Forced Landing MTG Card
2019-05-03 - Number 161
2024-01-12 - Number 141
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Put target creature with flying on the bottom of its owner's library.
The druid knew only one spell, a charm to encourage rapid plant growth. When airborne Eternals invaded her arboretum, she had to get creative.
Cards like Forced Landing
Forced Landing is a niche yet impactful card in MTG’s vast array of removal spells. It’s often likened to Plummet, which straightforwardly destroys a flying creature for two mana. The distinct advantage of Forced Landing is its ability to put a flying creature on the bottom of its owner’s library, circumventing indestructible creatures and graveyard upon death triggers that cards like Plummet might encounter.
Wing Snare also shares a resemblance as it targets creatures with flying, but it comes at a higher mana cost and destroys the creature rather than tucking it into the library. This minor but significant difference gives Forced Landing the upper hand in games where the order of a library is tactically crucial. Another kin in this category is Clip Wings, which although costs the same as Forced Landing, it only forces each player to sacrifice a creature with flying, lacking the control that comes with directly selecting targets.
Assessing these variations, Forced Landing plays a strategic role within its subset of green spells, skirting common protective measures and influencing the board state in ways that other similar spells just miss. This parlaying of utility and cost places it in a balanced position for players considering their anti-flying spell slots.
Cards similar to Forced Landing by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: One key benefit of using Forced Landing is its ability to effectively remove a flying creature from the battlefield. Although it doesn’t draw cards directly, it does ensure that you are efficiently dealing with aerial threats, potentially negating your opponent’s card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: Forced Landing, while not a direct source of resource acceleration, can indirectly contribute to it by clearing the way for your ground forces or preserving your life total, thus giving you more time to deploy your resources and execute your strategy.
Instant Speed: The power of Forced Landing is further amplified by its instant speed, allowing you to respond reactively to your opponent’s threats. This ensures that you maintain the element of surprise, reserving your mana for the most opportune moment to disrupt your opponent’s plan and maintain a strong defensive posture.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Forced Landing card does not necessitate that players discard any of their cards, leading to a more stable play without compromising hand resources.
Specific Mana Cost: This spell demands a precise mana alignment, green being essential. This requirement can be limiting, especially for decks that aren’t heavy on forests or green mana sources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost set at two mana, one of which must be green, it can be considered steep for its singular effect of putting an opponent’s flying creature on the bottom of its owner’s library. There are alternatives that might remove or neutralize the threat at a similar or lower cost threshold.
Reasons to Include Forced Landing in Your Collection
Versatility: Forced Landing provides essential utility by dealing with flying creatures, a common threat in various MTG formats. This allows players to include it in sideboards or main decks that may need an extra answer to aerial strategies.
Combo Potential: This card can be a tactical play in decks that manipulate the top of the library. By sending opponents’ flying threats to the bottom of their library, it can potentially disrupt their future draws, a subtle yet potentially game-changing combo.
Meta-Relevance: In metagames dominated by powerful flyers, such as Angels or Dragons, Forced Landing acts as a cost-effective countermeasure, tipping the scales back into the land-based deck’s favor. Its place in your collection ensures preparedness against high-flying adversaries.
How to Beat Forced Landing
Forced Landing is a niche yet potentially powerful spell in the realm of Magic: The Gathering. It specifically tackles creatures with the ability to fly, sending them straight from the battlefield into the library. This can disrupt an opponent’s strategy, especially in formats where flying creatures are prevalent. To effectively counter this card, it’s vital to diversify your threats. Including non-flying creatures in your deck ensures that your game plan won’t be grounded by a single Forced Landing.
Another approach is to employ instant-speed spells that can protect your creatures or negate spells, such as Negate or Heroic Intervention. This keeps your winged threats safe and maintains pressure on your opponent. Additionally, cards with hexproof or indestructible can make your creatures impervious to Forced Landing, securing your aerial advantage. Remember, the best defense against any targeted removal is to have a well-rounded offense that doesn’t rely too heavily on one type of creature or ability.
Moving forward in your MTG journey, recognizing the importance of a balanced deck build, equipped with a versatile lineup of creatures and spells, can be the critical edge needed to outplay cards like Forced Landing and maintain control of the skies.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Forced Landing MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark and Ravnica Remastered, 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 Forced Landing 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Forced Landing Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-05-03 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by Svetlin Velinov.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2019-05-03 | War of the Spark | WAR | 161 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | |
| 2 | 2024-01-12 | Ravnica Remastered | RVR | 141 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Forced Landing has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |