Does a Dual Land Count as a Forest in Magic: The Gathering?
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The answer is a nuanced yes, sometimes, but not in the way many new players initially assume. A dual land itself is not a basic Forest. However, certain dual lands possess the ‘Forest’ land type on their type line, which is what matters for many card interactions. This distinction is crucial to understanding how these powerful and often expensive cards function within the game of Magic: The Gathering. Let’s break it down further.
Understanding Dual Lands and Land Types
What Exactly is a Dual Land?
In Magic, a dual land is generally any land card that is capable of producing two different colors of mana. The term originally referred to the ten iconic dual lands from early sets like Alpha, Beta, and Revised—lands such as Tundra, Underground Sea, and Bayou. These specific cards are on the Reserved List, meaning they will never be reprinted, making them incredibly valuable.
However, over time, the definition of “dual land” has expanded to encompass any land card that can tap for two different colors of mana, such as shock lands like Hallowed Fountain and temple lands like Temple of Abandon.
Land Types vs. Basic Lands
It’s essential to differentiate between land types and basic lands. The basic land types are Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. These are designated by the presence of the supertype “Basic” on the card itself. Basic lands can be included in your deck without any limit.
In contrast, cards like the original duals (e.g., Tropical Island) do not have the “Basic” supertype and are instead nonbasic lands with a dual land type: “Land—Island Forest”. This means it has the Island land type, and it also has the Forest land type, but it is not a basic land. This is where much of the confusion arises.
Dual Lands and the Forest Land Type
When determining if a dual land “counts as” a Forest, you need to look at the card’s type line. If the type line contains the word “Forest,” then the card is treated as a Forest for game purposes, regardless of whether it is also an Island, Swamp, or other type of land.
This distinction is pivotal because many card effects in Magic: The Gathering key off of land types specifically, rather than just a land being able to produce green mana or being a “Forest.” For instance, cards with forestwalk abilities will interact with lands that have the Forest land type. Similarly, some cards count the number of lands you control with a specific land type.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the nuances of dual lands and the Forest land type:
1. Are the Original Dual Lands Basic Lands?
No. The original dual lands like Tundra, Underground Sea, Badlands, Taiga, Savannah, Scrubland, Volcanic Island, Bayou, Plateau, and Tropical Island are not basic lands. They are nonbasic lands that have multiple land types on their type lines.
2. What Does It Mean for a Land to Have Multiple Land Types?
Lands with multiple land types are treated as if they have each of those types. For example, a Tropical Island is both an Island and a Forest. This distinction is crucial for card interactions.
3. Can I Use Fetch Lands to Get a Dual Land That is Also a Forest?
Yes. If you have a fetch land like Wooded Foothills, and you are looking for a dual land that has the Forest land type, you can grab Bayou, Tropical Island, Breeding Pool, or any other land with the ‘Forest’ land type.
4. Do Shock Lands Count as Forests?
Shock lands, such as Breeding Pool and Overgrown Tomb, are dual lands that have the basic land types on their type lines. Breeding Pool is a Land – Island Forest, meaning it does count as a Forest.
5. How Does Landwalk Interact with Dual Lands?
Landwalk abilities, like forestwalk, work if the defending player controls a land with the relevant type, so a dual land with the Forest type will trigger forestwalk.
6. Why are the Original Dual Lands So Expensive?
The original dual lands are very expensive primarily because they are on the Reserved List. Their supply is finite, and they are highly desired for competitive play in formats like Legacy and Vintage. Their price reflects high demand and low availability.
7. Can You Have More Than Four of the Same Dual Land in a Deck?
In most constructed formats, you are limited to four copies of any card with the same name unless it is a basic land or specifically indicated otherwise. This applies to dual lands as well.
8. What Are Some Cheaper Alternatives to the Original Dual Lands?
There are many cheaper dual land options, such as shock lands, check lands, temple lands, and the various land cycles that come in different sets. While these lands do not have the same raw power as the original duals, they are suitable for most decks.
9. Do Dual Lands Count Towards Cards That Count Basic Lands?
Generally, no. Cards that specifically reference basic lands (like, for example, “count the number of basic lands”) will not include dual lands. Dual lands are nonbasic. However, as mentioned before, some nonbasic lands also have the basic land types, just not the basic supertype.
10. Are There Any Lands That Appear to be Forests But Are Not?
Yes. For example, Dryad Arbor is a creature card that also has the Forest land type. It has the type line of “Land Creature – Forest Dryad”, which does give it the Forest type.
11. Can I Play More Than One Land Per Turn If One is a Dual Land?
No. You are still limited to playing one land per turn regardless of whether that land is basic or nonbasic, a single type land, or a dual land.
12. Why Are Some Dual Lands on the Reserved List?
The Reserved List was established by Wizards of the Coast to create a list of cards that will never be reprinted. This was originally done to reassure collectors and players who invested in valuable cards from early sets. Dual lands were on that original list and have remained there since.
13. What is the Difference Between a Fetch Land and a Dual Land?
Fetch lands, like Arid Mesa, are lands that allow you to search your library for a specific type of land and put it onto the battlefield. They do not produce mana themselves but are used to grab the desired type of lands. They are often paired with dual lands for color fixing.
14. Are there any colorless dual lands?
The vast majority of lands in magic produce either colored mana or colorless mana. The only dual land that produces only colorless mana is Tomb of the Spirit Dragon, as well as some other lands with specific restrictions in their text boxes.
15. How do I know if a land card has a certain land type?
Look at the card’s type line. Every card has a specific type line that defines the card for the game, typically found between the name and text box. If the type line says “Land – Plains” then that is a plains. If it says “Land – Island Forest” then it is both a forest and an island.
Conclusion
Navigating the intricacies of dual lands and their relationship to Forest land types can seem complex initially, but understanding the difference between land types and basic lands is key. Dual lands are a core aspect of Magic: The Gathering, and knowing how they interact with other cards in the game is essential to playing effectively. While a dual land is not a basic land, it can indeed count as a Forest if it has the ‘Forest’ type on its type line, impacting many card interactions within the game. By carefully reviewing the type line of each land card, you can master the complexities of land management and color fixing in Magic: The Gathering.