Desolate Lighthouse MTG Card


Desolate Lighthouse provides card advantage through controlled draw and discard, enhancing hand quality. As part of your mana base, it bolsters resource acceleration without occupying a spell slot. Instant speed activation offers flexibility, letting players optimize resources and strategic plays.
Card setsReleased in 12 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeLand

Text of card

: Add to your mana pool. , : Draw a card, then discard a card.

A lonely sentinel facing gales, hurricanes, and tides of homicidal spirits.


Cards like Desolate Lighthouse

Desolate Lighthouse offers a unique twist on card filtration within Magic: The Gathering. When examining its potential, we see parallels with Geier Reach Sanitarium, another land with filtering ability. Desolate Lighthouse allows you to draw a card and then discard a card for the cost of one colorless, one blue, and one red mana. This can be especially useful for decks that benefit from having certain cards in the graveyard.

Compared to Geier Reach Sanitarium, which requires less mana but affects each player, Desolate Lighthouse gives a controlled advantage. Another card with a similar looting effect is Mikokoro, Center of the Sea, which enables both players to draw a card. This can be less desirable, as it does not offer the same level of control over the cards in hand. While Desolate Lighthouse requires a higher mana investment to activate its ability, it compensates with a targeted effect, making it a valuable addition to decks looking for selective card draw and discard strategies.

Ultimately, Desolate Lighthouse sits in a niche category of land cards with looting effects but stands out in its ability to selectively filter the player’s hand without benefiting the opponent, which is a strategic advantage in any MTG game.

Geier Reach Sanitarium - MTG Card versions
Mikokoro, Center of the Sea - MTG Card versions
Geier Reach Sanitarium - MTG Card versions
Mikokoro, Center of the Sea - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Desolate Lighthouse by color, type and mana cost

Volcanic Island - MTG Card versions
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Izzet Boilerworks - MTG Card versions
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Nivix, Aerie of the Firemind - MTG Card versions
Izzet Guildgate - MTG Card versions
Steam Vents - MTG Card versions
Wandering Fumarole - MTG Card versions
Spirebluff Canal - MTG Card versions
Swiftwater Cliffs - MTG Card versions
Highland Lake - MTG Card versions
Temple of Epiphany - MTG Card versions
Cascade Bluffs - MTG Card versions
Surtland Frostpyre - MTG Card versions
Frostboil Snarl - MTG Card versions
Prismari Campus - MTG Card versions
Fiery Islet - MTG Card versions
Volcanic Island - MTG Card versions
Shivan Reef - MTG Card versions
Stormcarved Coast - MTG Card versions
Izzet Boilerworks - MTG Card versions
Riverglide Pathway // Lavaglide Pathway - MTG Card versions
Training Center - MTG Card versions
Sulfur Falls - MTG Card versions
Nivix, Aerie of the Firemind - MTG Card versions
Izzet Guildgate - MTG Card versions
Steam Vents - MTG Card versions
Wandering Fumarole - MTG Card versions
Spirebluff Canal - MTG Card versions
Swiftwater Cliffs - MTG Card versions
Highland Lake - MTG Card versions
Temple of Epiphany - MTG Card versions
Cascade Bluffs - MTG Card versions
Surtland Frostpyre - MTG Card versions
Frostboil Snarl - MTG Card versions
Prismari Campus - MTG Card versions
Fiery Islet - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Desolate Lighthouse. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Izzet BreachIzzet Breach Free formd00mwake's Pure Modern 5
Temur RampTemur Ramp ModernTooth And NailHBMO24 - Card Cache Saturday Modern ReCQ
Calibrated BlastCalibrated Blast ModernCalibrated BlastModern Preliminary 2024-02-14
Grixis ControlGrixis Control ModernGrixis ControlModern Preliminary 2024-01-22
Jeskai ControlJeskai Control ModernJeskai ControlModern Preliminary 2023-12-27

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Desolate Lighthouse offers a strategic edge by letting players draw a card and then discard one. This filtered draw action enriches hand quality, bolstering options and increasing the potential for crucial plays.

Resource Acceleration: As a land card, Desolate Lighthouse contributes to your mana base without using up a spell slot. It elegantly dovetails into your resource acceleration plan, ensuring your mana availability keeps pace with game demands.

Instant Speed: The ability to activate Desolate Lighthouse at instant speed gifts players with flexibility. Reserve mana for instant-speed interactions or, if the coast is clear, improve your hand during your opponent’s end phase, optimizing your turn with better resources.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Players often find Desolate Lighthouse’s activation cost burdensome as it forces a discard, which could be a setback when you’re clinging to crucial cards in your hand.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost to activate Desolate Lighthouse includes blue and red mana, demanding a firm commitment to those colors in your deck’s mana base, possibly restricting its inclusion in more diverse mana strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Utility Cost: Moreover, the activation cost is rather steep. With a total of three mana, one of which is color specific, other cards in the game may provide similar or greater value for less investment.


Reasons to Include Desolate Lighthouse in Your Collection

Versatility: Desolate Lighthouse offers a unique ability to filter through your deck, allowing for better control of your hand composition. This makes it a flexible addition to various deck archetypes, from control to combo.

Combo Potential: The card’s ability to draw and discard can activate numerous combos and synergies within your deck, making it a key piece in strategies that capitalize on graveyard mechanics or card draw.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where information and the right answers are crucial, Desolate Lighthouse ensures that you have access to the tools you need when you need them, making it a relevant choice across different metagames.


How to beat

Desolate Lighthouse is an intriguing utility land in MTG that offers card filtering capabilities to players. Its ability to draw a card then discard a card can provide significant advantage by allowing subtle deck manipulation. To effectively counter this card, disrupting the mana base can be key. Land destruction or mana denial strategies can impede the activation of the Lighthouse’s ability. Cards like Ghost Quarter and Field of Ruin can remove the Lighthouse from play, severing a player’s ability to sift through their deck.

Another tactic is to exercise control over the stack, denying the triggered ability through counterspells like Disallow, which can stifle any activated or triggered ability. Additionally, employing strategies that limit the number of cards a player can draw each turn, such as with Notion Thief or Narset, Parter of Veils, can also minimize the effectiveness of the Lighthouse. Lastly, remember that this card’s ability is neither instant nor free—so apply pressure during your opponent’s upkeep or after they’ve tapped out for maximum impact.

Understanding these strategies to anticipate and dismantle the value brought out by Desolate Lighthouse can significantly reduce the card’s impact and keep you ahead in the game.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Desolate Lighthouse MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored and Ultimate Masters, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Desolate Lighthouse and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Desolate Lighthouse Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2012-05-04 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-05-04Avacyn RestoredAVR 2272003NormalBlackScott Chou
22018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 2422015NormalBlackScott Chou
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 3522015NormalBlackNico Delort
42020-04-17Commander 2020C20 2692015NormalBlackScott Chou
52020-09-26The ListPLST C20-2692015NormalBlackScott Chou
62022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 8902015NormalBlackScott Chou
72023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 3032015NormalBlackMarco Gorlei
82023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8622015NormalBlackHenry Peters
92023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 10802015NormalBlackHenry Peters
102023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2712015NormalBlackHenry Peters
112023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 4892015NormalBlackHenry Peters
122023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 3272015NormalBlackScott Chou

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Desolate Lighthouse has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal