Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway MTG Card
2020-05-29 - Number 13
2020-09-25 - Number 258
2020-09-25 - Number 284
2020-09-25 - Number 258s
2023-05-08 - Number 64
2002-06-24 - Number 83852
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
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Cards like Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway
Boulderloft Pathway stands out in the world of land cards in Magic: The Gathering. It is closely related to the modal dual-faced cards like Branchloft Pathway, which provide versatility in mana generation. However, Boulderloft Pathway distinguishes itself by flipping into Cragcrown Pathway, thus offering the choice of White or Red mana based on the game’s demands.
Comparably, we can look at Hengegate Pathway, a card that mirrors the flip mechanic to supply either Blue or Green mana. While it offers a similar level of versatility, it lacks the specific color combination that Boulderloft Pathway brings to a deck. Another comparable card is the Clearwater Pathway, which, switched to its opposite Merkwater Pathway, yields Blue or Black mana, catering to a completely different deck strategy and color needs.
In the grand scheme, Boulderloft Pathway’s functionality in deck-building is crucial, considering the mana stability it brings without the drawback of coming into play tapped, a common downside of other dual lands. Thus, it holds significant sway in decks seeking an efficient and flexible mana base.
Cards similar to Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Even though Boulderloft Pathway doesn’t directly lead to drawing cards, it ensures that you have the right mana to cast the spells you draw without delay. This kind of land smooths out your draws because it reduces the number of times you’re stuck with unusable cards due to mana issues.
Resource Acceleration: With Boulderloft Pathway, you get the benefit of having access to two types of mana from one land. As it counts as both a Plains and a Forest, it facilitates playing more powerful spells ahead of schedule by providing the necessary colors without tapping additional lands.
Instant Speed: Although lands can’t be played at instant speed, the flexibility this dual-faced card provides is akin to making a split-second decision. You can decide which land type you need at the very moment you play it, allowing you to adapt to the state of the game instantly.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Boulderloft Pathway doesn’t have a discard requirement in a traditional sense, it does pose a strategic decision that can feel similar to a discard. Choosing whether to play the card as a green or white mana source requires careful consideration, and once laid down, it cannot be changed, which might limit future plays.
Specific Mana Cost: As a duel-faced card, Boulderloft Pathway provides either green or white mana, but not both simultaneously. This specificity in mana generation can be a downside in multicolored decks that require flexible mana sources, sometimes resulting in a bottleneck in the mana curve.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Boulderloft Pathway doesn’t have a mana cost, as a land, it competes with other utility lands that provide additional effects or come into play untapped under certain conditions. In the context of mana efficiency, this makes Boulderloft Pathway less attractive compared to some alternative land choices that can offer immediate utility or advantages beyond simple mana generation.
Reasons to Include Boulderloft Pathway in Your Collection
Versatility: Boulderloft Pathway provides exceptional flexibility for decks that run on green and white mana. This card can tap for either color, which makes it a reliable land in a variety of deck builds, adapting to your mana needs on the fly.
Combo Potential: As a dual-faced card, it offers two land options in one, enabling seamless integration into combos that require either of its mana types without the need for additional cards that search for lands or change mana types.
Meta-Relevance: Within the ever-shifting landscape of competitive play, having a land card that can adjust to match your strategy while conserving deck space is crucial. Its ability to switch between white and green makes it a potent tool in many meta environments, supporting a range of decks from aggro to control.
How to beat
Boulderloft Pathway presents an interesting challenge in the landscape of MTG’s dual lands. However, every card has its counterplay strategies, and Boulderloft Pathway is no exception. This land card will seamlessly integrate into a player’s mana base to provide either green or white mana with no entry cost, creating opportunities for smooth turns without the pain of tapped lands.
One strategy to handle a card like Boulderloft Pathway is land disruption. Cards that specifically destroy or alter lands can greatly affect the utility of pathway cards by limiting their versatility. Ghost Quarter is a notable card that can target and destroy any land, including Boulderloft Pathway, while Field of Ruin forces each player to search their library for a basic land card, potentially reducing the mana flexibility offered by Boulderloft Pathway.
Moreover, players could focus on non-land strategies that limit the efficiency of mana bases such as Blood Moon. Utilizing such cards effectively can minimize the impact of versatile lands like Boulderloft Pathway, allowing you to gain the upper hand in resource management and tempo.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Secret Lair: Ultimate Edition, 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 Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2020-05-29 and 2023-05-08. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 83852 | 2015 | Modal DFC | Black | Grady Frederick | ||
| 2 | 2020-05-29 | Secret Lair: Ultimate Edition | SLU | 13 | 2015 | Modal DFC | Borderless | Donato Giancola | |
| 3 | 2020-09-25 | Zendikar Rising | ZNR | 258 | 2015 | Modal DFC | Black | Titus Lunter | |
| 4 | 2020-09-25 | Zendikar Rising | ZNR | 284 | 2015 | Modal DFC | Borderless | Grady Frederick | |
| 5 | 2020-09-25 | Zendikar Rising Promos | PZNR | 258s | 2015 | Modal DFC | Black | Titus Lunter | |
| 6 | 2023-05-08 | From Cute to Brute | PCTB | 64 | 2015 | Modal DFC | Black | Titus Lunter |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-09-25 | A modal double-faced card can’t be transformed or be put onto the battlefield transformed. Ignore any instruction to transform a modal double-faced card or to put one onto the battlefield transformed. |
| 2020-09-25 | If an effect allows you to play a land or cast a spell from among a group of cards, you may play or cast a modal double-faced card with any face that fits the criteria of that effect. |
| 2020-09-25 | If an effect allows you to play a specific modal double-faced card, you may cast it as a spell or play it as a land, as determined by which face you choose to play. If an effect allows you to cast (rather than “play”) a specific modal double-faced card, you can’t play it as a land. |
| 2020-09-25 | If an effect instructs a player to choose a card name, the name of either face may be chosen. If that effect or a linked ability refers to a spell with the chosen name being cast and/or a land with the chosen name being played, it considers only the chosen name, not the other face’s name. |
| 2020-09-25 | If an effect puts a double-faced card onto the battlefield, it enters with its front face up. If that front face can’t be put onto the battlefield, it doesn’t enter the battlefield. |
| 2020-09-25 | In the Commander variant, a double-faced card’s color identity is determined by the mana costs and mana symbols in the rules text of both faces combined. If either face has a color indicator or basic land type, those are also considered. |
| 2020-09-25 | The mana value of a modal double-faced card is based on the characteristics of the face that’s being considered. On the stack and battlefield, consider whichever face is up. In all other zones, consider only the front face. This is different than how the mana value of a transforming double-faced card is determined. |
| 2020-09-25 | There is a single triangle icon in the top left corner of the front face. There is a double triangle icon in the top left corner of the back face. |
| 2020-09-25 | To determine whether it is legal to play a modal double-faced card, consider only the characteristics of the face you’re playing and ignore the other face’s characteristics. |