Decoding the Verdant Depths: What is Considered a Forest in Magic: The Gathering?
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In the sprawling universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), land is the bedrock of any successful strategy. Among these foundational elements, the Forest holds a place of primal power, fueling green spells and enabling a myriad of strategic options. But what exactly counts as a Forest in the context of MTG? Simply put, a Forest is any card that possesses the basic land type “Forest” printed directly on its type line. This designation unlocks a world of interactions, synergies, and strategic considerations within the game.
Unveiling the Forest: More Than Just Basic Lands
While the quintessential image of a Forest in MTG is the basic land card itself, the definition extends far beyond that. Several other cards qualify, each offering unique advantages and strategic possibilities. Knowing these nuances is crucial for both novice and experienced players alike.
Basic Lands: The Foundation of Green Mana
The most obvious example is the basic land card explicitly named “Forest.” These are the workhorses of green decks, consistently providing green mana for casting spells and activating abilities. Every green player needs a healthy supply of these in their deck.
Dual Lands: A Bridge Between Worlds
The definition also encompasses dual lands that possess the Forest subtype in addition to another land type. For instance, cards like Bayou (Swamp Forest), Tropical Island (Island Forest), and Breeding Pool (Island Forest) are considered Forests for the purposes of cards and abilities that reference the Forest type. These lands provide the flexibility of two mana colors in a single card, enabling powerful multicolored strategies. The original dual lands are exceptionally powerful because they do not enter the battlefield tapped.
Shock Lands: Painful Power
Similarly, “shock lands,” such as Breeding Pool from the Ravnica blocks, also count as Forests. They enter the battlefield untapped if you pay 2 life, offering a powerful advantage in speed and mana fixing.
Fetchable Lands: Strategic Advantage
The fact that these dual lands have the Forest type is incredibly important. Many fetch lands, like Wooded Foothills or Misty Rainforest, can search your library for a Forest or a land with the Forest type and put it onto the battlefield. This interaction makes dual lands incredibly valuable in any deck using green.
Snow-Covered Forests: A Wintery Twist
Snow-Covered Forests are basic lands with the “snow” supertype. They function identically to regular Forests but unlock synergies with cards that care about snow permanents.
Non-Land Forests: The Exception to the Rule
Dryad Arbor, a creature land, is also considered a Forest. This unique card is both a creature and a land, and it has the Forest type. This unusual combination allows for some very interesting plays and synergies. Although it is a creature, it is still affected by spells that destroy forests.
The Importance of the Forest Land Type
Understanding what counts as a Forest is not merely an academic exercise. It has significant implications for gameplay:
- Mana Generation: Forests provide green mana, essential for casting green spells and activating green abilities.
- Land Synergies: Many cards interact directly with lands of specific types. For example, a card might destroy all Forests or grant bonuses to creatures based on the number of Forests you control.
- Fetch Land Targets: As mentioned earlier, fetch lands can search your library for Forests, making cards with the Forest type strategically valuable.
- Color Identity in Commander: Lands with the implied green color mana symbol present on Forests contribute to a card’s color identity, restricting them to Commander decks with green in their color identity.
Exploring the Deeper Woods: Woods vs. Forests in the Real World
While the distinction is vital in MTG, it’s interesting to note the real-world differences between “woods” and “forests.” Generally, a forest is a larger, more densely populated area with trees than woods. The U.S. National Vegetation Classification system classifies a forest as having 60 to 100 percent of the land covered by the tree canopy, whereas “woods” are classified as having only 25 to 60 percent of the land covered by the tree canopy.
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Forest: Frequently Asked Questions
Here are 15 FAQs that address common questions about the Forest land type in MTG:
1. Does a card need to be green to be a Forest?
No, a card does not need to be green to be a Forest. The defining factor is whether the card has the basic land type “Forest” printed on its type line. Most often, these lands are colorless.
2. Do dual lands like Bayou count as Forests?
Yes, dual lands with “Forest” on their type line, such as Bayou (Swamp Forest), count as both a Swamp and a Forest.
3. Can I use a fetch land to get a dual land like Tropical Island?
Yes, fetch lands like Misty Rainforest can fetch lands with the Forest type, including dual lands such as Tropical Island.
4. What happens if a spell says “destroy all Forests”?
Any card with the Forest land type on the battlefield will be destroyed, including basic Forests, dual lands with the Forest type, and Dryad Arbor.
5. Are Snow-Covered Forests considered basic lands?
Yes, Snow-Covered Forests are basic lands.
6. Can I put a land with the Forest type in any Commander deck?
No, a land with an implied mana symbol (such as the one present on all Forests) or a green mana symbol contributes to your deck’s color identity. These lands can only be put into a Commander deck whose commander has green as part of its color identity.
7. What is a “shock land,” and does it count as a Forest?
“Shock lands” are dual lands (such as those found in the Ravnica blocks) that enter the battlefield untapped if you pay 2 life. For example, Breeding Pool is a shock land that has the type “Island Forest”, so it counts as a Forest.
8. Are there any lands that are only Forests and not also basic lands?
The most common example is Dryad Arbor, which is a land creature that is also a forest.
9. Can I use a spell that targets basic lands on a dual land with the Forest type?
No. Dual lands are not basic lands. A spell that targets basic lands would only affect basic Forests (or other basic land types).
10. What happens if a land loses the Forest type?
If a land loses the Forest type due to an effect, it will no longer be considered a Forest for any card or ability that references the Forest type.
11. Is there a limit to how many Forests I can have in my deck?
In most Constructed formats, there is no limit to the number of basic lands (including Forests) you can include in your deck, as long as your deck meets the minimum size requirement. In limited formats, like draft and sealed, the number of Forests you play is limited to what you open or draft.
12. What is the difference between a Forest and a “Woodland” in MTG?
There is no “Woodland” land type in MTG. “Woodland” may be used in card names or flavor text, but it has no mechanical significance.
13. Do lands count as colorless?
Yes, land cards are colorless by default, with the exception of color indicators like that found on Dryad Arbor.
14. What are the original dual lands?
The ten original dual land cards are Tundra, Underground Sea, Badlands, Taiga, Savannah, Scrubland, Volcanic Island, Bayou, Plateau and Tropical Island.
15. What is the best green card in MTG?
The best green card can be subjective and depends on the format and strategy. However, cards like Doubling Season, The Great Henge, and Craterhoof Behemoth are often cited as some of the most powerful green cards.
Understanding the nuances of the Forest land type is a key element of mastering Magic: The Gathering. By recognizing which cards qualify as Forests and how they interact with other cards and abilities, you can unlock powerful strategies and gain a competitive edge. Happy brewing!