Darkwater Catacombs MTG Card
2001-10-01 - Number 319
2002-08-14 - Number cr319
2016-11-11 - Number 289
2018-06-08 - Number 244
2019-08-23 - Number 238
2020-04-17 - Number 265
2021-07-23 - Number 232
2021-09-24 - Number 171
2022-04-29 - Number 398
2022-06-10 - Number 889
2022-10-07 - Number 274
2022-10-07 - Number 274★
2022-11-18 - Number 181
2023-09-08 - Number 157
2023-10-13 - Number 269
2023-10-13 - Number 1078
2023-10-13 - Number 860
2023-10-13 - Number 487
2024-02-09 - Number 257
2024-03-08 - Number 788
2024-03-08 - Number 1020
2024-03-08 - Number 260
2024-03-08 - Number 492
2024-04-19 - Number 282
| Card sets | Released in 24 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
o1, oc T: Add o Uo B to your mana pool.
Murky Otarian tides hide the forgotten treacheries of the Phyrexian war.
Cards like Darkwater Catacombs
Darkwater Catacombs stands out among land cards in Magic: The Gathering for its capacity to provide a versatile mana base. When considering other mana-fixing lands, it’s akin to Sunken Ruins, both requiring one mana to be input for a diverse output. Darkwater Catacombs produces either blue or black mana, the cornerstones of control and combo decks. This versatility is crucial for consistent gameplay, much like its counterpart Drowned Catacomb, which provides the same colors of mana without the need for conversion but demands you to have an Island or Swamp in play already to avoid entering the battlefield tapped.
Filter lands like Darkwater Catacombs are invaluable in two-colored decks requiring precise mana filtering, akin to Cascade Bluffs in red-blue decks. However, unlike the check lands or basic dual lands, filter lands like Darkwater Catacombs allow immediate mana conversion, supporting a smooth mana curve without the drawback of coming into play tapped under conditions. This enables players to maintain tempo and responsive play throughout the game.
Hence, if you’re constructing a deck where color fidelity and pace are paramount, Darkwater Catacombs might be a more suitable option compared to a basic dual land or a check land, emphasizing its role as a significant player in the MTG realm.
Cards similar to Darkwater Catacombs by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Darkwater Catacombs helps to smooth out draws by filtering colorless mana into specific color requirements, enabling consistent access to spells and maintaining the pace of your hand.
Resource Acceleration: This land card stands out by allowing you to tap for two mana of different colors with just one other mana source, providing an edge when it comes to casting multicolored spells earlier in the game and expanding the possibilities for a diverse deck.
Instant Speed: While the land itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it facilitates the casting of instant spells by efficiently ramping your mana. This capability is crucial in strategies that rely on reacting to an opponent’s moves, ensuring you have the resources to respond effectively.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Darkwater Catacombs card necessitates having another land or mana source to utilize effectively, potentially leaving you with fewer options for that turn.
Specific Mana Cost: This card produces only blue or black mana, limiting its utility in multicolored decks that may require a wider variety of mana types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although not excessively costly, its initial investment does take up a land drop that could alternatively go to a more immediately impactful land or mana rock with a lower activation cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Darkwater Catacombs is a powerful addition to many decks, fitting seamlessly into both casual and competitive formats. Its ability to provide a dual mana source is invaluable for decks that require a stable mana base to execute their strategy.
Combo Potential: This land card offers an excellent opportunity for synergy with cards that capitalize on the availability of multiple types of mana. It enables complex combinations and can be a subtle but crucial component in executing winning plays.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that showcases multicolored decks, the utility of Darkwater Catacombs soars. Its presence in your collection ensures you stay ready and flexible to adapt to various decks that might rise to prominence in the current metagame.
How to beat Darkwater Catacombs
Darkwater Catacombs serves as a mana fixer and accelerator in Magic: The Gathering, falling within a suite of lands known as “filter lands.” These lands allow players to turn one color of mana into a combination of two, aiding in casting spells with strict color requirements efficiently. While it has the potential to streamline a player’s game, there are strategies to counteract this advantage.
To hinder a player relying on Darkwater Catacombs, applying pressure with aggressive land destruction can be effective. For instance, employing cards like Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin can remove the land from the battlefield, disrupting your opponent’s mana base. Additionally, utilizing color hate cards such as Choke or Boil can limit the usability of the mana produced by Catacombs, if it’s used for blue spells. If your deck is equipped with these counter-measures, an opponent’s reliance on such a land proves to be a vulnerability rather than a strength.
Being aware of the strategies that incorporate Darkwater Catacombs and preparing your deck to deal with multi-color mana generators will enhance your chances of success. In essence, the effectiveness of Darkwater Catacombs is reliant on the context it’s played in, and by anticipating and disrupting this context, you can subdue its impact on the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Darkwater Catacombs MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey and World Championship Decks 2002, 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 Darkwater Catacombs 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
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Printings
The Darkwater Catacombs Magic the Gathering card was released in 17 different sets between 2001-10-01 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by 5 different artists.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2001-10-01 | Odyssey | ODY | 319 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Monte Michael Moore | |
| 2 | 2002-08-14 | World Championship Decks 2002 | WC02 | cr319 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Monte Michael Moore | |
| 3 | 2016-11-11 | Commander 2016 | C16 | 289 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Monte Michael Moore | |
| 4 | 2018-06-08 | Commander Anthology Volume II | CM2 | 244 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Monte Michael Moore | |
| 5 | 2019-08-23 | Commander 2019 | C19 | 238 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Monte Michael Moore | |
| 6 | 2020-04-17 | Commander 2020 | C20 | 265 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Monte Michael Moore | |
| 7 | 2021-07-23 | Forgotten Realms Commander | AFC | 232 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cliff Childs | |
| 8 | 2021-09-24 | Midnight Hunt Commander | MIC | 171 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Monte Michael Moore | |
| 9 | 2022-04-29 | New Capenna Commander | NCC | 398 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Monte Michael Moore | |
| 10 | 2022-06-10 | Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate | CLB | 889 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cliff Childs | |
| 11 | 2022-10-07 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander | 40K | 274 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eliz Roxs | |
| 12 | 2022-10-07 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander | 40K | 274★ | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eliz Roxs | |
| 13 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Commander | BRC | 181 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Monte Michael Moore | |
| 14 | 2023-09-08 | Wilds of Eldraine Commander | WOC | 157 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Monte Michael Moore | |
| 15 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 269 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eddie Schillo | |
| 16 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 1078 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eddie Schillo | |
| 17 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 860 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eddie Schillo | |
| 18 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 487 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eddie Schillo | |
| 19 | 2024-02-09 | Murders at Karlov Manor Commander | MKC | 257 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Monte Michael Moore | |
| 20 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 788 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Victor Harmatiuk | |
| 21 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 1020 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Victor Harmatiuk | |
| 22 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 260 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Victor Harmatiuk | |
| 23 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 492 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Victor Harmatiuk | |
| 24 | 2024-04-19 | Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander | OTC | 282 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Monte Michael Moore |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Darkwater Catacombs has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |