Corrupted Crossroads MTG Card
2016-01-22 - Number 169
2016-01-22 - Number 169s
2024-06-14 - Number 332
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
: Add to your mana pool. ( represents colorless mana.) , Pay 1 life: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast a spell with devoid.
"Look, and see the future." —Ayli, high priest of the Eternal Pilgrims
Cards like Corrupted Crossroads
Corrupted Crossroads has carved its niche within the landscape of mana-fixing lands in Magic: The Gathering. This card bears a resemblance to other utility lands like Mana Confluence and Ancient Ziggurat, which also offer access to multiple colors of mana with certain restrictions – a boon for multicolored decks. Mana Confluence allows any color to be tapped at the cost of 1 life. On the other hand, Ancient Ziggurat restricts its use to casting creature spells.
Examining Corrupted Crossroads closely shows its affiliation with creatures of the Devoid trait. This card provides colorless mana, or mana of any color specifically for casting colorless spells with Devoid, not costing life as with Mana Confluence or being limited to creature spells like Ancient Ziggurat. Rare lands like Spire of Industry also provide mana for spells with color requirements, but at the cost of 1 life and needing an artifact to generate mana of any color.
In comparing these options, Corrupted Crossroads stands out for Devoid-oriented strategies, exemplifying the subtle yet defining characteristics that set it and its counterparts apart depending on the build and strategy of your MTG deck.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Corrupted Crossroads provides access to any color of mana for casting Eldrazi spells, allowing players to effectively manage their hands and play powerful cards without the usual mana restrictions. This can lead to having more active plays and maintaining pressure on opponents.
Resource Acceleration: While Corrupted Crossroads doesn’t directly create additional mana sources like some ramp cards, the versatility in being able to tap for colorless or any color needed for Eldrazi spells means that your deck can operate at a faster pace. This adaptability accelerates your resources by providing just the right mana at just the right time.
Instant Speed: Even though lands aren’t cast and therefore not at instant speed, the ability to generate any color mana for Eldrazi spells provides players with a strategic advantage. This allows the flexibility to respond to an evolving battlefield effectively at a moment’s notice, especially when combined with Eldrazi spells that can be cast at instant speed.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The mechanics of Corrupted Crossroads require you to possess a colorless creature card to use its ability, which can be restrictive if your hand doesn’t hold one or if your deck isn’t built around colorless creatures.
Specific Mana Cost: Corrupted Crossroads provides mana specifically for casting Eldrazi spells or activating abilities of colorless creatures, which can be a limiting factor for decks that are not focused on this type of synergy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Given that Corrupted Crossroads demands both a payment of life and precise deck requirements, some players might find that utilizing lands or mana sources with less restricting conditions could enhance their deck’s overall mana efficiency and consistency.
Reasons to Include Corrupted Crossroads in Your Collection
Versatility: Corrupted Crossroads offers unparalleled utility in decks that capitalize on colorless creatures, particularly the Eldrazi. Its ability to produce any color of mana for casting Devoid spells makes it incredibly adaptable to multicolored Eldrazi strategies.
Combo Potential: The land serves as an enabler for combos that rely on casting multiple Devoid spells in a single turn. Its presence can accelerate your gameplay, ensuring you cast pivotal spells when timing is crucial.
Meta-Relevance: Given how the landscape of competitive play often shifts, Corrupted Crossroads remains relevant by supporting a wide range of Eldrazi-themed decks, which have sustained a presence across various formats. Integrating this land could give you the edge you need to navigate through a diverse meta.
How to beat
Corrupted Crossroads presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. This land card offers an intriguing advantage by providing players a way to generate any color of mana, but only for casting Devoid spells. This limitation means that opponents may rely heavily on a Devoid-centered strategy, which can be turned against them. To effectively overcome Corrupted Crossroads, pay attention to disrupting their mana base, possibly through land destruction or spells that restrict the types of mana that can be produced.
One approach is to target the mana stability that Corrupted Crossroads provides by using cards that force a player to sacrifice a land, thereby possibly leaving your opponent unable to cast their colorless spells. Alternatively, bringing in cards that change the properties of lands or counter land-type abilities can be effective. Implementing a strategy that denies the advantage Corrupted Crossroads offers can impact an opponent’s gameplay significantly, disrupting their deck’s synergy and leaving them scrambling for the right mana to cast their spells.
Successfully conquering Corrupted Crossroads involves preemptive planning and a willingness to adapt your strategy to target the vulnerabilities inherent in a deck that relies on such a specialized mana source.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Corrupted Crossroads MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch and Oath of the Gatewatch Promos, 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 Corrupted Crossroads and other MTG cards:
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- 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
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Printings
The Corrupted Crossroads Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-01-22 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by Ryan Pancoast.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-01-22 | Oath of the Gatewatch | OGW | 169 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Pancoast | |
| 2 | 2016-01-22 | Oath of the Gatewatch Promos | POGW | 169s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Pancoast | |
| 3 | 2024-06-14 | Modern Horizons 3 Commander | M3C | 332 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Pancoast |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Corrupted Crossroads has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Corrupted Crossroads card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-01-22 | The mana produced by the last ability can’t be spent on a colorless spell unless that spell specifically has the devoid ability. |