Cascading Cataracts MTG Card
2017-04-28 - Number 240
2017-04-29 - Number 240s
2020-08-13 - Number 285
2022-09-09 - Number 202
2024-06-14 - Number 326
2002-06-24 - Number 88412
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
| Abilities | Indestructible |
Text of card
Indestructible : Add to your mana pool. , : Add five mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool.
"The power that flows here cannot be denied. But where is the source?" —Nissa Revane
Cards like Cascading Cataracts
Cascading Cataracts stands out as an indestructible land in Magic: The Gathering, offering a unique mana-fixing ability. A card that can be compared to it is Crystal Quarry. Both lands allow a player to spend mana to generate five mana of different colors, but Crystal Quarry lacks the indestructibility that protects Cascading Cataracts from destruction effects. Another peer in this space is Exotic Orchard, which generates mana based on the colors that an opponent’s lands can produce. Though useful, it doesn’t guarantee the full spectrum of colors in one go.
Reflecting on the utility of lands like Command Tower and Reflecting Pool, they too provide a diverse mana base, but they depend on other aspects of the player’s land layout or the opponent’s mana capabilities. Whereas with Cascading Cataracts, the control lies squarely with the player, irrespective of other conditions. Command Tower matches the colors of your commander in EDH format, and Reflecting Pool mirrors the capabilities of lands you control, yet neither offers the complete freedom to generate five different colors instantly.
When evaluating these options, Cascading Cataracts shines due to its resilience and the certainty of mana fixing, a crucial ability for multicolor decks aiming to execute high-cost spells seamlessly.
Cards similar to Cascading Cataracts by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Cascading Cataracts. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Izzet Indomitable Creativity | Pioneer | Izzet Indomitable Creativity | Pioneer League 2024-05-07 |
 | Simic Tron | Modern | Mono-Green Tron | Modern Challenge 64 2024-03-24 (1) |
 | Mono-Green Tron | Modern | Mono-Green Tron | Modern Challenge 64 2024-03-25 |
 | Selesnya Tron | Modern | Mono-Green Tron | Modern Preliminary 2024-04-30 (1) |
 | Mono-White Midrange | Pioneer | Mono-White Midrange | Pioneer League 2024-04-28 |
| Rakdos Transmogrify | Pioneer | Rakdos Transmogrify | Pioneer Challenge 64 2024-03-24 |
 | R | Pioneer | Pioneer Challenge 32 2024-04-25 | |
 | Eldrazi Taxes | Legacy | Colorless Cloudpost | *HALF PRICE FRIDAY* $1K - Legacy - SCG CON Atlanta - Friday - 1:30 pm |
| Prison Shops | Vintage | Prison Shops | Vintage Challenge 32 2024-04-06 |
 | LIBOR & Taxes | Free form | d00mwake's Pure Modern 5 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Cascading Cataracts doesn’t directly offer card draw, but as a land, it can be a vital component in strategies that capitalize on landfall triggers or other land-related synergies. Thus, it supports the subtle card advantage by enabling more potent plays.
Resource Acceleration: This indestructible land becomes instrumental in ramping up your mana in the later stages of the game. By investing five mana of any color, you can generate a diverse spread of WUBRG (White, Blue, Black, Red, Green), effectively accelerating your access to color-intensive spells and enabling multicolor decks to flourish.
Instant Speed: While Cascading Cataracts’ activation is not at instant speed itself, the mana it provides can be crucial for instant-speed interactions. It ensures you have the right mana colors available when you need them to disrupt opponents’ strategies or to protect your board during their turn. This versatility adds to your tactical options, becoming a silent yet powerful enabler for instant-speed plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Cascading Cataracts ensures any color mana production, it requires an investment of five mana before you can activate its ability, which could force players to discard other potential plays from their hand due to mana constraints.
Specific Mana Cost: Despite being able to generate five mana of any combination, Cascading Cataracts itself demands a strict colorless mana to activate. This specificity may not synergize well with decks that do not efficiently generate colorless mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card’s activation cost is somewhat steep, considering that it only converts existing mana resources rather than provide additional mana. In a fast-paced game, the tempo lost by spending five mana just to adapt your mana pool could be a significant setback.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Cascading Cataracts stands out with its ability to provide mana of any color without any downside. Compatible with a wide variety of decks, it’s especially effective in multicolored decks that need a reliable mana base to cast diverse spells.
Combo Potential: This land synergizes well with strategies that revolve around landfall abilities or those that capitalize on untapping and tapping land cards. Its indestructibility also offers excellent combo potential with cards that otherwise sacrifice lands for greater effects.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where land destruction strategies are prevalent, the resilience of Cascading Cataracts can secure your mana supply under pressure. Additionally, its relevance grows in formats that value long games and complex board states where mana diversity is key.
How to beat
Cascading Cataracts is a unique land card in MTG, prized for its ability to provide indestructible mana fixing. Unlike many other lands, Cascading Cataracts can withstand destruction effects that typically set back a player’s mana base. It’s a card you often see in decks that demand a variety of colors or need to protect their lands from harmful spells.
To effectively counteract the advantages Cascading Cataracts brings to the table, consider utilizing land-specific disruption that doesn’t rely on destruction. Cards like Blood Moon or Containment Priest can negate the benefits provided by Cascading Cataracts, as they change the rules of the game instead of trying to remove the indestructible card itself. Strategies that limit a player’s ability to use their mana or lands, such as land bounce effects or taxing their available resources, can also be effective approaches to mitigate the strength of Cascading Cataracts in their setup.
Ultimately, defeating a strategist using Cascading Cataracts requires a combination of clever deck building and anticipating how to disrupt their strategy without relying on conventional land destruction tactics in your game plan.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Cascading Cataracts MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Amonkhet, 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 Cascading Cataracts and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Cascading Cataracts Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 88412 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Paul Scott Canavan | ||
| 2 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 240 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Noah Bradley | |
| 3 | 2017-04-29 | Amonkhet Promos | PAKH | 240s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Noah Bradley | |
| 4 | 2020-08-13 | Amonkhet Remastered | AKR | 285 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Paul Scott Canavan | |
| 5 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United Commander | DMC | 202 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Paul Scott Canavan | |
| 6 | 2024-06-14 | Modern Horizons 3 Commander | M3C | 326 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Paul Scott Canavan |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Cascading Cataracts has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |