Is Wastes Colorless Mana in Magic: The Gathering? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, Wastes in Magic: The Gathering absolutely produce colorless mana. Wastes are a basic land card that specifically tap to generate one colorless mana. They were introduced in the Oath of the Gatewatch set to support decks focused on using and requiring colorless mana, particularly those themed around the Eldrazi.
Understanding Colorless Mana and Wastes
Colorless mana can be a tricky concept for new Magic players because it interacts differently from colored mana (White, Blue, Black, Red, and Green). Wastes are designed to bridge this gap, providing a consistent source of this unique resource. Here’s a more in-depth breakdown:
- Colorless Mana vs. Generic Mana: It’s crucial to understand the distinction between colorless mana and generic mana. Colorless mana is a specific type of mana represented by the diamond symbol {C}. Generic mana, on the other hand, is a cost that can be paid with any type of mana – colored or colorless.
- The Purpose of Wastes: Before Oath of the Gatewatch, there wasn’t a dedicated basic land for generating colorless mana. While you could use artifacts or other lands that produced colorless, relying solely on these was often inconsistent. Wastes provide a reliable way to build a manabase focused on colorless requirements.
- Why Basic Land Matters: The “basic” designation is vital. Because Wastes are basic lands, you can include any number of them in your deck. This is especially significant in formats like Commander (EDH) where mana consistency is key, particularly when building a colorless commander deck.
- Wastes and the Eldrazi: The introduction of Wastes was directly linked to the story and mechanics of the Eldrazi. The Eldrazi are creatures from the Blind Eternities, and their alien nature is reflected in their often requiring colorless mana in their costs or abilities. Wastes provide a flavorful and functional way to support these powerful creatures.
- Wastes and Domain Effects: It’s important to remember that Wastes, while basic lands, do not have a basic land type (like Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, or Forest). This is crucial when considering cards that care about the number of different basic land types you control (like Tribal Flames).
Wastes: More Than Just a Mana Source
Wastes offer a powerful way to build colorless decks and bring unique, alien playstyles to the game, and understanding their design and place in Magic allows you to make informed choices when crafting your deck. Consider also that Wastes add depth to the strategic deckbuilding side of Magic, which is a prime example of how games can offer real life lessons. Learn more about the potential of using games in this way at the Games Learning Society website.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wastes
Here are some frequently asked questions that will help you further understand the role and function of Wastes within Magic: The Gathering.
What is the colorless mana symbol?
The colorless mana symbol is a diamond shape {C}. It indicates a cost that must be paid with colorless mana, not just any type of mana.
Are Wastes considered a color in Magic?
No, colorless is not a color in Magic: The Gathering. Wastes produce colorless mana, but colorless itself is a lack of color. The five colors of Magic are White, Blue, Black, Red, and Green.
Can I use colored mana to pay for colorless costs?
No, you cannot use colored mana to pay for costs that specifically require colorless mana denoted by the diamond symbol {C}. You can, however, use colorless mana to pay for generic mana costs (represented by numbers within a circle).
Do Wastes have a land type?
No, Wastes are basic lands but do not have a basic land type such as Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, or Forest.
Why don’t Wastes have a basic land type?
The designers intentionally made Wastes without a land type to prevent them from interacting with effects that care about the number of different basic land types you control. This was primarily to avoid creating overly powerful or unbalanced interactions with cards like Tribal Flames or Coalition Victory.
Can I have more than four Wastes in a constructed deck?
Yes, because Wastes are basic lands, you can include any number of them in your constructed deck, adhering to the rules of the specific format you are playing.
Can I add Wastes to my card pool in a Limited event (Sealed or Draft)?
No, you cannot simply add Wastes to your card pool in a Limited event like you can with other basic lands. You must either open them in your booster packs or have a specific rule in the event allowing for their inclusion.
Do Wastes count towards Domain effects?
No, because Wastes do not have a basic land type, they do not contribute to Domain effects, which count the number of different basic land types you control.
Are Wastes the only way to produce colorless mana?
No, there are many other cards in Magic that can produce colorless mana, including artifacts, lands, and even some creatures and spells. Wastes are simply a reliable and consistent source of colorless mana due to their basic land status.
Why were Wastes introduced in Oath of the Gatewatch?
Wastes were introduced to support the Eldrazi theme of the set, as many Eldrazi creatures and spells require colorless mana to cast or activate their abilities. They provided a way to reliably build decks focused on colorless mana requirements.
What is the difference between colorless mana and colorless spells?
Colorless mana is a type of mana produced by lands like Wastes and used to pay for costs. A colorless spell or object is simply a card that has no colored mana symbols in its mana cost. Artifacts are often colorless spells.
Can I use Wastes in a Commander deck?
Yes, you can absolutely use Wastes in a Commander (EDH) deck. Because they are basic lands, you can include any number of them in your deck. They are especially useful in decks with a colorless commander, such as Kozilek, the Great Distortion, or in decks that heavily rely on cards requiring colorless mana.
Can generic mana pay for colorless?
No, generic mana cannot pay for colorless mana. Generic mana is a cost that can be paid with any type of mana, colored or colorless. Colorless mana must specifically be paid with the colorless diamond symbol.
Are there snow-covered wastes?
No, there are not currently any official snow-covered Wastes in Magic: The Gathering.
How does wastes affect deck building?
Wastes increases the consistency with which you can build colorless decks. This allows for the inclusion of the Eldrazi cards, which previously were difficult to utilize in deck building. The effect of wastes on strategic deck building is a key way to teach real life lessons in decision making. You can explore more examples of how games promote real life skillbuilding at GamesLearningSociety.org.