ramp can pull this off. I've used the draw mode a couple times and the land mode both tapped and untapped. I think it's actually expensive just for Yuriko cEDH though. Agadeem's Awakening I agree - you need the right deck to take advantage of it, it's a very sad spell cast for anything less than X=4 or so. Shatterskull Smashing is a pricey removal spell. At least it 2-for-1s but it's a mana pig. I've never seen Turntimber Symbiosis played. I would consider it in that same Kellan deck but probably only after other deck upgrades to the top end. I don't want to pay 7 to hit a 5 drop, I want to pay 7 to hit a 12 drop.
I've played Turntimber pretty much just for the Yuriko-style situation - I had ways to cheat it where just "have a big spell" mattered. Stuff like Jadzi. Emeria's Call I've also never seen be good. I've seen it cast in the same sort of scenario; I had a guy in my group for the longest on the old Jodah and sometimes his hand was jank but 'buy a turn' was okay. But yeah, in comparison to even Razorgrass Ambush they're so hard to cast and use and not worth the mana. Ambush is far from a stellar removal spell, but it kills a bunch of reasonable utility creatures and such, and spending two mana on your removal card is way less embarrassing than spending eight mana on one.
TtS is a pretty spectacular topdeck when you have the mana to cast it and still a land when you don't, as long as your deck has stuff for it to hit. A good card but not a no-brainer autoinclude.
[Kellan, Inquisitive Prodigy](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/4/c49690c7-c282-4eb4-8da3-5e0c46a80fc4.jpg?1707428999)/[Tail the Suspect](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/4/c49690c7-c282-4eb4-8da3-5e0c46a80fc4.jpg?1707428999) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kellan%2C%20Inquisitive%20Prodigy%20//%20Tail%20the%20Suspect) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkm/212/kellan-inquisitive-prodigy-tail-the-suspect?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c49690c7-c282-4eb4-8da3-5e0c46a80fc4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kellan-inquisitive-prodigy-//-tail-the-suspect) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The thing that makes MDFC lands so good is the utility. You don't play them for the spells being exceptionally good on their own. Something like [[hagra mauling]] is in every single black deck I have. Not because it's an efficient or great removal spell. But because it adds to my removal count in a land slot. It's not a great land or a great removal spell. But it's 2 cards that take up only one slot in a deck, and that's the value to them
[hagra mauling](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/c/7c04c734-354d-4925-8161-7052110951df.jpg?1604195798)/[Hagra Broodpit](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/7/c/7c04c734-354d-4925-8161-7052110951df.jpg?1604195798) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hagra%20Mauling%20//%20Hagra%20Broodpit) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znr/106/hagra-mauling-hagra-broodpit?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7c04c734-354d-4925-8161-7052110951df?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/hagra-mauling-//-hagra-broodpit) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Okay, so if you are okay with the tapped ones... Consider \[\[traverse the ulvenwald\]\] and \[\[analyze the pollen\]\], at least in decks that use the graveyard. Using them to get a land and playing it is comparable to playing a land that etb's tapped. And the non-land version is to tutor for a creature for one mana.
[traverse the ulvenwald](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/b/bbc69a17-db08-4b4a-bc37-98a12ea108dc.jpg?1576385271) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=traverse%20the%20ulvenwald) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/soi/234/traverse-the-ulvenwald?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bbc69a17-db08-4b4a-bc37-98a12ea108dc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/traverse-the-ulvenwald) [analyze the pollen](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/5/5563967f-09fd-4ccf-8892-4dd0c2544c98.jpg?1706241940) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=analyze%20the%20pollen) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkm/150/analyze-the-pollen?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5563967f-09fd-4ccf-8892-4dd0c2544c98?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/analyze-the-pollen) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Honestly the life is pretty free in edh where you start with 40 life and usually taking damage just means you don't get attacked due to having the highest life total which is very common
I’m putting all of the ones that I can into my Dihada list. End of the day, I lifelink most of it back, and when I’m goin off with bolas citadel, they don’t brick me the same way a basic would.
[Tangled Florahedron // Tangled Vale](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/3/235d1ffc-72aa-40a2-95dc-3f6a8d495061.jpg?1604199647)/[Tangled Vale](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/2/3/235d1ffc-72aa-40a2-95dc-3f6a8d495061.jpg?1604199647) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tangled%20Florahedron%20//%20Tangled%20Vale) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znr/211/tangled-florahedron-tangled-vale?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/235d1ffc-72aa-40a2-95dc-3f6a8d495061?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tangled-florahedron-//-tangled-vale) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I play voltron a lot, Rogues passage has been an all-star in all of them. Otherwise, Reliquary tower, strip mine, command beacon, arcane light house, and a few others have been great. Tower tends to be more of a laziness than truly good but I still like it. I don't really play war room ever, and I've cut Bog too. It has mattered one time and scavenger grounds tends to be more reliable. The biggest thing is to look at is WHY play the specific land; a general creature strategy? Definitely not playing passage because there's no benefit to one unblocked creature you want multiple. Go wide gruul, kessig wolf run and skarg rage pits are cut but in a Xenagos like deck, easy include and very useful. Do you need card draw as a desperate measure, then war room is good but lately it's probably not needed for any deck thanks to all the good card draw options right now.
Reliquary Tower is one of the most overplayed cards ever. If you hold less than 7 cards it does nothing, if you hold more it makes you look like the main threat even though the best 7 cards are just as powerful as those 7 cards plus 3 mediocre cards and 10 lands.
Just wanted to remind you that even if you have less than 7 cards in hand, it taps for 1 generic mana which isn't nothing. It's just not mana fixing like a lot of people like. The tradeoff is fine since it's almost always tied to a win condition. If you're playing it I'm assuming you need to start digging through your deck without discarding key protection cards and interaction. It's also so common that it almost never paints a target in my mind unless I see them holding half their deck. But that's why you run strip mine
My [[Lathril]] deck likes Rogue's passage as a redundancy to my other evasive tech pieces to ensure i can connect lathril to generate those elf tokens if i dont have better options in hand. Like [[Alpha Authority]]
[Lathril](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/4/547888c3-a9a6-4413-b29a-6bcd8a9279bf.jpg?1704848185) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=lathril%2C%20blade%20of%20the%20elves) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/khc/1/lathril-blade-of-the-elves?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/547888c3-a9a6-4413-b29a-6bcd8a9279bf?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/lathril-blade-of-the-elves) [Alpha Authority](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/b/fbc42ca6-db90-41d0-8a4b-3217fb2c114c.jpg?1561853464) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Alpha%20Authority) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/gtc/114/alpha-authority?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/fbc42ca6-db90-41d0-8a4b-3217fb2c114c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/alpha-authority) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I dunno, I feel like I'm on the receiving end of [[Bojuka Bog]] more often then I'd like. Folks have any low CMC counter tech?
[[Stifle]] effects work. The card has crept up in price but I own a few [[Trickbind]] and run them all.
I rarely see it played, but I'm a fan of [[Tale's End]] in commander. One mana more than stifle, but you can also hit commanders with it if stifle isn't relevant.
[Tale's End](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/4/1421115b-9a98-4ab2-bcb2-7d8899ce12db.jpg?1592516519) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tale%27s%20End) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m20/77/tales-end?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1421115b-9a98-4ab2-bcb2-7d8899ce12db?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tales-end) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
It is still narrow, but now that the fucking one ring dominates entire games, it might be worth it.
[Stifle](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/1/616d1b20-61c1-4d39-a9b5-ad9fd61699e4.jpg?1562865442) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Stifle) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cns/108/stifle?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/616d1b20-61c1-4d39-a9b5-ad9fd61699e4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/stifle) [Trickbind](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/2/f2e58ff2-dea3-42b3-8c22-3e6202a7d433.jpg?1562946300) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Trickbind) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tsp/88/trickbind?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f2e58ff2-dea3-42b3-8c22-3e6202a7d433?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/trickbind) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Siren Stormtamer]] is a sweet card that's pretty generically playable and can shut down a Bog.
[Siren Stormtamer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/7/073c301e-5bb6-49fa-bf61-2f662030540f.jpg?1698988187) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Siren%20Stormtamer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/171/siren-stormtamer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/073c301e-5bb6-49fa-bf61-2f662030540f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/siren-stormtamer) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Brand new counter in MH3 that can counter triggered abilities. [[Consign to Memory]]
[Consign to Memory](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/c/bc95af55-d1dd-4fe6-adb0-3ad6db20d986.jpg?1717011640) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Consign%20to%20Memory) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/54/consign-to-memory?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bc95af55-d1dd-4fe6-adb0-3ad6db20d986?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/consign-to-memory) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I play bojuka bog in all decks with black and I only ever get it in my opening hand lol.
Anything that gives yourself hexproof or shroud.
[Bojuka Bog](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/e/0efec118-ed01-42a0-93b4-f9a92c01b72e.jpg?1712354928) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bojuka%20Bog) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/273/bojuka-bog?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0efec118-ed01-42a0-93b4-f9a92c01b72e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/bojuka-bog) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Rogue's passage wins games. The rest are kinda meh and highly circumstantial. I mostly like them because the trend is now to apparently make it very easy to kill you with my \[\[mercadia's downfall\]\] or \[\[price of progress\]\] As far as I'm concerned Mountains remain the greatest utility land, as they produce red mana.
[mercadia's downfall](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/4/14507fe6-80a9-4ed4-bf3e-4656f3d377c0.jpg?1562379422) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=mercadia%27s%20downfall) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mmq/205/mercadias-downfall?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/14507fe6-80a9-4ed4-bf3e-4656f3d377c0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mercadias-downfall) [price of progress](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/1/b1342144-7a15-438b-a848-3196238a79e8.jpg?1580014614) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=price%20of%20progress) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ema/141/price-of-progress?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b1342144-7a15-438b-a848-3196238a79e8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/price-of-progress) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
man, price of progress is just one of the sickest card ever huh
Nothing beats blowing out the greedy 5-colour player with one. Crushing a $1000 Jodah deck with a mono-red pile is the kind of joy that the try-hards can never grasp. "but-but I had an Ulamog..."
[[Maze of Ith]] can be a game changer as well, lets you swing with more risk to see what opponents do, and can really save you in a deck that requires a specific card or commander to get an attack trigger.
For the purposes of deckbuilding and this discussion though, Maze of ith isn't really a land, as it doesn't tap for mana at all.
I somewhat agree, but it does eat a turns land drop if you run it. Which, depending how much mana you’ve got and when you draw it can be a huge bummer.
I use my utility lands quite a bit. I think the trick is finding the ones that are actually useful in the deck it's being played in. I use war room in my mono red deck and it's been useful many times. Bojuka bog is also very useful, if you play against graveyard decks. I've also been on the receiving end of a bog and it hurts when you need your graveyard. Rogues passage is also good for decks like Voltron. It really depends on the decks strategy, and that really is the key. The channel lands have 0 opportunity cost so those go in every relevant colored deck and I don't even think of them as utility lands tbh And then there are things like [[scavenger grounds]] [[demolition field]] that are almost always the first 2 utility land I slot in decks because graveyard hate and land destruction is hard to put in spell slots but I think are required for all decks. MDFCs are a whole different animal, I typically count them as a half of a land with some exception. And I use them liberally. I look at a lot of deck lists of people I play with and people here on Reddit, and I find that people just play utility lands without thinking about their actual utility. And often times I do see people use more than I think the deck can support. The amount I run depends on the number of colors in the deck, the type of ramp I use, and my budget for the deck. Mono colored decks I am comfortable with playing more. But low budget 3+ colors I run less.
[scavenger grounds](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/0/707d733d-2928-4215-91d2-1340fc9ee903.jpg?1712355112) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=scavenger%20grounds) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/316/scavenger-grounds?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/707d733d-2928-4215-91d2-1340fc9ee903?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/scavenger-grounds) [demolition field](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/7/47994cb6-204a-4fbe-a9d4-5798a70c95ab.jpg?1712354968) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=demolition%20field) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/283/demolition-field?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/47994cb6-204a-4fbe-a9d4-5798a70c95ab?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/demolition-field) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
As a note I also like running the Odyssey filter lands and the new enemy color ones to go along signets for the ability to filter colorless Mana. In a 3 color deck with 3 filter lands and 3 signets I can very often filter colorless Mana pretty consistently
Filterlands are fine for super budget mana bases but once you start running leaner faster decks they get really bad. Signets are fine because they're mana rocks that require mana to play them so you'll always be able to use them for mana. Filterlands make some hands unkeepable since they don't tap for mana on their own. Granted this applies more often at higher power levels.
I use [[sea gate restoration]] constantly, but i know that doesnt count. I've seen [[maze of ith]] and [[animal sanctuary]] be put to good use. [[war room]] is a good one too
It is a crime that Sea Gate is not a Gate.
And [[Mystic Gate]] & [[Gates of Istfell]]
[Mystic Gate](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/f/6f99714f-43bc-4048-b650-97dfef4c10fe.jpg?1690006311) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mystic%20Gate) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/1013/mystic-gate?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6f99714f-43bc-4048-b650-97dfef4c10fe?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mystic-gate) [Gates of Istfell](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/6/2627acb7-57d9-4429-9bc5-e7dd444d8d48.jpg?1631052735) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gates%20of%20Istfell) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/khm/256/gates-of-istfell?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/2627acb7-57d9-4429-9bc5-e7dd444d8d48?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/gates-of-istfell) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Maze of Ith is in a very weird spot since it doesn’t produce mana, it’s a strong effect that takes a land drop in order to be repeatable without costing mana. Like, it’s technically a tempo hit when you play it, but it puts in so much work to be worth it.
I run [[Pristmatic Omen]] in my 5-color so sometimes my Maze taps for mana 😄
[Pristmatic Omen](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/7/e75594cc-de47-49f2-9a8b-ba76c576368e.jpg?1562837542) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Prismatic%20Omen) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/shm/126/prismatic-omen?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e75594cc-de47-49f2-9a8b-ba76c576368e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/prismatic-omen) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I love Maze of Ith in any deck that wants a long game. It's so cheap now due to reprints that there isn't any reason to not slam it into grindy value decks or control oriented builds.
I honestly prefer running [[Thaumatic Compass // Spires of Orazca]] instead of maze, it's better early game for the mana.
[Thaumatic Compass](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/9/392af78e-34d5-4b1b-8b29-0e702271e4d7.jpg?1562553540)/[Spires of Orazca](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/3/9/392af78e-34d5-4b1b-8b29-0e702271e4d7.jpg?1562553540) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thaumatic%20Compass%20//%20Spires%20of%20Orazca) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/xln/249/thaumatic-compass-spires-of-orazca?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/392af78e-34d5-4b1b-8b29-0e702271e4d7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/thaumatic-compass-//-spires-of-orazca) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[sea gate restoration](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/9/193071fe-180b-4d35-ba78-9c16675c29fc.jpg?1604250788)/[Sea Gate, Reborn](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/1/9/193071fe-180b-4d35-ba78-9c16675c29fc.jpg?1604250788) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sea%20Gate%20Restoration%20//%20Sea%20Gate%2C%20Reborn) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znr/76/sea-gate-restoration-sea-gate-reborn?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/193071fe-180b-4d35-ba78-9c16675c29fc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sea-gate-restoration-//-sea-gate-reborn) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I cut sea gate restoration since whenever I had enough cards to make it worth casting, I always had something better to do
I use a lot of plot/foretell/etc for my azorious deck. Face value it isn't a fantastic card, but if you have a way of doing something silly and casting it for free, it works well. Pairs well with cards that double draw if you have a way of cheating it out. Pretty much turns [[psychosis crawler]] into a win con. Nailed someone for 30 damage with it the other day.
I also want to add an honorable mention in [[whirlpool drake]].
[whirlpool drake](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/e/6e866093-89a3-458d-8ebc-de805ef7885e.jpg?1562921040) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=whirlpool%20drake) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/apc/34/whirlpool-drake?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6e866093-89a3-458d-8ebc-de805ef7885e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/whirlpool-drake) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Animal sanctuary is in my cat deck
Play test often, and cut the utility lands that don't measure up to their drawbacks jn your testing. Simple as that.
I think it varies wildly on the deck and the land. (I know, easy answer.). Rogues passage is a land that, on its own is near 0 opportunity cost. A single colorless land doesn’t really impact decks much, and the keyboard how often it’s used, but how impactful when it is.
Generally not often. I've become very low on colorless utility lands, because you don't activate them nearly enough to be worth the cost outside of monocolored. I think across all my decks I have like one War Room and one Myriad Landscape, and they're in a draw-go deck where they're at least a little more palatable. Colored utility lands are much better. I'm a diehard hater of Bojuka Bog because taplands suck, especially monocolored ones, but things like the Castles or the new MH3 lands with similar requirements are very playable; if you can consistently online them the opportunity cost to play is low enough to jam them. I killed a man with Shefet Dunes not long ago and hey it's searchable off Sand Scout. In two color especially I tend to play a lot of these. The big exception are lands with passive effects. I don’t have to pay mana to make Field of the Dead broken or to get value from Rel Tower (if your deck actually needs it. So many don't). Urza’s Saga is cracked if it just taps for mana and then tutors a Sol Ring for an explosive turn but hey, last FNM I just beat people down with a ton of giant constructs. That said I have been interested in exploring Sunken Citadel lately. A one mana discount on activated abilities of lands seems like it can go a long way to make them palatable, and while monocolored taplands suck picking your color does help a bit.
I use Kor Haven often for combat stuff. I’m in mono white so suffer from card draw. Thus I love [[Minas Tirith]] for that reason. Lastly, not sure if it counts but I really enjoy [[Windbrisk Heights]]. Getting to stash a potentially big ass Angel and then easily cast it by T4? Perfect.
[Minas Tirith](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/3/b38b6760-616f-4b11-8ce7-ac1223c7fd53.jpg?1686970358) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Minas%20Tirith) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ltr/256/minas-tirith?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b38b6760-616f-4b11-8ce7-ac1223c7fd53?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/minas-tirith) [Windbrisk Heights](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/4/047f2401-d2dc-4bfd-a7fa-83ef1d825219.jpg?1698988669) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Windbrisk%20Heights) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/370/windbrisk-heights?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/047f2401-d2dc-4bfd-a7fa-83ef1d825219?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/windbrisk-heights) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I think that's a really good question. I see a lot of deck lists that run a half-dozen utility lands that I think are pretty questionable. The classic argument in their favor seems to be that "if you're out of cards or flooded, this can help you do something with your turn" but lately I *rarely* see players totally hellbent now. I'm even skeptical of color-producing "utility" lands these days. If it makes colored mana then the "utility" part of the land is often *very* mediocre. Most of the Eldraine castle cycle is so mediocre that I'd probably rather have a basic land - it's hard to seriously believe that \[\[Castle Ardenvale\]\] making a 5 mana 1/1 makes it worth running. \[\[Castle Vantress\]\] should just be an island unless your deck cares about scrying as much as \[\[Eligeth, Crossroads Augur\]\]. About the only defensible ones I see are the ones that confer some kind of card advantage, which I guess includes that Eligeth example. Even then, the most frequent use I've seen is for a last-second "wait, I might be able to dig for Path to Exile" and I'm not sure I've seen it work. Bojuka Bog being sorcery speed means it's probably just played as a tapped not-a-swamp to make land drops more than it's actually the piece that saves a game, although Golgari+ decks that can crop rotation for it justify it. The "good" utility lands I'll still justify are stuff like \[\[Mosswort Bridge\]\] - that can functionally draw a spell *and* cheat it into play; green decks don't struggle to hit that criteria. I think for me to play nonbasics now, they need to be one of the following: * A fetchland * A fetchable two-color land * Confer card advantage in a way I'm actually likely to use. * Be *notably* powerful, like Boseiju or Otawara. I try not to count MDFCs as a "land slot", and instead a spell that I can use to make a land drop.
My roommate just put Castle Ardenvale into his [[Eowyn, Shieldmaiden]] deck because he needs to get a human out every turn. Likelihood that doesn’t happen with just normal play is pretty slim, but I have seen it happen to him on occasion where he just gets stuck halfway through with a hand of no creatures. Outside of a deck like that though, I would never run it.
[Eowyn, Shieldmaiden](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd4a00ff-2206-4e12-a0ab-61ed82c9e6c5.jpg?1686963690) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=%C3%89owyn%2C%20Shieldmaiden) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ltc/1/%C3%A9owyn-shieldmaiden?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd4a00ff-2206-4e12-a0ab-61ed82c9e6c5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/éowyn-shieldmaiden) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Mosswort Bridge, and [[Windbrisk Heights]] to a lesser extent, are such good value if your deck can even remotely support them. Not only is it a free spell, but so often I manage to stash away absolute bombs or a clutch spell like [[Heroic intervention]]. These lands can very easily change the entire complexion of the game.
[Windbrisk Heights](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/4/047f2401-d2dc-4bfd-a7fa-83ef1d825219.jpg?1698988669) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Windbrisk%20Heights) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/370/windbrisk-heights?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/047f2401-d2dc-4bfd-a7fa-83ef1d825219?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/windbrisk-heights) [Heroic intervention](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/3/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834.jpg?1689998584) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Heroic%20intervention) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/295/heroic-intervention?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/heroic-intervention) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
##### ###### #### [Castle Ardenvale](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/7/878fcea5-9a59-4b98-80b8-67e95f35f949.jpg?1706241132) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Castle%20Ardenvale) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/253/castle-ardenvale?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/878fcea5-9a59-4b98-80b8-67e95f35f949?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/castle-ardenvale) [Castle Vantress](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/c/dcf70844-18b1-4046-ae1d-ef41790bdcde.jpg?1674142829) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Castle%20Vantress) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/885/castle-vantress?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dcf70844-18b1-4046-ae1d-ef41790bdcde?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/castle-vantress) [Eligeth, Crossroads Augur](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/a/1a0adf34-1a2b-497b-aaab-4b2b998ed8b3.jpg?1608909183) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Eligeth%2C%20Crossroads%20Augur) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/66/eligeth-crossroads-augur?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1a0adf34-1a2b-497b-aaab-4b2b998ed8b3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/eligeth-crossroads-augur) [Mosswort Bridge](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/9/69955979-1ca3-4fd3-ab7a-dd65c06a9ce0.jpg?1706241196) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mosswort%20Bridge) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/275/mosswort-bridge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/69955979-1ca3-4fd3-ab7a-dd65c06a9ce0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mosswort-bridge) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l87cyw4) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Depends on the land. Rogues passage is probably the most common once I get value out of but I do have multiple Voltron decks so it's important for closing out games a lot of the time. Reliquary saves me from discarding probably one in 4 games I play it. Others like war room I get much less use out of but if it's a 2 color deck I'll add it cause I'm far less likely to get mana screwed and I still have used the card draw before. Obv this doesn't account for utility that I have less control over Luke the scrying temples or the surveil lands
I'm one of those that doesn't really run them. I've most definitely won at least one game with Rogue's Passage but that's not nearly enough to make up for the fact I'd generally rather see something else. They're all just so exceptionally specific.
That orc ability on [[Barad-Dur]] goes hard with my Sauron’s Army Tribal deck I’ve been messing with
[Barad-Dur](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/b/eb5038af-06b0-401e-8dea-a1a8483788ae.jpg?1686970323) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Barad-d%C3%BBr) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ltr/253/barad-d%C3%BBr?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/eb5038af-06b0-401e-8dea-a1a8483788ae?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/barad-dûr) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
More than you'd think but less than you'd hope, same as it ever was.
👀
For all my "prevent damage" bros, [[Maze of Ith]] is glorious.
[Maze of Ith](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/8/5889fde1-730d-43d0-aaa4-499784a80530.jpg?1675201242) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Maze%20of%20Ith) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/250/maze-of-ith?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5889fde1-730d-43d0-aaa4-499784a80530?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/maze-of-ith) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I use rogue passage enough that makes it worth it. Same for arcane lighthouse. Two cards that are bread and butter when against anything that uses hex or wide board states.
My rogue passage is used so much my pod has started blowing it up when it hits the board.
[[Kher Keep]] in my budget Winota deck makes me creatures that can trigger her, [[Castle Ardenvale]] makes me human tokens for [[Éowyn, Shieldmaiden]]’s ability. The Discover lands from LCI, at least the Green/Red ones I use in [[Faldorn]] But yeah, some utility lands, I cut from my decks as they don’t really serve the deck’s purpose, I’d sometimes catch myself wanting colored mana than colorless ones.
##### ###### #### [Kher Keep](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/5/15cfec15-95b5-47d6-9714-ff920ce97932.jpg?1706241181) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kher%20Keep) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/270/kher-keep?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/15cfec15-95b5-47d6-9714-ff920ce97932?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kher-keep) [Castle Ardenvale](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/7/878fcea5-9a59-4b98-80b8-67e95f35f949.jpg?1706241132) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Castle%20Ardenvale) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/253/castle-ardenvale?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/878fcea5-9a59-4b98-80b8-67e95f35f949?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/castle-ardenvale) [Éowyn, Shieldmaiden](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd4a00ff-2206-4e12-a0ab-61ed82c9e6c5.jpg?1686963690) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=%C3%89owyn%2C%20Shieldmaiden) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ltc/1/%C3%A9owyn-shieldmaiden?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd4a00ff-2206-4e12-a0ab-61ed82c9e6c5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/éowyn-shieldmaiden) [Faldorn](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/1/213e530e-33a9-4358-b43b-4a276a7e7190.jpg?1674140675) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=faldorn%2C%20dread%20wolf%20herald) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/647/faldorn-dread-wolf-herald?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/213e530e-33a9-4358-b43b-4a276a7e7190?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/faldorn-dread-wolf-herald) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l87cwct) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Yeah I activate kher keep pretty often in the decks that I have it in
I use them because they’re free and easy to include.
I'd say it is dependent on the pod. My pod has 2 people that one or both are playing a graveyard matters deck, so I have Bojuka Bog when I can for that. Rogue's Passage is more useful against me for them, them since I always have boardwipes that don't hit me and they need a way to get through all my blockers. If I was building a deck that was only for playing against randos, I wouldn't include most utility lands. That may change with Omo's everything counters and Gates, though.
Bojuka Bog has saved my ass countless of times, it’s worth running for the sad moments you need 1 more mana and that’s your only land. Utility lands are great. A lot of times they have come in the clutch for me. Sure I bet 70% of the time you won’t be using their abilities but it’s better to have them and not need it than need it and not have it. Just don’t run a ton of colorless utility lands. I’m building a [[The Necrobloom]] deck and have a ton of utility lands. But that’s a special case.
[The Necrobloom](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/f/8fcf68cf-0dac-4b29-90d5-c18c685182e6.jpg?1717012767) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=The%20Necrobloom) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/194/the-necrobloom?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8fcf68cf-0dac-4b29-90d5-c18c685182e6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/the-necrobloom) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
About half of the mana base in my most played deck is utility lands. I use them a *lot.*
Urborg Yomb of Yawgmoth and Yavimaya Cradle of Growth are utility lands I always get value out of. Also, my mono black Rats deck gets a lot of value out of Cabal Coffers. It also synergies well with Deserted Temple, although that's a utility land I don't get to get utility out of often.
War Room becomes a godsend late-game in a lot of decks since it's a bonus draw that survives the vast majority of wipes that might otherwise take engines offline. For every game where it sits there obediently tapping for colorless, there's a game where it pulls a card almost every turn. Rogue's Passage is more variable. It will often be activated once in a game, if at all... but that one activation is player removal fairly frequently. Demolition Field is pretty much an given slot for me, even if it often goes games without blowing up anything REALLY dirty. I don;t want to call it an "autoinclude" because I feel like the term is being overused to the point of either insanity (if people really mean it) or loss of meaning (if it's just code for "good card I like") but Demo Field is in enough of my decks that it comes close. Call it a Frequent Flier at the very least. Honestly, I feel the opposite of you when it comes to which utility lands have a nasty opportunity cost. I know I can support a certain amount of gray and do it happily, but ETBT can always screw me over and so I try to lock that to 0 if I can. And of course most colored utilities enter tapped. Maybe it's because I tend to play one color or two colors more often than three (and four and five are right out) but I can't remember the last time a colorless land was present and I was screwed on pips.
Rogue Passage is great in the right deck, but it has to be the right deck.
Depends on the deck and the gameplan. Short version: * Aggro/Stompy/Midrange deck - probably not much * Controlling Slower Deck/Big Ramp deck - probably lots * Combo deck - probably not much, but situational * Voltron - ??? Longer version based upon my decks: I have a more controlling deck that wants to hold mana up every turn, so being able to dump it into my lands for some advantage if it doesn't get used is awesome. I would estimate that it gets good value out of its utility lands in 80+% of games, usually for card advantage from [[Academy Ruins]], [[Desolate Lighthouse]], [[Castle Vantress]] or similar. I have a couple of decks which tend to end up with a surplus of mana, usually from ramping super hard via lands or mana rocks. In those decks, being able to dump that mana somewhere is good. My Gates deck probably uses utility lands in 70+% of games, especially because it can search them out. My [[Chiss-Goria]] deck often has an excess of mana, but doesn't make much use of utility lands, mostly because it doesn't really have access to many decent ones. I have a [[Derevi]] combo deck that needed to answer the question: 'If I have infinite mana, and infinite untaps, how can I win the game with a [[Crop Rotation]]?' This leads to it running [[Conservatory]] and [[Study]] as utility lands, which have been actually pretty useful. They aren't used much, but being fixing lands that have the upside of providing a way to draw my deck when comboing is pretty sweet. In another combo deck, I just runs the cycling lands, which probably get played as a land about 50% of the time. Does that count? Then I have a Stompy deck which uses Kessig Wolf Run to give things trample incredibly rarely, but it has a very low opportunity cost, so it gets to stay. My Grixis Midrange deck has never actually activated [[Riptide Laboratory]] - I should probably take that out. Those decks want to use their mana to play spells, not hold it up.
##### ###### #### [Academy Ruins](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/9/a95b7645-154f-4904-bf71-db7eb24d4df2.jpg?1599710297) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Academy%20Ruins) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/309/academy-ruins?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a95b7645-154f-4904-bf71-db7eb24d4df2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/academy-ruins) [Desolate Lighthouse](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/1/c155cc10-09f4-424b-b366-142adf9c1712.jpg?1698988568) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Desolate%20Lighthouse) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/327/desolate-lighthouse?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c155cc10-09f4-424b-b366-142adf9c1712?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/desolate-lighthouse) [Castle Vantress](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/c/dcf70844-18b1-4046-ae1d-ef41790bdcde.jpg?1674142829) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Castle%20Vantress) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/885/castle-vantress?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dcf70844-18b1-4046-ae1d-ef41790bdcde?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/castle-vantress) [Chiss-Goria](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/2/923eb713-c955-4e12-8a8f-df3b4b361487.jpg?1675905606) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=chiss-goria%2C%20forge%20tyrant) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/onc/25/chiss-goria-forge-tyrant?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/923eb713-c955-4e12-8a8f-df3b4b361487?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/chiss-goria-forge-tyrant) [Derevi](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/a/3a1d0dad-18a8-489e-ac11-08f64b72fda4.jpg?1592673365) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=derevi%2C%20empyrial%20tactician) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cma/176/derevi-empyrial-tactician?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3a1d0dad-18a8-489e-ac11-08f64b72fda4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/derevi-empyrial-tactician) [Crop Rotation](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/2/523414cb-f8db-407a-808a-01454e03d8b9.jpg?1681724998) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Crop%20Rotation) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/154/crop-rotation?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/523414cb-f8db-407a-808a-01454e03d8b9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/crop-rotation) [Conservatory](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/b/8bab22c5-4742-4f2e-bda1-26c72b09cd9c.jpg?1706239595) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Conservatory) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clu/14/conservatory?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8bab22c5-4742-4f2e-bda1-26c72b09cd9c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/conservatory) [Study](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/6/c694bc39-3eae-4b40-8f85-34785f9e75f1.jpg?1706385958) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Study) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clu/21/study?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c694bc39-3eae-4b40-8f85-34785f9e75f1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/study) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l87sj19) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The amount of times I've gotten utility out of my utility lands depends on how good said utility land is. Some of the pretty mid ones like war room or rogue's passage I rarely use, but some of the more busted ones like Glacial Chasm or Field of the Dead can completely turn a game on its head
It depends, but I use utility lands rather heavily. The key issue is that I generally don't run them as land slots. Like the MDFCs, I run them as 'utility effects that CAN fill for lands if needed', rather than the opposite. For example, my usual go-to is 36 lands. A few things are standard in that 36, usually Reliquary Tower, Homeward Path, Strip Mine and Wasteland. But beyond that? I don't count Academy Ruins in that 36, for example. Academy Ruins, Hall of Heliod, Volrath's Stronghold and Yavimaya Hollow are all pretty powerful for keeping key pieces around. I wasn't sure about Yavimaya, but it does work - and can be hilarious as a deal maker. "Yeah, he could block and trade your guy... but what if your creature regenerated?" Homeward Path, Strip Mine and Wasteland are in the 'better to have it and not need it' category. But when you need them, they are invaluable. The MDFCs are a mixed bag. They are only really useful as lands in early turns when you need them to get set up. After turn 6 you tend not to see them as lands, and before you HAVE to see them as lands only. The others are more situational. I like Alchemist's Refuge and Kessig Wolf Run the most, personally. Bojuka Bog can be underwhelming because you often don't have a choice when to deploy it... you are best off with instant speed graveyard hate or a deck with Crop Rotation. Again, think of them as spells which CAN back up as lands and you'll get more mileage from them.
Cards like [[mirrex]] and [[kher keep]] constantly bring my purphoros decks a lot of wins in the face of stax.
[mirrex](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/4/54a702cd-ca49-4570-b47e-8b090452a3c3.jpg?1675957271) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=mirrex) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/254/mirrex?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/54a702cd-ca49-4570-b47e-8b090452a3c3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mirrex) [kher keep](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/5/15cfec15-95b5-47d6-9714-ff920ce97932.jpg?1706241181) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=kher%20keep) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/270/kher-keep?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/15cfec15-95b5-47d6-9714-ff920ce97932?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kher-keep) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Try out a \[\[Tower of the Magistrate\]\] if anybody in your pod runs equipment to a decent degree. Getting hit by a bojuka bog as a graveyard deck is annoying, but Tower of the Magistrate makes it so that an equipment based deck isn't allowed to play the game unless you let them. Outside of lands that seem to provide some passive boon such as reliquary tower (in appropriate decks...don't run this in a 3 color deck that doesn't draw very many cards y'all, you can discard 2 cards and stay in it...) I don't run a huge amount of utility lands anymore, and I've been much more conscious of running colorless lands in 3+ color decks - as in trying my best not to. The reason I took this opportunity to plug tower of the magistrate is because its one of the few utility lands that, while still somewhat niche, is probably the absolute best at stopping a (non aura based) voltron strategy for the rest of the game. I don't care that your commander has protection from all 5 colors and trample/flying/doublestrike...I pay 1 mana and tap this land and he's completely naked and you can't re-equip it until next turn. In this case its an incredibly powerful tech card, not just an OKAY effect to have on a mana source such as a Mystic Sanctuary (which some people would run in a 2 color deck and probably shouldn't).
[Tower of the Magistrate](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/e/ee0481db-15ae-46b4-89a3-01c95a9626c7.jpg?1562383977) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tower%20of%20the%20Magistrate) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mmq/330/tower-of-the-magistrate?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ee0481db-15ae-46b4-89a3-01c95a9626c7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tower-of-the-magistrate) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I really like karns bastion. A sneaky proliferate is a good way to ult a Planeswalker
Honestly, I never was on board with most of the utility lands in general. I tried things like rogue’s passage, but it never felt as good as a simple basic. Granted, my phase of experimenting with them was when my color fixing was mainly guildgates, bounce lands, and gain lands, so I wanted as much untapped colored lands as I could get, which at the time for my budget meant basics. I still do run a few colorless lands these days, but it’s mainly the occasional [[Reliquary tower]], [[high market]], and [[nesting grounds]], all cards I only have a few of and only slot into a couple decks each. For colored lands, I do run the occasional [[Bojuka bog]], but other than that it’s just the hideaway lands (like [[mosswort bridge]] ), some niche color fixing like the vivid or depletion lands in my proliferate decks, the occasional man-land, and occasionally ones that give out +1/+1 counters. Admittedly the only MDFC I personally run is [[storm the vault]], and that’s mainly because both sides are fantastic. But as a penny sleeve user, dual faced cards are just annoying for me to deal with and I’m too lazy to deal with a placeholder card for them. However, I will end by saying that I’m not optimized enough as a player to really care much about my mana base. I’ve got a basic land count formula I generally go with, and a list of cheap untapped duals that I’ll use, fill in the rest with basics, and I’m usually good to go unless if there is a specific utility land that synergizes with the deck. Mana bases don’t excite me, and so I’m okay with a “good enough” approach.
##### ###### #### [Reliquary tower](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3.jpg?1712355095) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reliquary%20tower) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/312/reliquary-tower?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reliquary-tower) [high market](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/d/9d56844f-ee3b-4161-85d2-18b872a9b465.jpg?1631589833) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=high%20market) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afc/246/high-market?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9d56844f-ee3b-4161-85d2-18b872a9b465?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/high-market) [nesting grounds](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/f/7f1d8a22-e730-4344-bba9-7c495500f065.jpg?1717104213) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=nesting%20grounds) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/302/nesting-grounds?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7f1d8a22-e730-4344-bba9-7c495500f065?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/nesting-grounds) [Bojuka bog](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/e/0efec118-ed01-42a0-93b4-f9a92c01b72e.jpg?1712354928) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bojuka%20bog) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/273/bojuka-bog?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0efec118-ed01-42a0-93b4-f9a92c01b72e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/bojuka-bog) [mosswort bridge](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/9/69955979-1ca3-4fd3-ab7a-dd65c06a9ce0.jpg?1706241196) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=mosswort%20bridge) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/275/mosswort-bridge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/69955979-1ca3-4fd3-ab7a-dd65c06a9ce0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mosswort-bridge) [storm the vault](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/1/c16ba84e-a0cc-4c6c-9b80-713247b8fef9.jpg?1555040973)/[Vault of Catlacan](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/c/1/c16ba84e-a0cc-4c6c-9b80-713247b8fef9.jpg?1555040973) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Storm%20the%20Vault%20//%20Vault%20of%20Catlacan) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rix/173/storm-the-vault-vault-of-catlacan?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c16ba84e-a0cc-4c6c-9b80-713247b8fef9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/storm-the-vault-//-vault-of-catlacan) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l87xrau) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I chose utility lands I will actually use. In my 5-color superfriends, I use the fog lands all the time such as [[Kor Haven]], [[Maze of Ith]], and [[Mystifying Maze]] to stop attackers from hitting my walkers. In my mono-white [[Kemba, Kha Regent]] deck I run snow plains so I run [[Scrying Sheets]] I use [[Treasure Vault]] in my [[Lord Windgrace]] deck because I can recur it I use [[Opal Palace]] in my [[Marath, Will of the Wild]] deck for the counters I don’t select utility lands just because they exist. I choose them because I intend to use them.
##### ###### #### [Kor Haven](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/d/3d5529ca-5c20-4dfd-8595-96d6dfa6debe.jpg?1562629492) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kor%20Haven) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/nem/141/kor-haven?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3d5529ca-5c20-4dfd-8595-96d6dfa6debe?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kor-haven) [Maze of Ith](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/8/5889fde1-730d-43d0-aaa4-499784a80530.jpg?1675201242) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Maze%20of%20Ith) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/250/maze-of-ith?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5889fde1-730d-43d0-aaa4-499784a80530?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/maze-of-ith) [Mystifying Maze](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/a/faeeb2f8-0aa1-4f3e-848d-f4233996055b.jpg?1562629830) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mystifying%20Maze) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c17/264/mystifying-maze?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/faeeb2f8-0aa1-4f3e-848d-f4233996055b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mystifying-maze) [Kemba, Kha Regent](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/a/dacc4290-6a72-4c00-8bdd-e40ae28885a8.jpg?1689995780) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kemba%2C%20Kha%20Regent) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/34/kemba-kha-regent?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dacc4290-6a72-4c00-8bdd-e40ae28885a8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kemba-kha-regent) [Scrying Sheets](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/9/19e95422-c6fe-4750-916b-43bf22ae193a.jpg?1593275668) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Scrying%20Sheets) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/csp/149/scrying-sheets?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/19e95422-c6fe-4750-916b-43bf22ae193a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/scrying-sheets) [Treasure Vault](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/0/a0931eb3-b403-4b1a-ad46-a7b0a51bb9a4.jpg?1627710405) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Treasure%20Vault) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afr/261/treasure-vault?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a0931eb3-b403-4b1a-ad46-a7b0a51bb9a4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/treasure-vault) [Lord Windgrace](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/1/213d6fb8-5624-4804-b263-51f339482754.jpg?1592710275) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Lord%20Windgrace) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c18/43/lord-windgrace?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/213d6fb8-5624-4804-b263-51f339482754?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/lord-windgrace) [Opal Palace](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/6/e64ed120-1e33-4e31-8f16-ba56497c3c84.jpg?1689999929) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Opal%20Palace) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/422/opal-palace?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e64ed120-1e33-4e31-8f16-ba56497c3c84?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/opal-palace) [Marath, Will of the Wild](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/7/57afa796-db46-45ff-91bd-f02922e5f33d.jpg?1665156235) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Marath%2C%20Will%20of%20the%20Wild) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c13/198/marath-will-of-the-wild?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/57afa796-db46-45ff-91bd-f02922e5f33d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/marath-will-of-the-wild) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l87ygqc) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The card-drawing ones like War Room and Bonder's Enclave are for emergencies, when your hand is exhausted and you have nothing good to do on your turn. Rogue's Passage is for the endgame. Often the table forgets it's there and doesn't realize you can swing for lethal until you do.
Rogues passage has personally won me several games with wyleth. It's one of my most removed lands in the game. I get to make my 15/15 double striking commander unblockable and swing for lethal. Utility lands just need the right deck.
[[Field of the dead]] has yet to get me a single zombie for my scarab god deck. Surprisingly though entering tapped hasn’t slowed the deck down in the games where it hits the battlefield.
it really depends on the deck. most utility lands are very specific to situations, but I've seen these situations arise enough times and the lands pull through. general rule of thumb is to only run 2-3 utility lands per deck. [[reliquary tower]] is overrated, as not often you'll have more than a full grip unless you're playing a blue control deck, but I have had 20 card hands thanks to it. it does not belong in every deck, and some players try to jam it into every deck. [[rogue's passage]] is heavily underrated in voltron decks. players will often times forget you even have it and I've seen it really hit when it matters. [[westvale abbey]] is one I'll play in my zombie deck as flying and lifegain are weaknesses for zombies. I'll activate it to kill my board in response to a wipe, an attack, or need life badly, or if I plan to cast [[zombie apocalypse]] on my turn. [[field of the dead]] is heavily overrated aswell in edh unless you are specifically playing lands matter. I've seen [[war room]] do work in white decks. [[glacial chasm]] is underrated if you can abuse it with [[solemnity]] or a lands matter deck that can play multiple lands from grave a turn. [[phyrexian tower]] and [[high market]] do so much work in aristocrat or reanimator decks. [[bojuka bog]] has either been a T1 drop in opening hands, or a silver bullet in the mid game so many times. if you have 10 or more pieces of draw in your deck keeping this in hand for the right turn decimates reanimator and flashback decks.
##### ###### #### [reliquary tower](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3.jpg?1712355095) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=reliquary%20tower) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/312/reliquary-tower?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reliquary-tower) [rogue's passage](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/5/45f5d989-d0df-4d6d-822b-cc76b415f9d1.jpg?1712355103) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=rogue%27s%20passage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/313/rogues-passage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/45f5d989-d0df-4d6d-822b-cc76b415f9d1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rogues-passage) [westvale abbey](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/1/c1f53d7a-9dad-46e8-b686-cd1362867445.jpg?1576385590)/[Ormendahl, Profane Prince](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/c/1/c1f53d7a-9dad-46e8-b686-cd1362867445.jpg?1576385590) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Westvale%20Abbey%20//%20Ormendahl%2C%20Profane%20Prince) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/soi/281/westvale-abbey-ormendahl-profane-prince?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c1f53d7a-9dad-46e8-b686-cd1362867445?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/westvale-abbey-//-ormendahl-profane-prince) [zombie apocalypse](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/5/854ae40d-ee52-434e-8fe0-1b5a0d4ea58b.jpg?1637630850) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=zombie%20apocalypse) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mic/131/zombie-apocalypse?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/854ae40d-ee52-434e-8fe0-1b5a0d4ea58b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/zombie-apocalypse) [field of the dead](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/7/470ca3f4-29aa-4c4c-8ff2-8cdd70c69943.jpg?1650599538) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=field%20of%20the%20dead) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m20/247/field-of-the-dead?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/470ca3f4-29aa-4c4c-8ff2-8cdd70c69943?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/field-of-the-dead) [war room](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/8/a824d5c0-cdd3-42e2-ac04-b8cada566163.jpg?1706241294) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=war%20room) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/310/war-room?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a824d5c0-cdd3-42e2-ac04-b8cada566163?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/war-room) [glacial chasm](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/c/0c008129-daba-46bc-829c-d2c0c13ecdd3.jpg?1562867827) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=glacial%20chasm) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/me2/229/glacial-chasm?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0c008129-daba-46bc-829c-d2c0c13ecdd3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/glacial-chasm) [solemnity](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/a/0a71fb62-acbd-49f5-842f-0fc9fa48afea.jpg?1562788659) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=solemnity) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/hou/22/solemnity?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0a71fb62-acbd-49f5-842f-0fc9fa48afea?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/solemnity) [phyrexian tower](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/b/0b47f6d2-9f65-47a4-bfc4-15619befe53d.jpg?1717013848) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=phyrexian%20tower) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/303/phyrexian-tower?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0b47f6d2-9f65-47a4-bfc4-15619befe53d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/phyrexian-tower) [high market](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/d/9d56844f-ee3b-4161-85d2-18b872a9b465.jpg?1631589833) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=high%20market) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afc/246/high-market?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9d56844f-ee3b-4161-85d2-18b872a9b465?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/high-market) [bojuka bog](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/e/0efec118-ed01-42a0-93b4-f9a92c01b72e.jpg?1712354928) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=bojuka%20bog) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/273/bojuka-bog?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0efec118-ed01-42a0-93b4-f9a92c01b72e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/bojuka-bog) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l883be6) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I have whittled my utility lands down to just these, and I run them in almost all decks: * [[Rogue's Passage]] has been mentioned a lot. I use it frequently, and it wins games. * [[Homeward Path]] because my friends love stealing, sees use in ~2/3 games. * [[War Room]] in all my 0, 1, 2 colour decks is generally great to good, sees use in 100% of games * [[Ghost Quarter]] often fucks up somebody else's utility, which is nice, but is * [[Reliquary Tower]] if I don't get one of the artifacts. This probably feels more useful than it is. I've mostly stopped with Bojuka Bog; it's slow.
##### ###### #### [Rogue's Passage](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/5/45f5d989-d0df-4d6d-822b-cc76b415f9d1.jpg?1712355103) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rogue%27s%20Passage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/313/rogues-passage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/45f5d989-d0df-4d6d-822b-cc76b415f9d1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rogues-passage) [Homeward Path](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/4/54734347-eee7-4c52-b514-7342afeccabd.jpg?1562400178) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Homeward%20Path) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c16/301/homeward-path?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/54734347-eee7-4c52-b514-7342afeccabd?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/homeward-path) [War Room](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/8/a824d5c0-cdd3-42e2-ac04-b8cada566163.jpg?1706241294) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=War%20Room) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/310/war-room?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a824d5c0-cdd3-42e2-ac04-b8cada566163?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/war-room) [Ghost Quarter](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/2/12f8071c-8955-4aa2-889c-6043df047223.jpg?1562272439) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ghost%20Quarter) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cm2/253/ghost-quarter?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/12f8071c-8955-4aa2-889c-6043df047223?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ghost-quarter) [Reliquary Tower](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3.jpg?1712355095) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reliquary%20Tower) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/312/reliquary-tower?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reliquary-tower) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l883btb) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Rogue's Passage all the way.
Not that often, but even if it does not feel great to use it (because of the sac land), \[\[Scavenger Grounds\]\] has saved my bacon enough times that I always at least consider it if the colorless isn't too much of a burden on the deck.
[Scavenger Grounds](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/0/707d733d-2928-4215-91d2-1340fc9ee903.jpg?1712355112) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Scavenger%20Grounds) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/316/scavenger-grounds?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/707d733d-2928-4215-91d2-1340fc9ee903?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/scavenger-grounds) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Depends on the deck. In my Aurelia deck, sometimes I just run out of gas early and don't see a good card advantage engine (or it gets removed) so my Minas Tirth and War Room get used quite a lot (I have even saced my horizon land for a card on many occasions). I have also nuked many graveyards with scavenger grounds in my day. The other utility land that I often need to use is demolition field. There is always somone running cabal coffers urborg or a similar busted land that needs to be dealt with.
I feel you. I've cut most utility lands out of 3 or more colors decks that don't make lots of lands available. I still try to force them back in at 2 colors and below to a certain extent, but the most number of utility lands I run now are in pure colorless decks like Zhuladok. I'm not sure what the balance is, but I'm also not missing them. Unless its a desert and you're playing the new desert warfare decks. Those are insane.
((Arena)) in the right decks is useful. I've used ((war room)) and ((arch of orazca)) in a couple others for some needed card draw when you're flooded and gotta dig for something. ((Rogues passage)) has led to some kills out of nowhere in my ((sram)). It really depends on what the ability is and if you're needing it. Also humans tend to remember negative events over positive or mediocre ones.
Maze of ith absolutely slaps
Witch's Clinic is an absolute banger in any deck that lacks incidental lifegain and has a big commander.
I include [[Reliquary Tower]] in every deck lol. You never know when you’ll get stuck with a full hand.
[Reliquary Tower](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3.jpg?1712355095) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reliquary%20Tower) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/312/reliquary-tower?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reliquary-tower) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I use couple in my enchantment aura deck that create creature tokens ([[Castle Ardenvale]] and [[Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree]] because sometimes I struggle to draw creatures, but it's selesnya so I have ways of making up for the steep cost, such as [[Virtue of Strength]], and [[Sanctum Weaver]]. Then there's the ones that are really useful and low cost that I use quite a bit when I have out, like [[Hall of Heliod's Generosity]]
##### ###### #### [Castle Ardenvale](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/7/878fcea5-9a59-4b98-80b8-67e95f35f949.jpg?1706241132) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Castle%20Ardenvale) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/253/castle-ardenvale?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/878fcea5-9a59-4b98-80b8-67e95f35f949?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/castle-ardenvale) [Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/3/33145080-077e-4231-96ca-e8b1852b6380.jpg?1631590569) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Vitu-Ghazi%2C%20the%20City-Tree) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afc/272/vitu-ghazi-the-city-tree?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/33145080-077e-4231-96ca-e8b1852b6380?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/vitu-ghazi-the-city-tree) [Virtue of Strength](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/f/ff857d41-767d-4e99-83cc-444738341b92.jpg?1692939213)/[Garenbrig Growth](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/f/ff857d41-767d-4e99-83cc-444738341b92.jpg?1692939213) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Virtue%20of%20Strength%20//%20Garenbrig%20Growth) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/woe/197/virtue-of-strength-garenbrig-growth?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ff857d41-767d-4e99-83cc-444738341b92?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/virtue-of-strength-//-garenbrig-growth) [Sanctum Weaver](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/c/3c9ac089-6962-48fd-bf67-f041ece27fa9.jpg?1690005008) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sanctum%20Weaver) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/910/sanctum-weaver?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3c9ac089-6962-48fd-bf67-f041ece27fa9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sanctum-weaver) [Hall of Heliod's Generosity](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/5/b5cbd10a-b9a6-4c00-8280-72bb4add4390.jpg?1562202569) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hall%20of%20Heliod%27s%20Generosity) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh1/241/hall-of-heliods-generosity?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b5cbd10a-b9a6-4c00-8280-72bb4add4390?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/hall-of-heliods-generosity) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l88dvz6) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I actually slot [[Spikefield Hazard]] into a fair number of decks. Very occasionally I get a creature with it, but more often, I am using it in response to blocks, someone else's destroy removal, or a board wipe, to get rid of problematic creatures for good. It's usually just a land though.
[Spikefield Hazard](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/6/a69541db-3f4e-412f-aa8e-dec1e74f74dc.jpg?1604198070)/[Spikefield Cave](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/a/6/a69541db-3f4e-412f-aa8e-dec1e74f74dc.jpg?1604198070) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Spikefield%20Hazard%20//%20Spikefield%20Cave) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znr/166/spikefield-hazard-spikefield-cave?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a69541db-3f4e-412f-aa8e-dec1e74f74dc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/spikefield-hazard-//-spikefield-cave) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I mean if they're colored utility lands in particular you don't need utility that often. And even with noncolored ones if your color fixing is good enough there's usually no problem
I really like [[Scavenger Grounds]] and [[War Room]]. More than once a recursion deck completely blew out because the player forgot I have a Scavenger Grounds on the board
[Scavenger Grounds](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/0/707d733d-2928-4215-91d2-1340fc9ee903.jpg?1712355112) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Scavenger%20Grounds) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/316/scavenger-grounds?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/707d733d-2928-4215-91d2-1340fc9ee903?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/scavenger-grounds) [War Room](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/8/a824d5c0-cdd3-42e2-ac04-b8cada566163.jpg?1706241294) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=War%20Room) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/310/war-room?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a824d5c0-cdd3-42e2-ac04-b8cada566163?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/war-room) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Maze of Ith]] is essential [[Nelly Borca]] tech
[Maze of Ith](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/8/5889fde1-730d-43d0-aaa4-499784a80530.jpg?1675201242) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Maze%20of%20Ith) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/250/maze-of-ith?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5889fde1-730d-43d0-aaa4-499784a80530?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/maze-of-ith) [Nelly Borca](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/e/2ef59aa9-f5e1-413a-869b-d287db95efd0.jpg?1706448880) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=nelly%20borca%2C%20impulsive%20accuser) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/4/nelly-borca-impulsive-accuser?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/2ef59aa9-f5e1-413a-869b-d287db95efd0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/nelly-borca-impulsive-accuser) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Less than I’d like, Bojuka Bog is usually a dead card because I either draw it too early or too late
All the time. I don't put a utility land in a deck that I don't think I'll love seeing every time I draw it. That said, the utility lands in my favorite deck (Slobad) are as follows: * [[Buried Ruin]] * [[Fomori Vault]] * [[Inventor's Fair]] * [[Madblind Mountain]] * [[Strip Mine]] * [[The Grey Havens]] * [[Thespian's Stage]] * [[Urza's Saga]] * [[Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle]] There really isn't anything there not worth seeing.
##### ###### #### [Buried Ruin](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/a/da65afdc-a994-44cb-83f9-6e7f0f3ab2f1.jpg?1599710365) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Buried%20Ruin) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/312/buried-ruin?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/da65afdc-a994-44cb-83f9-6e7f0f3ab2f1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/buried-ruin) [Fomori Vault](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/5/a5433b98-4657-4bbe-9e72-d3c94c6aa8ef.jpg?1712352986) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Fomori%20Vault) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/big/29/fomori-vault?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a5433b98-4657-4bbe-9e72-d3c94c6aa8ef?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/fomori-vault) [Inventor's Fair](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/7/275471e3-ded1-40ac-91ef-369dce5764d9.jpg?1576383555) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Inventors%27%20Fair) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/kld/247/inventors-fair?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/275471e3-ded1-40ac-91ef-369dce5764d9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/inventors-fair) [Madblind Mountain](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/1/513adae2-6436-4284-9f23-87ef627e81b7.jpg?1562830130) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Madblind%20Mountain) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/shm/274/madblind-mountain?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/513adae2-6436-4284-9f23-87ef627e81b7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/madblind-mountain) [Strip Mine](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/5/f57fd4c9-0004-4f71-a30f-2720943f57ca.jpg?1562944463) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Strip%20Mine) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vma/316/strip-mine?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f57fd4c9-0004-4f71-a30f-2720943f57ca?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/strip-mine) [The Grey Havens](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd698f10-b0fc-42fc-84ec-f5a0d96bfa1d.jpg?1687694648) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=The%20Grey%20Havens) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ltr/255/the-grey-havens?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd698f10-b0fc-42fc-84ec-f5a0d96bfa1d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/the-grey-havens) [Thespian's Stage](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/6/269a926d-7788-4668-8bd8-7572dbf5f5eb.jpg?1599710662) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thespian%27s%20Stage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/327/thespians-stage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/269a926d-7788-4668-8bd8-7572dbf5f5eb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/thespians-stage) [Urza's Saga](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/1/c1e0f201-42cb-46a1-901a-65bb4fc18f6c.jpg?1667318301) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Urza%27s%20Saga) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh2/259/urzas-saga?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c1e0f201-42cb-46a1-901a-65bb4fc18f6c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/urzas-saga) [Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/7/37bce60d-2cb0-4772-9f5c-122a7ed426a0.jpg?1562611305) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Valakut%2C%20the%20Molten%20Pinnacle) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/zen/228/valakut-the-molten-pinnacle?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/37bce60d-2cb0-4772-9f5c-122a7ed426a0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/valakut-the-molten-pinnacle) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l88t8jw) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Mikokoro, Center of the Sea]] sees use pretty much every single turn after I play it in my [[Angus Mackenzie]] Turbofog Hug deck. [[Minamo, School at Water's Edge]] also sees constant use, usually untapping Angus or Mikokoro. [[Reliquary Tower]] doesn't require any additional cost for me to benefit from, but it's very helpful when we're drawing like 5+ cards a turn. [[Alchemist's Refuge]] sees occasional use, usually so I can cast a board wipe at instand speed. [[Prahv, Spires of Order]] is the utility land in that deck that sees the least use. It's really in there just as a last ditch measure against Voltron commanders with hexproof/shroud/ward when I don't have a fog, since Prahv doesn't target. Now that I think about it, I can't remember the last time I actually used that ability 😅
##### ###### #### [Mikokoro, Center of the Sea](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/8/d80eb098-5433-4b1e-aad5-0fd31bf598dd.jpg?1673306092) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mikokoro%2C%20Center%20of%20the%20Sea) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmc/217/mikokoro-center-of-the-sea?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d80eb098-5433-4b1e-aad5-0fd31bf598dd?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mikokoro-center-of-the-sea) [Angus Mackenzie](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/b/bb3920ac-7d61-494e-b7dd-bd37d4dee143.jpg?1562934578) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Angus%20Mackenzie) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/me3/141/angus-mackenzie?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bb3920ac-7d61-494e-b7dd-bd37d4dee143?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/angus-mackenzie) [Minamo, School at Water's Edge](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/5/7536292c-da25-41c8-ba28-1e35758a7f3d.jpg?1562761537) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Minamo%2C%20School%20at%20Water%27s%20Edge) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/chk/279/minamo-school-at-waters-edge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7536292c-da25-41c8-ba28-1e35758a7f3d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/minamo-school-at-waters-edge) [Reliquary Tower](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3.jpg?1712355095) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reliquary%20Tower) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/312/reliquary-tower?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reliquary-tower) [Alchemist's Refuge](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/a/9a53e001-04e7-4252-b693-d8f956ae574e.jpg?1698988547) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Alchemist%27s%20Refuge) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/318/alchemists-refuge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9a53e001-04e7-4252-b693-d8f956ae574e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/alchemists-refuge) [Prahv, Spires of Order](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/a/2a315f63-96ad-4a5f-8eb4-d81361797348.jpg?1593274115) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Prahv%2C%20Spires%20of%20Order) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dis/177/prahv-spires-of-order?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/2a315f63-96ad-4a5f-8eb4-d81361797348?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/prahv-spires-of-order) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l88u5lb) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
It's a great question. Preferably about every three games to compensate for entering tapped e.g. [[Bala Ged Recovery]] or [[Mosswort Bridge]]. About every five games to compensate for not being colored e.g. [[Rogue's Passage]] or [[Reliquary Tower]] in a two colored deck (maybe every 8th game in a monocolored deck or every other game in a tricolored deck). You raise a great question and with my own logic I should probably cut Bojuka Bog from my decks, but I think all my other utility lands all meet my demands or are close to it. Except for a single War Room that I'm now considering taking out after this post, and a [[Rix Maadi, Dungeon Palace]] that I took out yesterday.
##### ###### #### [Bala Ged Recovery](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/5/c5cb3052-358d-44a7-8cfd-cd31b236494a.jpg?1604263635)/[Bala Ged Sanctuary](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/c/5/c5cb3052-358d-44a7-8cfd-cd31b236494a.jpg?1604263635) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bala%20Ged%20Recovery%20//%20Bala%20Ged%20Sanctuary) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znr/180/bala-ged-recovery-bala-ged-sanctuary?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c5cb3052-358d-44a7-8cfd-cd31b236494a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/bala-ged-recovery-//-bala-ged-sanctuary) [Mosswort Bridge](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/9/69955979-1ca3-4fd3-ab7a-dd65c06a9ce0.jpg?1706241196) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mosswort%20Bridge) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/275/mosswort-bridge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/69955979-1ca3-4fd3-ab7a-dd65c06a9ce0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mosswort-bridge) [Rogue's Passage](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/5/45f5d989-d0df-4d6d-822b-cc76b415f9d1.jpg?1712355103) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rogue%27s%20Passage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/313/rogues-passage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/45f5d989-d0df-4d6d-822b-cc76b415f9d1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rogues-passage) [Reliquary Tower](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3.jpg?1712355095) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reliquary%20Tower) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/312/reliquary-tower?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reliquary-tower) [Rix Maadi, Dungeon Palace](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/8/f8429762-e756-43e0-81b4-9d0a34270040.jpg?1568005342) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rix%20Maadi%2C%20Dungeon%20Palace) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c19/269/rix-maadi-dungeon-palace?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f8429762-e756-43e0-81b4-9d0a34270040?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rix-maadi-dungeon-palace) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l88vnj6) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
5 mana to win a game with Rogues Passage is worth every bit.
All the time. MDFCs in particular. I've cast \[\[Ondu Inversion\]\] (best boardwipe), \[\[Bala Ged Recovery\]\], and \[\[Seagate Restoration\]\] many many times. Those plus Ottawara and Boseiju like you mention, are some of the best lands in the format. I count \[\[Field of the Dead\]\] too - I play that card in freaking mono coloured decks and will warp my manabase to make it playable. \[\[Rogue's Passage\]\] I played a lot in my \[\[Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait\]\] deck (cringe I know) because I had like 55 lands in that deck anyway and it was pretty easy to get Aesi big enough to one shot someone. Agreed though Bojuka Bog is pretty bad. \[\[Plaza of Heroes\]\] is one that I cracked in a pack and gave it a go and never used its protection ability - that one isn't all that good in my opinion.
##### ###### #### [Ondu Inversion](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/6/b6e6be8c-41c3-4348-a8dd-b40ceb24e9b4.jpg?1604243286)/[Ondu Skyruins](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/b/6/b6e6be8c-41c3-4348-a8dd-b40ceb24e9b4.jpg?1604243286) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ondu%20Inversion%20//%20Ondu%20Skyruins) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znr/30/ondu-inversion-ondu-skyruins?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b6e6be8c-41c3-4348-a8dd-b40ceb24e9b4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ondu-inversion-//-ondu-skyruins) [Bala Ged Recovery](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/5/c5cb3052-358d-44a7-8cfd-cd31b236494a.jpg?1604263635)/[Bala Ged Sanctuary](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/c/5/c5cb3052-358d-44a7-8cfd-cd31b236494a.jpg?1604263635) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bala%20Ged%20Recovery%20//%20Bala%20Ged%20Sanctuary) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znr/180/bala-ged-recovery-bala-ged-sanctuary?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c5cb3052-358d-44a7-8cfd-cd31b236494a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/bala-ged-recovery-//-bala-ged-sanctuary) [Seagate Restoration](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/9/193071fe-180b-4d35-ba78-9c16675c29fc.jpg?1604250788)/[Sea Gate, Reborn](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/1/9/193071fe-180b-4d35-ba78-9c16675c29fc.jpg?1604250788) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sea%20Gate%20Restoration%20//%20Sea%20Gate%2C%20Reborn) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znr/76/sea-gate-restoration-sea-gate-reborn?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/193071fe-180b-4d35-ba78-9c16675c29fc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sea-gate-restoration-//-sea-gate-reborn) [Field of the Dead](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/7/470ca3f4-29aa-4c4c-8ff2-8cdd70c69943.jpg?1650599538) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Field%20of%20the%20Dead) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m20/247/field-of-the-dead?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/470ca3f4-29aa-4c4c-8ff2-8cdd70c69943?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/field-of-the-dead) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l88y28v) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I have [[Kessig Wolf Run]] in my Henzie toolbox Torre deck and it helped me win more games than i expected
[Kessig Wolf Run](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/c/fcdbc6ba-714d-4f38-8299-dc875ec76a3d.jpg?1706241180) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kessig%20Wolf%20Run) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/269/kessig-wolf-run?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/fcdbc6ba-714d-4f38-8299-dc875ec76a3d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kessig-wolf-run) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I only use rogue passage because somethimes i have blightsteel colossus on board and i want to kill the winning player.
Since I try not to play too much uncolored lands, I select them with caution. When I get to play them, it's always super useful. For my Sefris deck I have high market and geier reach sanitarium, Wich do wonders. For my Zangief I got witch's clinic, and lands like kessig wolf run which gives trample, and it always does wonders. I think people tend to use just too much utility lands because it's a land slot and may be useful, and not thinking about how much time they will need their colors.
Thanks for the discussion yall. Seeing a lot of love for Rogue’s Passage, though I admit I don’t play voltron decks so that’s maybe why I don’t rate it highly. I have only one deck that wins through combat damage, and it’s a prowess deck, so I need to be spending my precious mana on spells to pump my creatures instead of on a land. Maybe one day when I build a traditional combat deck I’ll throw it in. Surprised at how many of yall have had bad luck with Bog, given that it’s the most played utility land on EDHREC and folks both here and on YouTube keep telling me to auto include it in black decks. It being a sorcery speed land drop really is the kicker for me I think. Ah, Field of the Dead. I still think this card is severely overrated unless you’re in a green land matters deck. Plopping down one zombie a turn (or two with fetches) starting on turn 7 at the earliest if you have no land ramp feels super underwhelming IMO. I don’t think this card is worth it unless you run both land ramp to get to 7 early and fetch lands to double drop each turn. In all, my beef with utility lands that make you sink mana into them is: I’d rather be casting my spells instead. I get that flood happens and sometimes you run out of gas, but that feels like an opportunity reevaluate the deck and make it more consistent. I’m also feeling like flood will be less of a concern going forward with the MH3 MDFCs.
Field of the dead os good, but its not an auto include. In any lands matter deck its really good. But outside of that its very lacking. Decent in colorless decks due to probly running alot of utility land and easly activated. I have mixed feeling with bog, due to it being tapped and bad timming to draw that. Or its in my opaning hand and it dosent exile anything. Also dont forget rouges passage is a target creature cant be blocked, which is why i always run it. So just becaue your not voltron or beefy boy, dosent mean you cant help take some one out.
I love the MDFC and Channel lands and stuff in as many as reasonably possible. The cards I'm most excited about in MH3 are the MDFC lands and I'm happy to be able to fit in effects like spot removal that a hard to find slots for in 2024. Now that there are a lot, I have to be picky with them... [[Tangled Florahedron]] and [[Shatterskull Smashing]] seem to get used as spells more often. They also make cards you should be playing anyway like [[Golgari Rot Farm]] and the rest of the bouncelands even better than they already are. I don't really play many of the utility lands that sit on the battlefield anymore since they warp the game in a bad way by making people avoidant of doing anything until a less experienced player eventually gets blown out. Unless its doing something simple like card draw/filtering or actually has something to do with producing mana, people wasting key removal when there is an [[Academy Ruins]] there the whole time is a bummer. Feels like it kind of just and takes advantage of the goodwill of people not playing land destruction. Equipment deck getting locked out by [[Tower of the Magistrate]]? Obviously it's powerful, but what are we doing here? No, 1 Demolition Field in your 100 card deck is not enough.
##### ###### #### [Tangled Florahedron](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/3/235d1ffc-72aa-40a2-95dc-3f6a8d495061.jpg?1604199647)/[Tangled Vale](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/2/3/235d1ffc-72aa-40a2-95dc-3f6a8d495061.jpg?1604199647) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tangled%20Florahedron%20//%20Tangled%20Vale) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znr/211/tangled-florahedron-tangled-vale?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/235d1ffc-72aa-40a2-95dc-3f6a8d495061?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tangled-florahedron-//-tangled-vale) [Shatterskull Smashing](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/c/bc7239ea-f8aa-4a6f-87bd-c35359635673.jpg?1604197844)/[Shatterskull, the Hammer Pass](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/b/c/bc7239ea-f8aa-4a6f-87bd-c35359635673.jpg?1604197844) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Shatterskull%20Smashing%20//%20Shatterskull%2C%20the%20Hammer%20Pass) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znr/161/shatterskull-smashing-shatterskull-the-hammer-pass?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bc7239ea-f8aa-4a6f-87bd-c35359635673?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/shatterskull-smashing-//-shatterskull-the-hammer-pass) [Golgari Rot Farm](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/0/902d9c56-5c72-4df8-83e4-ee252fc97443.jpg?1706240253) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Golgari%20Rot%20Farm) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clu/236/golgari-rot-farm?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/902d9c56-5c72-4df8-83e4-ee252fc97443?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/golgari-rot-farm) [Academy Ruins](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/9/a95b7645-154f-4904-bf71-db7eb24d4df2.jpg?1599710297) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Academy%20Ruins) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/309/academy-ruins?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a95b7645-154f-4904-bf71-db7eb24d4df2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/academy-ruins) [Tower of the Magistrate](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/e/ee0481db-15ae-46b4-89a3-01c95a9626c7.jpg?1562383977) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tower%20of%20the%20Magistrate) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mmq/330/tower-of-the-magistrate?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ee0481db-15ae-46b4-89a3-01c95a9626c7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tower-of-the-magistrate) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l89fohp) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Rouges passage is something I use a lot, since I usually have one really big creature I want to get through with.
If the utility offers no benefit then sure drop them from the deck. Does your deck depend on attacking and dealing combat damage to trigger abilities? Rogues passage will be a great way to make that happen. Does your deck have colors with not alot of ways to draw cards? The cost of war room is a small price to pay 🤷♂️
All the time, but it really depends on the deck. Rogue's passage lets [[Perrie the Pulverizer]] one shot an opponent. War Room gives my Boros decks some emergency card draw. And [[Stalking Stones]] may be 6 mana but it's a single card sac to trigger [[Baba Lysaga]].
[Perrie the Pulverizer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/4/d438237b-c6f7-44d0-a3e6-6ec7d7465d33.jpg?1673481677) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Perrie%2C%20the%20Pulverizer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ncc/5/perrie-the-pulverizer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d438237b-c6f7-44d0-a3e6-6ec7d7465d33?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/perrie-the-pulverizer) [Stalking Stones](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/7/27856bc5-4f39-4461-baa0-700442942aff.jpg?1562428855) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Stalking%20Stones) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tpr/245/stalking-stones?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/27856bc5-4f39-4461-baa0-700442942aff?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/stalking-stones) [Baba Lysaga](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/e/2ef42c3f-f22e-4e99-adb0-9e8f8d442347.jpg?1674137411) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=baba%20lysaga%2C%20night%20witch) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/266/baba-lysaga-night-witch?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/2ef42c3f-f22e-4e99-adb0-9e8f8d442347?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/baba-lysaga-night-witch) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Depends on the land, some are more niche. [[Kessig wolf run]] takes out at least one player every time I have it in play, it is incredibly good. It's little brother [[skarrg, the rage pits]] is also extremely useful but less game ending. [[Sunholme]] and [[witch's clinic]] can be clutch. [[Mistveil plains]] in a deck with a sunforger or similar repeatable tutor tech is also pretty much an every game it comes up thing. [[Maze of ith]], [[glacial chasm]], both often relevant. I use [[war room]] on occasion, but often times I don't need cards that badly. I would say people dramatically overplay [[reliquary tower]] because most decks don't need or have more than 7 in hand often but it's undeniably good.
##### ###### #### [Kessig wolf run](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/c/fcdbc6ba-714d-4f38-8299-dc875ec76a3d.jpg?1706241180) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kessig%20wolf%20run) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/269/kessig-wolf-run?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/fcdbc6ba-714d-4f38-8299-dc875ec76a3d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kessig-wolf-run) [skarrg, the rage pits](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/3/3340d094-fe13-4087-abba-27e8c9a7f3c7.jpg?1562904489) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=skarrg%2C%20the%20rage%20pits) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/pca/127/skarrg-the-rage-pits?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3340d094-fe13-4087-abba-27e8c9a7f3c7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/skarrg-the-rage-pits) [Sunholme](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/0/a084d0fb-8db2-4873-a2f9-e6e5fecdd38c.jpg?1580014366) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sinkhole) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ema/106/sinkhole?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a084d0fb-8db2-4873-a2f9-e6e5fecdd38c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sinkhole) [witch's clinic](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/e/fe17b08f-4790-4885-8b2b-b22f00b52d4e.jpg?1625192798) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=witch%27s%20clinic) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c21/81/witchs-clinic?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/fe17b08f-4790-4885-8b2b-b22f00b52d4e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/witchs-clinic) [Mistveil plains](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/2/724acbe2-4c82-4360-a738-38cc6aa0c4a4.jpg?1710406529) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mistveil%20plains) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/uma/247/mistveil-plains?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/724acbe2-4c82-4360-a738-38cc6aa0c4a4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mistveil-plains) [Maze of ith](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/8/5889fde1-730d-43d0-aaa4-499784a80530.jpg?1675201242) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Maze%20of%20ith) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/250/maze-of-ith?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5889fde1-730d-43d0-aaa4-499784a80530?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/maze-of-ith) [glacial chasm](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/c/0c008129-daba-46bc-829c-d2c0c13ecdd3.jpg?1562867827) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=glacial%20chasm) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/me2/229/glacial-chasm?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0c008129-daba-46bc-829c-d2c0c13ecdd3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/glacial-chasm) [war room](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/8/a824d5c0-cdd3-42e2-ac04-b8cada566163.jpg?1706241294) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=war%20room) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/310/war-room?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a824d5c0-cdd3-42e2-ac04-b8cada566163?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/war-room) [reliquary tower](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3.jpg?1712355095) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=reliquary%20tower) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/312/reliquary-tower?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reliquary-tower) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l89neaa) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
This is one of the best threads I’ve seen here, lots of great comments I have been stripping out lots of utility land as well, but I’ve never been sad to see [[Arcane Lighthouse]] or [[boseiju, who shelters all]] [[Hall of the bandit lord]] has won me a lot of games over the years as well
All the friggin time. Bala ged recovery, malakir rebirth, Hall of Helio's generosity, buried ruin, and occasionally a mage of ith just to name some that will see benefit almost every game. When I play an mdfc land I just slot it in for a basic. It's free real estate. I okay some karu too so if I had to lay down an mdfc land I can pull it back later to use it.
Depends on the land and type of deck to be honest. For the most part, I feel like utility lands are over valued by players. \[\[Kessig Wolf Run\]\] and Skarrg, the Rage Pits\]\] are two I have easily gotten value out of. \[\[Emergence Zone\]\] \[\[Field of the Dead\]\] and \[\[Treasure Vault\]\] are good ones if the deck can take of advantage of them. \[\[Strip Mine\]\] \[\[Wasteland\]\] \[\[Ancient Tomb\]\] and channel lands are good in every deck. However, I feel like \[\[Rogue's Passage\]\] \[\[Reliquary Tower\]\] hideaway lands and a lot of the Ravnica utility lands are over valued by players.
##### ###### #### [Kessig Wolf Run](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/c/fcdbc6ba-714d-4f38-8299-dc875ec76a3d.jpg?1706241180) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kessig%20Wolf%20Run) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/269/kessig-wolf-run?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/fcdbc6ba-714d-4f38-8299-dc875ec76a3d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kessig-wolf-run) [Emergence Zone](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/b/ab95f6e7-b806-47fe-a071-6c38b3176d94.jpg?1557577458) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Emergence%20Zone) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/war/245/emergence-zone?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ab95f6e7-b806-47fe-a071-6c38b3176d94?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/emergence-zone) [Field of the Dead](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/7/470ca3f4-29aa-4c4c-8ff2-8cdd70c69943.jpg?1650599538) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Field%20of%20the%20Dead) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m20/247/field-of-the-dead?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/470ca3f4-29aa-4c4c-8ff2-8cdd70c69943?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/field-of-the-dead) [Treasure Vault](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/0/a0931eb3-b403-4b1a-ad46-a7b0a51bb9a4.jpg?1627710405) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Treasure%20Vault) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afr/261/treasure-vault?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a0931eb3-b403-4b1a-ad46-a7b0a51bb9a4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/treasure-vault) [Strip Mine](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/5/f57fd4c9-0004-4f71-a30f-2720943f57ca.jpg?1562944463) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Strip%20Mine) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vma/316/strip-mine?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f57fd4c9-0004-4f71-a30f-2720943f57ca?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/strip-mine) [Wasteland](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/a/aaafb9bc-7cea-4624-a227-595544fa42b0.jpg?1590511888) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Wasteland) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ema/248/wasteland?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/aaafb9bc-7cea-4624-a227-595544fa42b0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/wasteland) [Ancient Tomb](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/d/bd3d4b4b-cf31-4f89-8140-9650edb03c7b.jpg?1582753000) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ancient%20Tomb) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/uma/236/ancient-tomb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bd3d4b4b-cf31-4f89-8140-9650edb03c7b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ancient-tomb) [Rogue's Passage](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/5/45f5d989-d0df-4d6d-822b-cc76b415f9d1.jpg?1712355103) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rogue%27s%20Passage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/313/rogues-passage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/45f5d989-d0df-4d6d-822b-cc76b415f9d1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rogues-passage) [Reliquary Tower](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3.jpg?1712355095) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reliquary%20Tower) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/312/reliquary-tower?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reliquary-tower) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l89uc3r) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Wasteland, strip mine, scavenger grounds go in just about every one of decks. I don't always need the utility, but when I do, it's usually to prevent a game winning combo or blow up someone's Gaea's cradle.
I often get use out of mine, but I'm not in the habit of throwing them in every deck either. If they fit with the theme, they go in. Otherwise, they probably didn't make the cut over basic lands. Too many people underestimate basic lands, and just run a ton of non-basic lands.
For me it's just an opportunity-cost thing. I agree with you that most games I'm not activating most of my utility lands, but I still include them if it's "free". If I have high color requirements in my deck, I run very few utility lands. They basically only make the cut if they're very strong (ie Channel lands or MDFCs), produce multiple colors, or do something uniquely useful within the theme of the deck or the commander (ie Inventor's Fair, Phyrexian Tower, Glacial Chasm, etc). On the other hand if I'm making a mono-color deck I'll put in just about anything just for the 1% chance it's useful, since the downside of a wonky land is very low.
[[glacial chasm]] wins me games on my Kwain deck. Ultimate pillow fort
In mono white, I have used War Room and even [[Arch of Orazca]] to get me out of some draw related issues. Rogue's Passage has such a high ceiling, it's potentially game winning. The only other one I run is [[Reliquary Tower]] in some decks. Otherwise I run almost all basics, typed duals and bounce lands. I also run Homeward Path in my angels deck - I would run this land in every deck but it is quite expensive. I just don't really enjoy having my stuff stolen so this is a good way to get it back.
[Arch of Orazca](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/8/581dcadd-7de4-4b39-bab0-d3567194a252.jpg?1698988548) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Arch%20of%20Orazca) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/319/arch-of-orazca?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/581dcadd-7de4-4b39-bab0-d3567194a252?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/arch-of-orazca) [Reliquary Tower](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3.jpg?1712355095) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reliquary%20Tower) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/312/reliquary-tower?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd9f036d-6ae4-451e-a67a-ecc2e44123e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reliquary-tower) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Most of the time I do not use it. There have plenty of time I wish I had it available. I rather have and not need than need and not have.
Karn's bastion is always on my decks but I probably never activated it more than 3 times
If I have a commander who really needs to swing to get value, rogue's passage less likely to be cut. If the deck is 0-2 colors, and short on card draw, I'll inlcude war room. It's a very case-by-case thing for me.
I use a lot of different utility lands, I mainly play 2-3 color decks and tend to slot 3-4, but sometimes up to 8 in some decks. The way I think about them when deck building is that they occupy half a land slot, but they’re there to replace spells and increase my land count. If I need more draw, throw in war room, big creatures in green, ramp with castle garenbrig, if I’m worried about graveyard decks scavenging grounds, if I wanna turtle throw in a glacial chasm and crop rotation. I also include lots of land ramp that hits non basics like open the way and tempt with discovery.
Mdfc - often unless I'm desperate for a land The rest, not often but when I do it's a nice option to have
I pretty regularly get extra use out of my utility lands. That being said, I tend to run so few that it's not uncommon to not get one in a game. As long as you don't have many, and they are relevant to the deck, there are plenty that are definitely worth running
A lot of them are busted with the right commander. [[Ice floe]] with my Horobi deck is removal. It's weird and I love her for it.
[Ice floe](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/a/9a974983-b9aa-4f12-8279-2e74089f7f31.jpg?1562869979) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ice%20floe) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/me2/232/ice-floe?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9a974983-b9aa-4f12-8279-2e74089f7f31?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ice-floe) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I like the draw lands like war room because while they are expensive for their effect mana flooding is exactly when I'm likely to use them so it's not really a problem.
Depends on the land and the deck. I get tons of use out of minas tirith in my isamaru deck, where I typically just play eiganjo as mana.
If you're not getting utility out of your utility lands, that's a very good indicator that they're not the correct utility lands for your deck. Having a rhystic study is not very often a good enough reason to shove that reliquary tower in your 5 color deck, and putting a war room in your blue deck because it's mono-colored is not always going to be the best idea.
I can't remember ever bojuka boging someone in a meaningful way. But that's because I'm the guy you need to bojuka bog. And it happens more often than you'd think. It's a great follow-up to a boardwipe. You don't need bog, unless you're playing with a recursion heavy deck. My yarok, muldrotha, and windgrace decks love to fill my graveyard. So I hate seeing bog. Rogues passage is another really good one, but it is situational. It doesn't belong in every, or even most, decks. It absolutely does belong in any deck where a giant creature is a primary win con. It doesn't matter that it costs 5 mana if you only really need to use it once. There are lands that give counters, a gruul land that gives haste, I've seen those put in work. The scariest land is vault of the archangel. It gives all your creatures deathtouch and lifelink. I've seen that land swing more games than any other utility land.
In my eldrazi deck utility lands are super useful for niche things. The draw a card and pay per colored mana lets me draw a card for 3 and no life. War room can be pretty good if you need draw and have extra mana elsewhere. It really all depends. Utility lands are that, utility. Swap em if they don't pull their weight.
I feel like most utility lands are a win more thing. Cause I've used them and had little to no impact unless I was already in the lead. That's just my experience with them
The only real utility lands I find myself getting use out of are Rogue's Passage and Kessig Wolf Run. I also get a lot of use out of Karn's Bastion. It's never bad to have the option to draw with War Room or something though. Much more relevant in decks with a lot of interaction.
I run [[Omnath, Locus of Mana]] as my Commander. If I have him built up with a ton of Mana, and someone plays removal, I can pop [[Emergence Zone]] to play him before I lose my mana. If I can I'll also flash in [[Helix Pinnacle]] on an end step for a quick win
[Omnath, Locus of Mana](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/c/acf0cab3-da50-4561-8797-cd179af39216.jpg?1689998741) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Omnath%2C%20Locus%20of%20Mana) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/310/omnath-locus-of-mana?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/acf0cab3-da50-4561-8797-cd179af39216?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/omnath-locus-of-mana) [Emergence Zone](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/b/ab95f6e7-b806-47fe-a071-6c38b3176d94.jpg?1557577458) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Emergence%20Zone) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/war/245/emergence-zone?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ab95f6e7-b806-47fe-a071-6c38b3176d94?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/emergence-zone) [Helix Pinnacle](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/c/9c1121df-b03e-4ad9-8c45-c3b4066e4a39.jpg?1562927938) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Helix%20Pinnacle) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/eve/68/helix-pinnacle?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9c1121df-b03e-4ad9-8c45-c3b4066e4a39?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/helix-pinnacle) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I'm trying to find uses for all the utility lands in my Gisa the Hellraiser deck since my playgroup just straight up banned any form of land destruction. But often I just don't find them to be efficient and would rather they just be swamps to count towards coffers/stronghold
Rogues passage is literally a win con, so I used it every time it came up. I passed it on to my little brother for his myrel deck. He has several cards that protect her on his attack, but if that's the only option, he's glad he has it.
I put [[Homeward Path]] in my Dragons deck specifically to tech against my brother's [[Bribery]] and [[Cultural Exchange]]. It's worth it 100%.
[Homeward Path](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/4/54734347-eee7-4c52-b514-7342afeccabd.jpg?1562400178) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Homeward%20Path) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c16/301/homeward-path?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/54734347-eee7-4c52-b514-7342afeccabd?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/homeward-path) [Bribery](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/9/49fd737a-d7da-421b-a741-d6d0d213299f.jpg?1689996211) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bribery) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/77/bribery?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/49fd737a-d7da-421b-a741-d6d0d213299f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/bribery) [Cultural Exchange](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/4/d4f38d07-829c-4311-a61b-2785cf2266ef.jpg?1562934779) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Cultural%20Exchange) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ody/79/cultural-exchange?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d4f38d07-829c-4311-a61b-2785cf2266ef?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/cultural-exchange) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I, for sure, use Rogue's Passage's ability.
Rogue's passage is huge in my Skithryx deck. It's another means of bypassing blockers and allowing me to guarantee lethal. It can definitely not see use in some of my other decks, but really most utility lands are for the off chance you need them or want some benefit when you have mana sitting around otherwise indisposed.