When Were Artifact Lands Banned in Modern?

The artifact lands were banned in Modern in 2005, specifically in March of that year, due to their heavy contribution to the dominance of affinity-based deck archetypes. This ban included the six Mirrodin artifact lands: Darksteel Citadel, Ancient Den, Seat of the Synod, Vault of Whispers, Great Furnace, and Tree of Tales, significantly impacting the format’s balance and metagame.

Introduction to Artifact Lands

Early Days and Impact

Artifact lands were first introduced in the Mirrodin set and quickly became a staple in many decks due to their ability to provide mana without being tied to a specific color. However, their power level was deemed too high for the Standard format at the time, leading to their ban.

FAQs About Artifact Lands and Modern MTG

1. What is the reason behind the ban of artifact lands in Modern? The artifact lands, particularly those from the Mirrodin set, were banned due to their significant contribution to the dominance of affinity decks, which were seen as oppressive and detrimental to the format’s diversity and health.

2. Are all artifact lands banned in Modern? No, not all artifact lands are banned in Modern. The ban specifically targets the original five Mirrodin artifact lands: Ancient Den, Seat of the Synod, Vault of Whispers, Great Furnace, and Tree of Tales.

3. Can artifact lands be played under Blood Moon? Yes, artifact lands retain their artifact type even under the effect of Blood Moon, which changes their land type to Mountain but does not remove their artifact type.

4. Do artifact lands count as historic cards? Yes, artifact lands do count as historic cards because they have the artifact type, which is one of the qualifying types for historic cards.

5. What cards were banned alongside the artifact lands in Modern? Initially, it was just the Mirrodin artifact lands. However, over time, other cards have been banned or restricted in Modern for various reasons, including power level and format warping.

6. Why is Seat of the Synod banned in Modern? Seat of the Synod was banned in Modern preemptively due to its potential to be oppressively dominant, similar to its impact in Legacy and Extended formats at the time.

7. Are Mox cards banned in MTG? Mox cards are banned in most formats due to their extremely powerful mana acceleration, which can lead to unbalanced gameplay.

8. Are artifact lands banned in Commander? Only the original five Mirrodin artifact lands are banned in Commander, as they were deemed too powerful for the format. Other artifact lands are legal.

9. Can you play a basic land and an artifact land in the same turn? No, you can play only one land per turn, whether it’s a basic land, artifact land, or any other type of land, unless a specific rule or card effect allows you to play additional lands.

10. Do artifact lands have a mana value? Artifact lands, like all lands, have a mana value of 0 because they do not have a mana cost.

11. Do artifact lands get destroyed by effects that destroy artifacts? Yes, artifact lands can be destroyed by effects that target artifacts because they are also artifacts.

12. Can Mystic Forge play artifact lands? No, Mystic Forge cannot play artifact lands from the top of your library because it only allows you to cast instants and sorceries, not lands.

13. Is Urza’s Saga a permanent? Yes, Urza’s Saga is a permanent and an enchantment, which makes it susceptible to Disenchant effects.

14. Why is Treasure Cruise banned in Modern? Treasure Cruise was banned in Modern due to its ubiquity and the significant card advantage it provided, leading to a lack of diversity in deck builds.

15. Why are some cards banned in specific formats? Cards are banned in specific formats when they are deemed too powerful, format-warping, or detrimental to the health and diversity of the format, ensuring that the game remains balanced and enjoyable for all players.