Tidal Flats MTG Card


Enables combat control, leading to indirect card advantage through forced opponent decisions. Limits opponent’s offense, providing valuable time to strengthen your playing field. Requires careful deck construction to avoid mana and card resource setbacks.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment

Text of card

o Uoo U All your creatures that are blocking any non-flying creatures gain first strike until end of turn. The attacking player may pay o1 for each attacking creature to prevent Tidal Flats from giving that creature's blockers first strike.


Cards like Tidal Flats

Tidal Flats stands out in Magic: The Gathering for its unique ability to control combat dynamics on the battlefield. It bears a resemblance to cards like War Tax, which also allows players to meddle with the opponent’s attacking capabilities. However, Tidal Flats has the distinctive characteristic of affecting all creatures with Islandwalk, making their attacks costlier for your opponent unless they’re willing to pay additional mana.

Similarly, Propaganda adds another layer of defense by taxing opponents for each creature they wish to attack with, regardless of abilities or landwalk. It doesn’t single out Islandwalk creatures, but instead, creates a generalized deterrent. Conversely, Mystic Decree turns all creatures into Islanders, making Tidal Flats an efficient partner by potentially restricting the entire field of combatants from attacking unless the extra cost is paid.

Upon examining these cards, it becomes apparent that Tidal Flats provides a stratagem that can be finely tuned in decks that manipulate land types or creature abilities. It occupies a niche role, giving players leverage against specific threats or in combination with cards that alter land attributes, which can be pivotal in the ebb and flow of a match.

War Tax - MTG Card versions
Propaganda - MTG Card versions
Mystic Decree - MTG Card versions
War Tax - MTG Card versions
Propaganda - MTG Card versions
Mystic Decree - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Tidal Flats by color, type and mana cost

Flight - MTG Card versions
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Field of Dreams - MTG Card versions
Dream Coat - MTG Card versions
Tangle Kelp - MTG Card versions
Flood - MTG Card versions
Backfire - MTG Card versions
Mystic Remora - MTG Card versions
Essence Flare - MTG Card versions
Cloak of Invisibility - MTG Card versions
Mana Chains - MTG Card versions
Robe of Mirrors - MTG Card versions
Telepathy - MTG Card versions
Veiled Sentry - MTG Card versions
Air Bladder - MTG Card versions
Seal of Removal - MTG Card versions
Shimmering Wings - MTG Card versions
Aboshan's Desire - MTG Card versions
Curiosity - MTG Card versions
Genju of the Falls - MTG Card versions
Flight - MTG Card versions
Unstable Mutation - MTG Card versions
Field of Dreams - MTG Card versions
Dream Coat - MTG Card versions
Tangle Kelp - MTG Card versions
Flood - MTG Card versions
Backfire - MTG Card versions
Mystic Remora - MTG Card versions
Essence Flare - MTG Card versions
Cloak of Invisibility - MTG Card versions
Mana Chains - MTG Card versions
Robe of Mirrors - MTG Card versions
Telepathy - MTG Card versions
Veiled Sentry - MTG Card versions
Air Bladder - MTG Card versions
Seal of Removal - MTG Card versions
Shimmering Wings - MTG Card versions
Aboshan's Desire - MTG Card versions
Curiosity - MTG Card versions
Genju of the Falls - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tidal Flats may not directly allow you to draw cards, but it enables strategic control over battles which can lead to indirect card advantage. By making blocking more complex for your opponent, it can force difficult decisions, potentially leading to favorable combat outcomes for you.

Resource Acceleration: While Tidal Flats itself doesn’t accelerate your resources in the form of mana or tokens, it can certainly slow down your opponent’s offensive momentum. In doing so, it effectively buys you time to draw into your resource acceleration spells or to deploy your key threats unopposed.

Instant Speed: Tidal Flats operates at the speed of an enchantment, which doesn’t quite have the reactive utility of an instant. However, its continuous effect puts the opponent on a timer, having to consider each attack carefully, which can be just as disruptive as any instant when used correctly in your game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tidal Flats’ effect hinges on the often challenging mechanic of discarding. This card requires you to discard a land to activate its ability. In a game where every card in hand can be crucial, losing a land may set you back, especially if your strategy relies heavily on land availability.

Specific Mana Cost: Tidal Flats demands a precise mana composition to be played—two blue mana. This requirement may not always align with a player’s mana base, especially in multicolored decks where blue mana isn’t abundantly accessible, potentially making the card less versatile.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While its ability can be impactful, the activation cost is not trivial. Two blue mana for such a specific effect can be quite steep, considering other cards in the game might provide more general utility or control options at a comparable or even lower mana cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tidal Flats adds a unique dynamic to game play, allowing you to dictate the pace of combat. Its flexibility shines in decks designed to control or manipulate combat phases, adapting to various styles of play and strategies.

Combo Potential: This card works exceptionally well in conjunction with cards that benefit from tapping and untapping creatures. It opens up potential for clever combos and synergies, effectively turning any creature into a tool for battlefield manipulation.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where aggressive creature-based decks are prevalent, Tidal Flats can serve as a crucial piece to combat those strategies. By controlling when and how enemy creatures can attack, you gain a significant edge, making it a relevant addition to collections focused on competitive play.


How to beat

Understanding the nuances of Tidal Flats can give players a significant advantage during gameplay. This enchantment card from the Fallen Empires set can be a thorn in the side for those relying on coastal-themed decks. It creates an environment where managing your army of tapped creatures becomes a tricky endeavor, especially as Tidal Flats allows your opponent to tap attacking creatures for just a single blue mana as long as it’s a wall defending the attack. To navigate this, consider incorporating cards that grant vigilance to your creatures, negating the need for them to tap when declaring an attack.

Strategic deck building can further counteract Tidal Flats’ effect by including instant-speed removal spells or abilities that can target and destroy enchantments, ensuring your creatures can attack without repercussion. Additionally, utilizing creatures with the untap symbol or cards that can untap your creatures efficiently will reduce the disruption caused by Tidal Flats. Above all, being aware of the battlefield and assessing when to commit to an attack will prove vital in overcoming this obstacle in your path to victory.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tidal Flats MTG card by a specific set like Fallen Empires and Fallen Empires, 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 Tidal Flats and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tidal Flats Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 1994-11-01 and 1994-11-01. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-11-01Fallen EmpiresFEM 27a1993NormalBlackRob Alexander
21994-11-01Fallen EmpiresFEM 27c1993NormalBlackSandra Everingham
31994-11-01Fallen EmpiresFEM 27b1993NormalBlackRob Alexander

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tidal Flats has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Tidal Flats card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2004-10-04 Can be used more than once in a turn. Each time, the opponent can pay to prevent giving first strike to a creature, but this payment only stops the current activation and not future activations of Tidal Flats.
2004-10-04 First Strike is granted to your creatures currently blocking non-Flyers when this effect resolves.
2004-10-04 The payment is made when the Tidal Flats effect resolves.