Horror of the Broken Lands MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Horror
Abilities Cycling
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Cycling actions strengthen Horror of the Broken Lands, turning each cycle into a potential offensive advantage.
  2. Enables invaluable graveyard interactions for resource acceleration, especially through the delve mechanic.
  3. Flexibly cycles at instant speed, offering unexpected power boosts and strategic opportunities.

Text of card

Whenever you cycle or discard another card, Horror of the Broken Lands gets +2/+1 until end of turn. Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

It feeds on dry bones in the sand and desperate pleas in the wind.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Horror of the Broken Lands becomes a key player in decks that utilize cycling. When you cycle another card, this creature gets a power boost until end of turn, essentially turning each cycling action into potential damage increase and making every card you cycle effectively serve two purposes. This can quickly create a sizeable threat on the board while also replenishing your hand.

Resource Acceleration: In environments that favor graveyard interactions, this card shines by becoming fuel for various forms of resource acceleration. For example, it can enable delve mechanics, effectively reducing the mana cost of your spells by leveraging cards in your graveyard, including Horror of the Broken Lands itself if it ends up there.

Instant Speed: The ability to cycle Horror of the Broken Lands at instant speed gives you flexibility during your opponent’s turn. Whether you’re digging for an answer or simply trying to increase the creature’s power for a surprise block or an end of turn threat, you’re able to do so without pausing your own strategy deployment during your turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Players often find that the discard mechanic of Horror of the Broken Lands can be a costly affair. Each cycle for card advantage demands a card from your hand, potentially depleting valuable resources you might need later in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Tailored for decks with black mana, Horror of the Broken Lands requires a dedicated mana base. This specific mana requirement may not always align with multicolored or color-flexible strategies, thus limiting the card’s versatility across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, this creature may struggle to compete with other alternatives in the same mana range. In formats where board presence and tempo are crucial, the mana investment into Horror of the Broken Lands must be weighed against other potent creatures and spells that could have an immediate impact on the game.


Reasons to Include Horror of the Broken Lands in Your Collection

Versatility: Horror of the Broken Lands slides comfortably into a variety of deck styles. As a creature that benefits from cycling, it can be a key player in decks that focus on card flow and graveyard strategies.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with strategies that capitalize on cycling or discarding, allowing for power boosts and potential surprise swings in combat phases.

Meta-Relevance: Given its adaptability and the ease with which it can become an imposing threat, Horror of the Broken Lands holds its own in metas where flexibility and resilience against removal are paramount.


How to beat

The Horror of the Broken Lands is an intriguing creature card that offers strategic depth to many MTG decks. When facing this creature, a good tactic is to manage its cycling ability, which can potentially overpower you by increasing its attack strength. Staying ahead requires precise timing and careful choice of removal. Instant-speed removal spells can catch an opponent off guard, eliminating the Horror as they attempt to pump it during their turn. Spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push are excellent choices, offering swift and economical solutions to deal with the creature before it becomes a larger threat.

Additionally, countering the cycling ability itself can be effective. Disallow or Nimble Obstructionist offer a means to counter not only spells but also activated abilities, including cycling. An often underestimated form of interaction with cycling is graveyard disruption. If you can target their graveyard with cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void, you can limit the benefits they get from cycling altogether, reducing the Horror’s synergistic potential within their strategy. Always remain vigilant, leveraging these controlled, strategic responses to ensure that the Horror of the Broken Lands doesn’t turn the tide against you in battle.


Cards like Horror of the Broken Lands

Horror of the Broken Lands is a creature card providing strategic advantages to Magic: The Gathering players who prefer cycling mechanics. While reminiscent of cards like Twisted Abomination, which also offers cycling, Horror of the Broken Lands is unique in that cycling can strengthen it on the battlefield – making it more than just a hand refresher. Twisted Abomination excels with its regeneration ability, but lacks the same synergetic growth potential during combat.

Likewise, Striped Riverwinder is another card that comes to mind. It offers cycling at a universal cost, promoting hand dynamics, yet it doesn’t have the added combat bonus that Horror of the Broken Lands provides. Conversely, River Serpent also presents itself as an eligible comparison due to its cycling ability, but it is restricted by its requirement of having six or more cards in the graveyard to be cast from the hand, positioning Horror as a more flexible and battlefield-ready option.

All things considered, Horror of the Broken Lands stands out amongst cycling creatures due to its ability to boost both offensive capabilities while contributing to overall deck fluidity, proving to be a valuable asset for players leveraging cycling strategies within their Magic: The Gathering decks.

Twisted Abomination - MTG Card versions
Striped Riverwinder - MTG Card versions
River Serpent - MTG Card versions
Twisted Abomination - Scourge (SCG)
Striped Riverwinder - Hour of Devastation (HOU)
River Serpent - Amonkhet (AKH)

Cards similar to Horror of the Broken Lands by color, type and mana cost

Skyshroud Vampire - MTG Card versions
Entropic Specter - MTG Card versions
Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions
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Malakir Bloodwitch - MTG Card versions
Caustic Crawler - MTG Card versions
Shriekmaw - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Vampire - Tempest (TMP)
Entropic Specter - Exodus (EXO)
Predatory Nightstalker - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Fallen Angel - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Stone Catapult - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Sengir Vampire - Arena Beginner Set (ANB)
Hollow Dogs - Beatdown Box Set (BTD)
Grotesque Hybrid - Torment (TOR)
Earwig Squad - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Indulgent Tormentor - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Sootfeather Flock - Legions (LGN)
Zombie Cutthroat - Scourge (SCG)
Gluttonous Zombie - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Vermiculos - Mirrodin (MRD)
Woebearer - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Wei Elite Companions - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Halo Hunter - Zendikar (ZEN)
Malakir Bloodwitch - Zendikar (ZEN)
Caustic Crawler - Worldwake (WWK)
Shriekmaw - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Horror of the Broken Lands MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Masters 25, 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 Horror of the Broken Lands and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Horror of the Broken Lands Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Daarken.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-04-28AmonkhetAKH 952015normalblackDaarken
22018-03-16Masters 25A25 932015normalblackDaarken
32020-08-13Amonkhet RemasteredAKR 1082015normalblackDaarken

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Horror of the Broken Lands has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-04-18 An ability that triggers whenever you discard a card doesn’t give you permission to discard cards. You’ll need another effect that instructs or allows you to discard them.
2017-04-18 An ability that triggers whenever you “cycle or discard” a card triggers only once if you cycle a card. The ability “Whenever you discard a card” is functionally identical to this ability; cycling is mentioned for clarity.
2017-04-18 If a player discards a card during their cleanup step due to having too many cards in hand, any appropriate abilities that trigger on discarding that card trigger. If this happens, those triggered abilities are put onto the stack and players receive priority in that cleanup step to cast spells or activate abilities (normally, no players may take actions during a cleanup step). Another cleanup step is created following that one.
2017-04-18 Some cards have an ability that triggers whenever you cycle any card. These triggered abilities resolve before you draw from the cycling ability.

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