Drought MTG Card

Provides card advantage by disrupting opponent land bases and maintaining control. Affects resource acceleration, offering indirect advantages in land usage. Instant speed casting adds strategic surprise and game pace control.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment
Released	1995-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Ice Age
Set code	ICE
Number	21
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	NéNé Thomas

Text of card

During your upkeep, pay o Wo W or destroy Drought. Before a spell that requires o B as part of its casting cost may be cast or an ability that requires o B as part of its activation cost may be played, the controller of that spell or ability sacrifices a swamp for each o B in the spell's casting cost or the ability's activation cost.

Cards like Drought

Drought is an intriguing Magic: The Gathering card that adds depth to deck construction, similar to other cards that manipulate land utility and availability. One card that draws parallels to Drought is Armageddon, which also deals with the aspect of land destruction. Drought stands apart by allowing lands to remain on the battlefield at a cost, whereas Armageddon removes them outright. This presents a strategic choice for the player to either maintain their lands at the expense of creatures or to sacrifice them altogether.

Another close relative in terms of effect is Manabarbs, which, like Drought, turns the act of tapping lands for mana into a liability. Both cards have the power to disrupt opponents’ strategies by penalizing the use of land-based resources. Unlike Manabarbs, Drought has the unique condition requiring players to sacrifice a plains if they’ve played a spell that prevents its crippling effect until the next upkeep, offering a different dimension of tactical play.

When comparing the strategic applications and effects of these cards, it’s clear that they each offer distinct advantages and disadvantages. Drought provides a nuanced approach to resource denial, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for players skilled in navigating its complex landscape.

Cards similar to Drought by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Drought offers unique card advantage as it not only disrupts opponents’ land base but also forces them to play around your control elements, potentially leading to them having fewer options and you maintaining an upper hand in the duel.

Resource Acceleration: This card can impede your opponent’s resource acceleration by affecting their land plays. In the right deck, it can give you an indirect form of resource advantage, as your capability to use lands remains unaffected.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Drought at instant speed provides strategic flexibility, allowing you to respond to your opponent’s actions during their turn which can be a surprise element and a powerful tool in managing the pace of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Drought card forces players to discard a land card or the card itself gets sacrificed. This can be particularly taxing in a game where land resources are already scarce or if you’re aiming to keep a strong hand.

Specific Mana Cost: With its specific mana cost that includes both white and black, Drought can sometimes be challenging to cast. Players using a multicolored deck may find themselves unable to play it at a crucial moment, limiting its versatility only to certain types of decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the abilities of Drought might offer some strategic advantages, its combined mana cost is relatively steep for the benefits provided. In a fast-paced game, the opportunity cost of playing Drought versus other cards can sometimes make it a less than optimal choice.

Reasons to Include Drought in Your Collection

Versatility: Drought is a unique card that offers strategic depth to decks. Its ability to restrict both your own and your opponent’s mana use may shape the flow of the game, fitting into control strategies that aim to dictate the pace and resources available.

Combo Potential: With Drought in your deck, you can engineer situations advantageous to you, such as setting up a board state that limits your opponent’s options while you capitalize on alternative resources or conditions unaffected by Drought.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where decks depend heavily on specific types of land-based mana, Drought could serve as a disruptor, creating opportunities for you to gain an advantage and control the battlefield by hampering your adversaries’ ability to execute their plans.

How to beat

Overcoming Drought in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic deck planning and in-game tactics. As a card with potent effects against land-based strategies, Drought can severely restrict players from using their lands for multicolored spells or force them to sacrifice a land for each white spell cast. To circumvent these limitations, incorporating cards that allow you to generate alternative resources or lands that tap for multiple colors can be key.

Additionally, employing spells that don’t demand heavy use of white mana or investing in mana rocks and other artifacts that provide mana can reduce Drought’s impact on your gameplay. Cards with abilities to destroy or neutralize enchantments are also vital, as they can directly remove Drought from the battlefield. This approach frees your land resources and enables you to maneuver around the stifling effects of this powerful enchantment.

Ultimately, adapting your strategy to either avoid the colors most affected by Drought or packing your deck with enchantment removal options is crucial in ensuring Drought doesn’t leave your game plan parched.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Drought MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age, 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 Drought and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Drought has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	You have to sacrifice a Swamp for each black mana in the activation cost. If you use Pestilence with , that’s 4 activations with each so you sacrifice 4 Swamps.
2008-08-01	A hybrid symbol that is both black and another type is a black mana symbol, regardless of what cost is paid for it.
2016-06-08	Activated abilities contain a colon. They’re generally written “ -ost: -ffect].” Some keywords are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text.