Forest MTG Card

Forests are critical for mana flow, setting the game’s pace by allowing early casting of impactful spells. In multicolored decks, balancing Forests with other lands is key to a well-rounded mana base. Being basic lands, Forests are a versatile and enduring element in any MTG player’s collection.
Card setsReleased in 127 setsSee all
RarityCommon
TypeBasic Land — Forest

Text of card

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Cards like Forest

Forest is a fundamental element of land cards in Magic: The Gathering, providing the essential green mana pivotal for casting spells and summoning creatures that embody the power of nature. Similar to its role, basic land cards like Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Plains are all cornerstones in MTG, each producing a distinct color of mana essential for the game’s five colors of magic.

Other lands, such as Overgrown Tomb and Stomping Ground, offer a twist by enabling the option to produce two different types of mana, such as both green and black, or green and red, respectively. While these dual lands add versatility to a player’s mana base, they often come with a cost, be it entering the battlefield tapped, paying life, or other conditions unlike the consistent reliability offered by a basic Forest.

Analyzing these alternatives highlights the uncomplicated strength of a Forest. It’s free from drawbacks and reliably generates green mana, making it an enduring favorite for decks focusing on growth, creatures, and the forces of nature within Magic: The Gathering.

Island - MTG Card versions
Swamp - MTG Card versions
Mountain - MTG Card versions
Plains - MTG Card versions
Overgrown Tomb - MTG Card versions
Stomping Ground - MTG Card versions
Island - MTG Card versions
Swamp - MTG Card versions
Mountain - MTG Card versions
Plains - MTG Card versions
Overgrown Tomb - MTG Card versions
Stomping Ground - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Forest by color, type and mana cost

Havenwood Battleground - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Forest - MTG Card versions
Slippery Karst - MTG Card versions
Pendelhaven - MTG Card versions
Rushwood Grove - MTG Card versions
Boseiju, Who Endures - MTG Card versions
Wirewood Lodge - MTG Card versions
Mosswort Bridge - MTG Card versions
Tranquil Thicket - MTG Card versions
Khalni Garden - MTG Card versions
Vivid Grove - MTG Card versions
Turntimber Grove - MTG Card versions
Treetop Village - MTG Card versions
Memorial to Unity - MTG Card versions
Blighted Woodland - MTG Card versions
Oran-Rief, the Vastwood - MTG Card versions
Hashep Oasis - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Reborn - MTG Card versions
Thriving Grove - MTG Card versions
The Shire - MTG Card versions
Havenwood Battleground - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Forest - MTG Card versions
Slippery Karst - MTG Card versions
Pendelhaven - MTG Card versions
Rushwood Grove - MTG Card versions
Boseiju, Who Endures - MTG Card versions
Wirewood Lodge - MTG Card versions
Mosswort Bridge - MTG Card versions
Tranquil Thicket - MTG Card versions
Khalni Garden - MTG Card versions
Vivid Grove - MTG Card versions
Turntimber Grove - MTG Card versions
Treetop Village - MTG Card versions
Memorial to Unity - MTG Card versions
Blighted Woodland - MTG Card versions
Oran-Rief, the Vastwood - MTG Card versions
Hashep Oasis - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Reborn - MTG Card versions
Thriving Grove - MTG Card versions
The Shire - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Forest. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Golgari MidrangeGolgari Midrange StandardGolgari MidrangePro Tour Thunder Junction
Five-Color AnalystFive-Color Analyst Standard4c Land ComboPro Tour Thunder Junction
Temur AnalystTemur Analyst StandardTemur Land ComboPro Tour Thunder Junction
Domain RampDomain Ramp StandardDomainPro Tour Thunder Junction
Four-Color LegendsFour-Color Legends Standard4c LegendsPro Tour Thunder Junction
Sultai MidrangeSultai Midrange StandardSultai ControlPro Tour Thunder Junction
Five-Color LegendsFive-Color Legends Standard5c LegendsPro Tour Thunder Junction

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Forest card, a fundamental part of many MTG decks, ensures that you have the necessary mana available when you need it. Unlike other spells or abilities that may conditionally provide you resources, a Forest is a consistent land card that doesn’t deplete your hand, maintaining your card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Forests serve as a primary source of green mana, enabling players to accelerate their resources efficiently. Having multiple Forests in play can be crucial for casting powerful green spells earlier in the game, setting the tempo in your favor.

Instant Speed: While Forests themselves are not cast at instant speed, they provide the essential green mana needed to fuel instant-speed spells in a player’s arsenal. This ensures that you can respond to opponents’ actions during their turn, potentially disrupting their strategy.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Some Forest cards necessitate discarding another card to activate land-themed abilities or to transform into another type of resource. This can be particularly taxing during the early game or in situations where hand advantage is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: Although Forests provide green mana essential for many green spells and abilities, this specificity can be limiting in multicolored decks that require a wider array of mana sources. Balancing Forest cards with other mana-providing cards is key for optimal play.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Forest-based abilities or creatures can sometimes come with a high mana cost due to the powerful nature of green spells. This can slow down the overall tempo of your game plan, especially when playing against fast-paced decks. Ensuring a curve that balances low and high-cost cards is vital to mitigate this downside.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: A crucial factor that makes Forest cards a staple in any collection is their inherent versatility. As a basic land, they are essential for mana generation, specifically for playing Green spells and creatures which are key in a wide array of strategies.

Combo Potential: Forests are often the backbone of many combo decks. Their ability to untap for additional mana with effects from cards like “Arbor Elf” or “Wild Growth” allows for explosive turns that can lead to winning the game outright.

Meta-Relevance: Given the dynamic nature of the MTG meta, Forests remain continually relevant. Their importance is magnified in formats where Green-based strategies prevail, dominating through creature-heavy decks or ramp tactics that define the pace of play.

How to beat

Conquering a Forest card in MTG can be a subtle yet strategic endeavor. These basic land cards are quintessential for mana acceleration and play a vital role in fueling a multitude of green spells and abilities. To efficiently handle an opponent who is leveraging the power of Forests, one should consider land disruption tactics. Cards like Acid Rain and Armageddon disrupt land-based strategies by destroying or removing them from play. However, it’s crucial to deploy such measures judiciously, as they can also affect your own lands.

Alternatively, taking advantage of land hate cards such as Blood Moon can turn the tide to your favor. By transforming non-basic lands into simple Mountains, your opponent’s carefully laid plans can quickly crumble. Resource denial is another avenue — cards like Winter Orb can hinder the untapping of lands, stalling your adversary’s game plan. Enhancing your own board with robust creatures and spells that don’t rely heavily on land may also help you stay ahead. Remember to always keep the balance between offense and defense, ensuring your own strategies can withstand your opponent’s growth generated by their Forest cards.

In essence, beating a Forest comes down to disrupting your opponent’s mana base while continuing to build and execute your own strategy efficiently.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Forest MTG card by a specific set like Intl. Collectors' Edition and Revised Edition, 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 Forest and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Forest Magic the Gathering card was released in 91 different sets between 1993-12-10 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by 53 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 3021993NormalBlackChristopher Rush
21994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 3041993NormalWhiteChristopher Rush
31994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 3041993NormalWhiteChristopher Rush
41995-06-03Ice AgeICE 3801993NormalBlackPat Lewis
51996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC pp3771993NormalGoldChristopher Rush
61997-05-01PortalPOR 214s1997NormalBlack李铁
71997-05-01PortalPOR 2131997NormalBlackJohn Avon
81997-05-01PortalPOR 212s1997NormalBlack李铁
91997-05-01PortalPOR 2151997NormalBlackJohn Avon
101997-08-13World Championship Decks 1997WC97 sg4471997NormalGoldDavid O'Connor
111997-10-14TempestTMP 3491997NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
121998-06-24Portal Second AgeP02 1651997NormalBlackQuinton Hoover
131998-10-12Urza's SagaUSG 3481997NormalBlackAnthony S. Waters
141999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 3481997NormalWhiteQuinton Hoover
151999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 3501997NormalWhiteJohn Avon
161999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 3471997NormalWhiteQuinton Hoover
171999-07-01Starter 1999S99 1721997NormalWhiteJohn Avon
181999-07-01Starter 1999S99 1701997NormalWhiteQuinton Hoover
192000-10-01Beatdown Box SetBTD 901997NormalWhiteJohn Avon
202000-10-02InvasionINV 3501997NormalBlackGlen Angus
212000-10-02InvasionINV 3491997NormalBlackAlan Pollack
222001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 3311997NormalWhiteJohn Avon
232001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 3301997NormalWhiteJohn Avon
242001-10-01OdysseyODY 3501997NormalBlackTony Szczudlo
252002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 400602003NormalBlackJohn Avon
262002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 400942003NormalBlackMartina Pilcerova
272002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 400402003NormalBlackJohn Avon
282002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 819042015NormalBlackTomasz Jedruszek
292002-08-14World Championship Decks 2002WC02 shh3481997NormalGoldRob Alexander
302002-08-14World Championship Decks 2002WC02 shh3311997NormalGoldJohn Avon
312002-08-14World Championship Decks 2002WC02 rl3281997NormalGoldD. J. Cleland-Hura
322002-10-07OnslaughtONS 3501997NormalBlackDavid Martin
332003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 349★2003NormalBlackJohn Avon
342003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 3502003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
352003-08-07World Championship Decks 2003WC03 dz3492003NormalGoldJohn Avon
362003-10-02MirrodinMRD 3062003NormalBlackJohn Avon
372004-10-01Champions of KamigawaCHK 3032003NormalBlackRob Alexander
382005-01-01Magic Premiere Shop 2005PMPS 3062003NormalBlackRichard Wright
392005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL I582003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
402005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL K82003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
412005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL D482003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
422005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL I462003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
432005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL L242003NormalWhiteAnthony S. Waters
442005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL J342003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
452005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL B332003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
462005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL B592003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
472005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL K342003NormalWhiteAnthony S. Waters
482005-10-07Ravnica: City of GuildsRAV 3032003NormalBlackStephan Martiniere
492007-02-24Grand Prix PromosPGPX 2018f2015NormalBlackDonato Giancola
502007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 3832003NormalBlackStephan Martiniere
512007-10-12LorwynLRW 3002003NormalBlackSteve Prescott
522007-10-12LorwynLRW 3012003NormalBlackDarrell Riche
532008-05-02ShadowmoorSHM 2982003NormalBlackLarry MacDougall
542008-10-03Shards of AlaraALA 2472003NormalBlackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
552009-10-02ZendikarZEN 248a2003NormalBlackVéronique Meignaud
562009-11-20Premium Deck Series: SliversH09 412003NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
572010-01-01Magic Premiere Shop 2010PMPS10 52003NormalBlackJohn Avon
582010-04-23Rise of the EldraziROE 2452003NormalBlackJung Park
592010-06-04Duels of the PlaneswalkersDPA 1132003NormalBlackJim Nelson
602010-06-18ArchenemyARC 1482003NormalBlackQuinton Hoover
612010-07-16Magic 2011M11 2472003NormalBlackJohn Avon
622010-07-16Magic 2011M11 2482003NormalBlackSteven Belledin
632010-07-16Magic 2011M11 2492003NormalBlackJim Nelson
642010-07-16Magic 2011M11 2462003NormalBlackRob Alexander
652010-10-01Scars of MirrodinSOM 2472003NormalBlackMark Tedin
662010-10-01Scars of MirrodinSOM 2462003NormalBlackMark Tedin
672010-11-08Magic Online Theme DecksTD0 A1541997NormalBlackJi Yong
682011-02-04Mirrodin BesiegedMBS 1542003NormalBlackMark Tedin
692011-05-14Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New PhyrexiaTD2 862003NormalBlackMark Tedin
702011-05-14Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New PhyrexiaTD2 872003NormalBlackMark Tedin
712011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 3162003NormalBlackSteven Belledin
722011-07-15Magic 2012M12 2472003NormalBlackVolkan Baǵa
732011-09-02Duel Decks: Ajani vs. Nicol BolasDDH 392003NormalBlackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
742012-09-07Duel Decks: Izzet vs. GolgariDDJ 872003NormalBlackStephan Martiniere
752012-10-05Return to RavnicaRTR 2702003NormalBlackJohn Avon
762012-10-05Return to RavnicaRTR 2722003NormalBlackAdam Paquette
772013-11-01Commander 2013C13 3542003NormalBlackJung Park
782014-03-14Duel Decks: Jace vs. VraskaDDM 862003NormalBlackAdam Paquette
792014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 2662015NormalBlackSam Burley
802014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 2682015NormalBlackTitus Lunter
812014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 2672015NormalBlackTitus Lunter
822014-11-07Commander 2014C14 3362015NormalBlackCraig Mullins
832015-03-27Dragons of TarkirDTK 2642015NormalBlackTitus Lunter
842015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 274a2015NormalBlackTianhua X
852016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 2952015NormalBlackJonas De Ro
862016-09-02Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob NixilisDDR 322015NormalBlackSam Burley
872016-09-02Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob NixilisDDR 332015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
882017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 3152015NormalBlackVance Kovacs
892017-06-16Archenemy: Nicol BolasE01 1062015NormalBlackChristine Choi
902017-08-25Commander 2017C17 3092015NormalBlackKev Walker
912017-09-29IxalanXLN 2772015NormalBlackTitus Lunter
922017-12-08UnstableUST 2162015NormalBorderlessJohn Avon
932018-07-14MTG Arena PromosPANA 2352015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
942018-08-09Commander 2018C18 3052015NormalBlackSteven Belledin
952018-08-09Commander 2018C18 3062015NormalBlackMark Poole
962019-02-15RNA Guild KitGK2 1332015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
972019-05-03War of the SparkWAR 2622015NormalBlackJonas De Ro
982019-07-12Core Set 2020M20 2782015NormalBlackSteven Belledin
992019-08-23Commander 2019C19 3002015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
1002019-10-04Throne of EldraineELD 2692015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
1012019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 4522015NormalBlackRoberto Gatto
1022020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 2862015NormalBlackSam Burley
1032020-07-17JumpstartJMP 702015NormalBlackCliff Childs
1042020-07-17JumpstartJMP 722015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
1052020-09-26The ListPLST HOU-1982015NormalBlackTitus Lunter
1062020-09-26The ListPLST AKH-2682015NormalBlackTitus Lunter
1072020-11-12Kaladesh RemasteredKLR 2992015NormalBlackChase Stone
1082021-02-05KaldheimKHM 3982015NormalBlackSam Burley
1092021-04-23Strixhaven: School of MagesSTX 3752015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
1102021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 4892015NormalBlackRob Alexander
1112021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 2762015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
1122021-11-19Crimson Vow Art SeriesAVOW 812015Art seriesBorderless
1132022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 2922015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
1142022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 2802015NormalBlackMatteo Bassini
1152022-10-07UnfinityUNF 4902015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
1162022-11-18The Brothers' War Art SeriesABRO 532015Art seriesBorderless
1172022-11-18The Brothers' WarBRO 2862015NormalBlackJonas De Ro
1182022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 5941997NormalBlackChristopher Rush
1192023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 4111997NormalBlackAnthony S. Waters
1202023-03-21Shadows over Innistrad RemasteredSIR 2912015NormalBlackAndreas Rocha
1212023-04-21March of the MachineMOM 2902015NormalBlackGrady Frederick
1222023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 7982015NormalBlackSam Burley
1232023-11-17The Lost Caverns of IxalanLCI 2912015NormalBlackMatteo Bassini
1242024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 2712015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
1252024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 2732015NormalBlackSvetlin Velinov
1262024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder JunctionOTJ 2852015NormalBlackSergey Glushakov
1272024-06-14Modern Horizons 3MH3 3192015NormalBlackBrian Valeza