Can I Play an Artifact Land and a Basic Land?
The short, definitive answer is: No, you cannot play both an artifact land and a basic land in the same turn unless you have a specific effect that allows you to play additional lands. This rule is a fundamental part of Magic: The Gathering (MTG) gameplay, designed to regulate the rate at which players can develop their mana bases. Let’s dive deeper into the details and explore related questions that often confuse both new and seasoned players.
The One-Land-Per-Turn Rule
The core principle to understand is the one-land-per-turn rule. During each of your turns, you are generally permitted to play a single land from your hand. This limitation applies to all types of lands—basic, non-basic, artifact lands, snow lands—it doesn’t matter. The key is that you get just one land drop each turn, without the aid of special card effects.
What are Artifact Lands?
Artifact lands are a unique category of cards that have the dual nature of being both a land and an artifact. Examples include cards like Darksteel Citadel, Seat of the Synod, and Vault of Whispers. Because they are lands, they are subject to the one-land-per-turn rule. Being artifacts means that they have additional interactions and can be affected by various artifact-related spells and abilities.
Why the Confusion?
The confusion often stems from the fact that players may misunderstand the separation between land type and land category. While the “artifact” aspect of artifact lands does have implications for gameplay, it does not supersede their basic function as a land. It’s also not like basic land or non-basic land, the restriction of one land per turn applies across all land cards.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding land drops, artifact lands, and related mechanics in MTG:
1. Do Artifact Lands Count as Basic Lands?
No, artifact lands are not basic lands. Basic lands are specifically those with the “Basic Land” type on their typeline, such as Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest (and their snow-covered variants), as well as Wastes. Because artifact lands do not have the “Basic Land” type, they are subject to the 4-of limit in most Constructed formats.
2. Can I Play Multiple Artifact Lands in a Single Deck?
Yes, you can include up to four copies of any individual artifact land in a 60-card constructed deck. This is because, unlike basic lands, they are not considered basic lands. They are subject to the restriction of maximum 4 of the same non-basic card.
3. Can I Play Multiple Lands Per Turn with Certain Cards?
Yes, there are specific cards and effects that allow you to play additional lands per turn. Examples include Explore, Azusa, Lost but Seeking, and Dryad of the Ilysian Grove. These effects explicitly override the standard one-land-per-turn rule.
4. If a card allows me to play additional lands, can I play more than one artifact land per turn?
Yes, if an effect allows you to play more than one land per turn, you could play any combination of land types within the total number allowed. So if you had played a basic land, and an effect allows you to play one more land, you could play an artifact land.
5. Does Playing an Artifact Land Count as “Casting” a Spell?
No, playing an artifact land is not considered “casting” a spell. Lands are played, not cast. This distinction is critical because many cards only interact with spells that are cast, not with lands being played. This also means that an effect that prevents from casting a spell, will not stop a player from putting down a land.
6. Are Artifact Lands Destroyed by Artifact Removal Spells?
Yes, since artifact lands are also artifacts, they can be destroyed by effects that destroy artifacts. For instance, if an opponent plays a spell that destroys an artifact, and they target your artifact land, it will be destroyed like other artifacts.
7. How Many Basic Lands Should I Have in My Deck?
The optimal number of basic lands varies depending on your deck’s mana curve and strategy. As a general rule, a typical deck may start with 40 or 41 lands and adjust based on how many cheap card-draw or mana-ramp spells you have. The more of these, the lower amount of lands you should have.
8. Are Dual Lands Considered Basic Lands?
No, dual lands are not basic lands. They have unique names, and their typeline does not state “Basic Land”. Lands with two different colours are usually called “dual lands” because they provide mana of both colours.
9. What Happens if I Change an Artifact Land into a Different Land Type?
If an effect changes an artifact land’s subtype to one or more of the basic land types, the land loses all its old land types, abilities, and any copiable effects. It will however gain the appropriate mana ability for each new basic land type, and will also now fall under the “basic land” type.
10. Do Lands Have Summoning Sickness?
Lands do not have summoning sickness themselves. Summoning sickness only applies to creatures, whether they are creatures on their own, or if lands become creatures. Lands can be tapped for mana immediately after they are played, regardless of when they entered the battlefield.
11. Do Artifact Lands Count as Nonland Permanents?
Yes, lands are a type of permanent, and artifact lands are both lands and permanents. A permanent is anything that remains on the battlefield beyond the turn it was played. Everything on the board is a permanent except for instants and sorceries.
12. Do Artifact Lands Trigger Abilities That React to Casting Spells?
No, playing an artifact land does not trigger effects that look for cast spells. Because playing a land is not casting a spell, it doesn’t trigger abilities that are triggered by casting a spell. So, if an ability is triggered by casting, the land, although an artifact, will not trigger it.
13. Do Artifact Lands Count Towards Affinity for Artifacts?
Yes, artifact lands do count towards affinity for artifacts, such as the affinity mechanic of cards like Frogmite. Since they are both lands and artifacts, they help in reducing the cost of cards with affinity for artifacts.
14. Can I Tap a Land For Mana On My First Turn?
Yes, you can tap a land for mana on your first turn. Although there is not usually any need to use the mana on your first turn, as you have no cards to play, you are able to tap it for mana at any time.
15. Does Blood Moon Stop Artifact Lands From Being Artifacts?
No, Blood Moon does not remove the artifact type from artifact lands. Blood Moon changes subtypes, not types. Artifact lands remain artifact lands when Blood Moon is in play. They become mountains but they are still artifacts as well.
Conclusion
The rules surrounding land plays in MTG can seem intricate at first, but understanding the distinction between types of lands and the fundamental one-land-per-turn rule is crucial for playing the game effectively. Remember, unless an effect specifically states otherwise, you can only play one land per turn, whether it’s a basic land, artifact land, or any other land. Knowing these rules and how they interact will greatly improve your gameplay and strategy in Magic: The Gathering.