Swamp MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 216 setsSee all
RarityCommon
TypeBasic Land — Swamp

Key Takeaways

  1. Swamps provide essential black mana, crucial for many powerful spells and essential deck functions.
  2. Limitations include vulnerability to discard effects and color-specific mana restrictions.
  3. Include Swamps for versatility and their synergy in black mana-reliant strategies and combos.

Text of card

Tap to add o B to your mana pool.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Swamps enable smoother gameplay by ensuring you have the necessary mana to cast various spells, maintaining a steady stream of resources.

Resource Acceleration: As a basic land card, Swamps are essential for fueling black mana-intensive decks quickly and efficiently, which can be pivotal for executing strategies ahead of your opponents.

Instant Speed: Although Swamps themselves do not function at instant speed, having them available ensures you can activate abilities or cast spells that do operate at instant speed, providing strategic flexibility during any point of the match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Swamp cards in your hand can become a liability if a spell or ability forces you to discard. This can upset your strategic plans, especially when holding multiple lands with the hope of drawing into more dynamic plays.

Specific Mana Cost: Swamps provide black mana, which is necessary for casting spells within that color’s pie. However, this specificity can be limiting in multicolored decks that require a balance of different mana types to function efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although not directly applicable to Swamps themselves, spells requiring a heavy black mana investment might be costly. This can slow down your gameplay if you’re unable to generate enough black mana quickly or if your Swamps are subject to land destruction or are tapped by opponent strategies.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Swamp cards serve as a foundational building block in decks, providing the necessary mana for a wide range of strategies. Their basic land status ensures they can be included in any number without affecting the deck’s consistency.

Combo Potential: Swamps synergize with numerous cards that feed off black mana or require a certain threshold of Swamps on the battlefield, opening up diverse and powerful combinations.

Meta-Relevance: A staple in black-based decks, Swamps secure their place within the metagame, as they enable the casting of powerful spells that dominate in both creature-heavy and control environments.


How to beat

The Swamp card types are a staple in Magic: The Gathering, serving as the basic land for black mana generation. They are prevalent in many decks, fueling a range of powerful spells and abilities. To tactically outplay opponents utilizing Swamps, consider land disruption strategies. Cards like Blood Moon transform non-basic lands into Mountains, which can deactivate the advantages of certain Swamp-dependent cards. Moreover, Ghost Quarter can target specific lands, potentially removing crucial Swamps from play.

Strategically managing your own lands and resources can also mitigate the strength of Swamps. Employing cards that allow you to search for basic lands, like Terramorphic Expanse, can ensure your mana base is not only versatile but can also keep pace with a Swamp-heavy opponent. Additionally, spells that grant life gain or direct damage can help maintain your footing in a game where Swamps are powering ominous threats. By prioritizing land stabilization and disruption, alongside maintaining pressure, players can effectively counteract the dominance of Swamp-based MTG decks.

Ultimately, being proactive in anticipating Swamp-fueled strategies and incorporating countermeasures into your deck can turn the tide, keeping you a step ahead in the ever-evolving game of Magic: The Gathering.


Cards like Swamp

Within the land cards of Magic: The Gathering, Swamp plays a fundamental role as the primary source of black mana, vital for casting a variety of spells. When compared to other basic lands such as Island or Forest, Swamp taps for black mana, which is essential for strategies revolving around death, decay, and power at any cost. On the same token, cards like Polluted Delta, an advanced land, can search for a Swamp from the deck, but at the cost of 1 life, offering deck thinning and mana fixing at a small price.

Furthermore, dual lands such as Bloodstained Mire can also provide black mana in addition to another type, adding versatility but entering the battlefield tapped unless you pay a life. Similarly, Temple of Malady offers black mana while enabling you to scry upon entry, contributing to card selection but at the delay of being a tapped land. In a different league, the Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth land card turns all lands into Swamps in addition to their other types, magnifying the reach of black mana but without the simplicity of a basic Swamp.

It is evident that while there are numerous options for tapping into black mana, the uncomplicated and dependable nature of the Swamp makes it a staple in decks looking to harness the power of darkness in Magic: The Gathering.

Polluted Delta - Onslaught (ONS)
Bloodstained Mire - Onslaught (ONS)
Temple of Malady - Journey into Nyx (JOU)
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth - Planar Chaos (PLC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Swamp MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Swamp and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Swamp Magic the Gathering card was released in 119 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by 76 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 2911993normalblackDan Frazier
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 2941993normalblackDan Frazier
31993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 2961993normalblackDan Frazier
41993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 2951993normalwhiteDan Frazier
51993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 2951993normalblackDan Frazier
61993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 2961993normalblackDan Frazier
71993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 2961993normalblackDan Frazier
81994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 2981993normalwhiteDan Frazier
91994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 2981993normalwhiteDan Frazier
101995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 3711993normalwhiteDan Frazier
111995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 3721993normalwhiteDan Frazier
121996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC gb3701993normalgoldDan Frazier
131996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC gb3711993normalgoldDan Frazier
141996-10-08MirageMIR 3391997normalblackBob Eggleton
151996-12-31Introductory Two-Player SetITP 611993normalwhiteDan Frazier
161996-12-31Introductory Two-Player SetITP 591993normalwhiteDan Frazier
171997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 4401997normalwhiteAndrew Robinson
181997-05-01PortalPOR 2041997normalblackRomas Kukalis
191997-10-14TempestTMP 3421997normalblackBrom
201998-08-12World Championship Decks 1998WC98 bs3401997normalgoldBrom
211998-10-12Urza's SagaUSG 3391997normalblackJohn Avon
221999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 3421997normalwhiteRomas Kukalis
231999-08-04World Championship Decks 1999WC99 js3391997normalgoldJohn Avon
241999-08-04World Championship Decks 1999WC99 js340b1997normalgoldDan Frazier
251999-10-04Mercadian MasquesMMQ 3411997normalblackRob Alexander
262000-02-05European Land ProgramPELP 151997normalblackMike Ploog
272000-02-05European Land ProgramPELP 101997normalblackKev Walker
282001-01-01Arena League 2001PAL01 91997normalblackDouglas Shuler
292001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 349★1997normalblackTony Szczudlo
302001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 3481997normalwhiteLarry Elmore
312001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 3491997normalwhiteTony Szczudlo
322001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 3461997normalwhiteD. J. Cleland-Hura
332001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 3471997normalwhiteRob Alexander
342001-08-08World Championship Decks 2001WC01 tvdl3421997normalgoldRon Spencer
352001-10-01OdysseyODY 3401997normalblackArnie Swekel
362002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 818582015normalblackRavenna Tran
372002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 818622015normalblackAdam Paquette
382002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 2751997normalblackKev Walker
392002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 400482003normalblackJohn Avon
402002-08-14World Championship Decks 2002WC02 cr3411997normalgoldRob Alexander
412002-10-07OnslaughtONS 3421997normalblackPete Venters
422002-10-07OnslaughtONS 3411997normalblackDan Frazier
432003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 3392003normalwhiteBob Eggleton
442003-08-07World Championship Decks 2003WC03 we3422003normalgoldLarry Elmore
452003-10-02MirrodinMRD 2952003normalblackMark Tedin
462003-10-02MirrodinMRD 2982003normalblackJohn Avon
472004-10-01Champions of KamigawaCHK 2972003normalblackJim Nelson
482004-10-01Champions of KamigawaCHK 2962003normalblackJim Nelson
492005-01-01Magic Premiere Shop 2005PMPS 2982003normalblackRichard Wright
502005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 3422003normalwhiteLarry Elmore
512005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL F222003normalwhiteLarry Elmore
522005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL D342003normalwhiteJohn Avon
532005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL D462003normalwhiteJohn Avon
542005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL A562003normalwhiteLarry Elmore
552005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL A462003normalwhiteBob Eggleton
562005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL F352003normalwhiteJohn Avon
572005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL D562003normalwhiteDan Frazier
582005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL E222003normalwhiteDan Frazier
592005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL D452003normalwhiteBob Eggleton
602005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL A202003normalwhiteDan Frazier
612005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL D352003normalwhiteDan Frazier
622005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL F202003normalwhiteJohn Avon
632005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL E352003normalwhiteJohn Avon
642005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL A332003normalwhiteLarry Elmore
652005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL E602003normalwhiteDan Frazier
662005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL A342003normalwhiteBob Eggleton
672006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 202003normalwhiteDan Frazier
682006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 322003normalwhiteJohn Avon
692006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 592003normalwhiteJohn Avon
702006-01-01Magic Premiere Shop 2006PMPS06 32003normalblackPuddnhead
712006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 112003normalwhiteLarry Elmore
722006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 92003normalwhiteDan Frazier
732006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 352003normalwhiteDan Frazier
742006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 222003normalwhiteLarry Elmore
752006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 332003normalwhiteLarry Elmore
762006-07-21Coldsnap Theme DecksCST 3752003normalblackDouglas Shuler
772006-10-06Time SpiralTSP 2922003normalblackCraig Mullins
782006-10-06Time SpiralTSP 2932003normalblackRichard Wright
792007-02-24Grand Prix PromosPGPX 2018c2015normalblackDonato Giancola
802007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 3722003normalblackJohn Avon
812007-09-10Masters EditionME1 1881997normalblackDan Frazier
822007-09-10Masters EditionME1 1871997normalblackDan Frazier
832007-10-12LorwynLRW 2902003normalblackFred Fields
842008-05-02ShadowmoorSHM 2922003normalblackrk post
852008-10-03Shards of AlaraALA 2392003normalblackMark Tedin
862009-09-07Masters Edition IIIME3 2231997normalblackWang Chuxiong
872009-10-02ZendikarZEN 238a2003normalblackJohn Avon
882009-10-02ZendikarZEN 2402003normalblackVéronique Meignaud
892009-10-02ZendikarZEN 241a2003normalblackVincent Proce
902009-11-20Premium Deck Series: SliversH09 392003normalblackBrom
912010-01-01Magic Premiere Shop 2010PMPS10 32003normalblackJohn Avon
922010-03-19Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. the CoalitionDDE 322003normalblackRob Alexander
932010-06-18ArchenemyARC 1422003normalblackSusan Van Camp
942010-06-18ArchenemyARC 1442003normalblackSusan Van Camp
952010-11-08Magic Online Theme DecksTD0 A1481997normalblackWang Chuxiong
962010-11-08Magic Online Theme DecksTD0 A1491997normalblackWang Chuxiong
972011-05-13New PhyrexiaNPH 1712003normalblackLars Grant-West
982011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 3082003normalblackJung Park
992011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 3102003normalblackRichard Wright
1002011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 3092003normalblackJim Pavelec
1012011-09-30InnistradISD 2572003normalblackAdam Paquette
1022012-05-04Avacyn RestoredAVR 2362003normalblackJames Paick
1032012-05-04Avacyn RestoredAVR 2372003normalblackAdam Paquette
1042012-07-13Magic 2013M13 2402003normalblackCliff Childs
1052012-07-13Magic 2013M13 2412003normalblackJung Park
1062012-10-05Return to RavnicaRTR 2622003normalblackAdam Paquette
1072012-10-05Return to RavnicaRTR 2602003normalblackJohn Avon
1082013-03-15Duel Decks: Sorin vs. TibaltDDK 352003normalblackJames Paick
1092013-07-19Magic 2014M14 2392003normalblackJonas De Ro
1102013-07-19Magic 2014M14 2382003normalblackCliff Childs
1112013-11-01Commander 2013C13 3462003normalblackJonas De Ro
1122014-03-14Duel Decks: Jace vs. VraskaDDM 812003normalblackAdam Paquette
1132014-03-14Duel Decks: Jace vs. VraskaDDM 802003normalblackYeong-Hao Han
1142014-07-18Magic 2015M15 2582015normalblackJohn Avon
1152014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 2592015normalblackSam Burley
1162014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 2612015normalblackAdam Paquette
1172014-11-07Commander 2014C14 3282015normalblackJung Park
1182014-11-07Commander 2014C14 3262015normalblackJohn Avon
1192015-01-23Fate ReforgedFRF 1802015normalblackSam Burley
1202015-03-27Dragons of TarkirDTK 2582015normalblackAdam Paquette
1212015-05-06Tempest RemasteredTPR 2582015normalblackBrom
1222015-05-06Tempest RemasteredTPR 2592015normalblackBrom
1232015-05-06Tempest RemasteredTPR 2612015normalblackBrom
1242015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 2632015normalblackJames Paick
1252015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 2622015normalblackDan Frazier
1262015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 2612015normalblackLarry Elmore
1272015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 2612015normalblackSam Burley
1282015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 2632015normalblackJung Park
1292015-11-13Commander 2015C15 3342015normalblackJung Park
1302016-02-26Duel Decks: Blessed vs. CursedDDQ 752015normalblackAdam Paquette
1312016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 2892015normalblackJonas De Ro
1322016-09-02Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob NixilisDDR 662015normalblackNoah Bradley
1332016-09-30KaladeshKLD 2582015normalblackAdam Paquette
1342016-09-30KaladeshKLD 2572015normalblackAdam Paquette
1352016-09-30KaladeshKLD 2562015normalblackJames Paick
1362016-11-11Commander 2016C16 3442015normalblackMark Poole
1372016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 1442015normalblackJim Nelson
1382016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 1432015normalblackJim Nelson
1392017-04-28AmonkhetAKH 2612015normalblackSteven Belledin
1402017-04-28AmonkhetAKH 2522015normalblackClint Cearley
1412017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 2972015normalblackJohn Avon
1422017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 2982015normalblackCliff Childs
1432017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 3002015normalblackDan Frazier
1442017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 3042015normalblackRichard Wright
1452018-04-27DominariaDOM 2582015normalblackJonas De Ro
1462018-04-27DominariaDOM 2592015normalblackTitus Lunter
1472018-04-27DominariaDOM 2602015normalblackDimitar Marinski
1482018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 2932015normalblackDan Frazier
1492018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 2952015normalblackJung Park
1502018-07-13Core Set 2019M19 2712015normalblackChristine Choi
1512018-07-13Core Set 2019M19 2722015normalblackMark Poole
1522018-07-14MTG Arena PromosPANA 2232015normalblackVéronique Meignaud
1532018-07-14MTG Arena PromosPANA 2642015normalblackJonas De Ro
1542018-07-14MTG Arena PromosPANA 2382015normalblackLucas Graciano
1552018-08-09Commander 2018C18 2992015normalblackAleksi Briclot
1562018-10-05Guilds of RavnicaGRN 2622015normalblackRichard Wright
1572018-11-02GRN Guild KitGK1 752015normalblackFlorian de Gesincourt
1582018-11-09GRN Ravnica WeekendPRWK A022015normalblackNoah Bradley
1592018-11-16Game NightGNT 642015normalblackJung Park
1602019-02-15RNA Guild KitGK2 782015normalblackDimitar Marinski
1612019-05-03War of the SparkWAR 2562015normalblackTitus Lunter
1622019-07-12Core Set 2020M20 2712015normalblackJonas De Ro
1632019-07-12Core Set 2020M20 2722015normalblackJonas De Ro
1642019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 1192015normalblackSeb McKinnon
1652019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 11921997normalblackRon Spears & Post Malone
1662019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 5582015normalblackLucas Graciano
1672019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 4172015normalborderlessBen Schnuck
1682019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 14702015normalblackJubilee
1692019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 5392015normalblackSeb McKinnon
1702019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 3942015normalblackJeanne D'Angelo
1712020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 2822015normalblackSam Burley
1722020-07-03Core Set 2021M21 2672015normalblackCliff Childs
1732020-07-03Core Set 2021M21 2662015normalblackMike Bierek
1742020-07-17JumpstartJMP 562015normalblackLucas Graciano
1752020-07-17JumpstartJMP 572015normalblackTitus Lunter
1762020-08-13Amonkhet RemasteredAKR 3352015normalblackClint Cearley
1772020-08-13Amonkhet RemasteredAKR 3362015normalblackMark Zug
1782020-08-13Amonkhet RemasteredAKR 3382015normalblackTitus Lunter
1792020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 2722015normalblackSam Burley
1802020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 2732015normalblackSlawomir Maniak
1812020-11-12Kaladesh RemasteredKLR 2942015normalblackJames Paick
1822021-02-05KaldheimKHM 3962015normalblackPiotr Dura
1832021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 4862015normalblackPete Venters
1842021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten RealmsAFR 2702015normalblackPiotr Dura
1852021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten RealmsAFR 2732015normalblackAdam Paquette
1862021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten RealmsAFR 2712015normalblackSarah Finnigan
1872021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 2722015normalblackAlayna Danner
1882022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 2972015normalblackMaiko Aoji
1892022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 2662015normalblackChristian Dimitrov
1902022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 4602015normalblackLogan Feliciano
1912022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 4622015normalblackSam White
1922022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 4592015normalblackPiotr Dura
1932022-07-07Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's GateHBG 2982015normalblackLogan Feliciano
1942022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 310★2015normalblackJB Casacop
1952022-10-07UnfinityUNF 4882015normalblackAdam Paquette
1962022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 3112015normalblackJohan Grenier
1972022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 3122015normalblackCalder Moore
1982022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 3132015normalblackAndrey Nyarl
1992022-11-18The Brothers' War CommanderBRC 331997normalblackSam Burley
2002022-11-18The Brothers' WarBRO 2722015normalblackSam Burley
2012023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 4071997normalblackRomas Kukalis
2022023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be OneONE 2642015normalblackAlayna Danner
2032023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 7182015normalblackDeven Rue
2042023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 4451997normalblackMark Poole
2052023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 4431997normalblackAlayna Danner
2062023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 7922015normalblackSam Burley
2072023-09-08Wilds of EldraineWOE 2642015normalblackHari & Deepti
2082023-09-08Wilds of EldraineWOE 2712015normalblackJonas De Ro
2092023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2012015normalblackSvetlin Velinov
2102024-02-11MKM Standard ShowdownPSS4 32015normalblackAlexander Forssberg
2112024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 2622015normalblackFlorian de Gesincourt
2122024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 2652015normalblackRavenna Tran
2132024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 2642015normalblackChristopher Moeller
2142024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 2632015normalblackDimitar Marinski
2152024-03-08FalloutPIP 3212015normalblackSamuele Bandini
2162024-06-14Modern Horizons 3MH3 3062015normalblackYohann Schepacz

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Swamp has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PredhLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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