Can Sundering Titan Destroy Wastes? A Comprehensive Guide
The question of whether Sundering Titan can destroy Wastes is a nuanced one in the world of Magic: The Gathering. The short answer is: No, Sundering Titan cannot directly destroy Wastes. This is due to the specific wording of Sundering Titan’s ability and the unique properties of Wastes. Let’s delve deeper into why this is the case and explore some related questions.
Understanding Sundering Titan’s Ability
Sundering Titan’s card text reads: “When Sundering Titan enters or leaves the battlefield, choose a land of each basic land type, then destroy those lands.” The key here is the phrase “basic land type.” Magic: The Gathering recognizes five basic land types: Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest.
Wastes, while a basic land, is not considered to have any of the five traditional basic land types. It has the type line “Basic Land — Waste.” This distinction is crucial. Sundering Titan specifically targets lands with the basic land type, meaning it looks for lands with one of those 5 keywords. Since Wastes do not have any of these keywords, they are not a valid target for Sundering Titan’s ability.
Why Wastes Are Different
Wastes were introduced in the Oath of the Gatewatch set as a way to generate colorless mana in decks that didn’t rely on the five traditional colors. They’re treated as basic lands, meaning you can have any number of them in your deck, but they lack any of the explicit basic land types. This difference is not just a quirk of the rules; it’s a core design element. This makes the interplay with Sundering Titan a specific rules interaction.
The Importance of Basic Land Types
The basic land types (Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest) are fundamental to Magic: The Gathering’s mana system and interact with a variety of cards. Many cards, like Sundering Titan, directly reference these types for targeted effects. The careful separation of Wastes from those types was deliberate to make them different to other basic lands. This means Wastes cannot be used to satisfy card requirements that need a basic land with a type.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Sundering Titan and Land Destruction
Here are some commonly asked questions to further clarify the nuances of Sundering Titan and land destruction in Magic: The Gathering:
1. What does Sundering Titan’s ability actually do?
When Sundering Titan enters or leaves the battlefield, you choose one land of each basic land type (Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest) and destroy them. This is not a targeted ability, but a forced choice, where you must choose at least one land for each of the basic land types if they exist on the field.
2. Can Sundering Titan destroy dual lands?
Yes, Sundering Titan can destroy dual lands. Dual lands like Plateau, Temple Garden, Volcanic Island, and Watery Grave all have at least one of the basic land types on them, so they can be chosen. You are choosing one land of each type and they can be a dual land with one of the necessary basic land types.
3. Is Sundering Titan banned in Commander?
Yes, Sundering Titan is banned in the Commander format. This ban exists because it is extremely powerful and easy to abuse. Effects like blink, flicker, cloning, and reanimation can trigger Sundering Titan’s ability multiple times, resulting in excessive land destruction and often ruining games quickly.
4. Can Sundering Titan destroy non-basic lands?
Yes, as long as that non-basic land has at least one of the basic land types (Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, Forest), then it can be chosen for Sundering Titan’s effect. For example, a non-basic land that is also a “Mountain” or “Island” can be chosen. However, non-basic lands that do not have one of those keywords, like Ancient Tomb, cannot be chosen.
5. What does ‘basic land’ on a type line mean?
The term ‘basic land’ on a type line denotes that a land is a basic land, which allows players to have as many copies of it in a deck as they like. Basic lands are the foundation of mana generation in Magic. Additionally, basic land cards have the keyword ‘Basic’ which allows them to satisfy certain game mechanics.
6. If there are no lands of a particular basic land type, can Sundering Titan still destroy lands?
Yes. If a player does not have lands of each basic type, then the player can simply not choose one of each type. The player must choose lands of each basic type that is on the field of play, and no lands must be chosen of a particular type that is not on the field. If no Forests are in play, then no forest has to be chosen.
7. Can Sun Titan bring back lands destroyed by Sundering Titan?
Yes. Sun Titan can return any land with a converted mana cost of 0, and all lands have a converted mana cost of 0. As long as the land is in your graveyard, Sun Titan can bring it back to the battlefield whenever it attacks or enters the battlefield.
8. Can you repeatedly use Ephemerate on Sundering Titan to destroy all of the lands?
Yes, Ephemerate can be used on Sundering Titan to trigger its ability both upon entering and leaving the battlefield. Repeatedly using these effects can destroy multiple sets of lands, provided you have lands of each basic land type to choose from.
9. Can Sundering Titan destroy lands with hexproof?
No. As Sundering Titan’s ability requires a player to choose lands, not target them, the hexproof ability does not protect the lands from being selected. The only restriction is that a player must choose one land of each basic land type and then those chosen lands are destroyed.
10. Is there a card that can destroy all lands?
Yes, there are cards that can destroy all lands. Ruination is a notable example, as it destroys all nonbasic lands. Other cards like Armageddon and Cataclysm also exist and have this type of functionality. These cards are different to Sundering Titan as they destroy all lands, whereas Sundering Titan destroys lands of specific types.
11. Does Yawgmoth’s Will exile itself?
Yes, Yawgmoth’s Will exiles itself. An instant or sorcery spell is put into its owner’s graveyard as the very last step of its resolution. The replacement effect created by Yawgmoth’s Will is already in place when Yawgmoth’s Will itself would be put into the graveyard, and it is exiled instead.
12. What is the story behind the Sundering in the lore of World of Warcraft?
The Sundering is a major event in World of Warcraft’s lore. It was caused by the destruction of the Well of Eternity. This was caused after Queen Azshara created a portal for Sargeras, and Malfurion Stormrage led his forces to destroy the Well. The destruction of the Well created an unstable vortex and drastically changed Azeroth’s landscape.
13. Can the Colossal Titan from Attack on Titan destroy walls?
Yes, in Attack on Titan, the Colossal Titan was capable of destroying Shiganshina’s walls, leading to an invasion by the Titans. It was indeed a very powerful character in the Attack on Titan universe.
14. Why is Attack on Titan banned in some countries?
Attack on Titan has been banned in some countries, notably China, due to its depictions of graphic violence, its anti-authoritarian messages, and potentially its negative portrayal of relations between different nations.
15. Where is the best place to “cut” a Titan in Attack on Titan?
The most effective way to kill a Titan in Attack on Titan is to strike the nape of the neck with blades. This area is considered the Titans’ “Achilles’ heel,” and a clean cut will usually prevent the regenerative abilities from taking over, resulting in death.
Conclusion
While Sundering Titan can be a devastating force in Magic: The Gathering, it cannot directly interact with Wastes. Its ability specifically targets lands with one of the five basic land types, which Wastes lacks. Understanding these nuances can help you make the most of your deckbuilding and gameplay strategies. This interaction highlights the importance of careful reading and understanding the rules in Magic: The Gathering, where even the smallest details can make a huge difference.