Gemstone Caverns MTG Card
2006-10-06 - Number 274
2021-03-19 - Number 280
2023-06-23 - Number 364
2023-06-23 - Number 394z
2023-06-23 - Number 394
2020-09-26 - Number TSP-274
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Land |
Text of card
If Gemstone Caverns is in your opening hand and you're not playing first, you may begin the game with Gemstone Caverns in play with a luck counter on it. If you do, remove a card in your hand from the game. : Add to your mana pool. If Gemstone Caverns has a luck counter on it, instead add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Cards like Gemstone Caverns
Gemstone Caverns is a unique and potent land in Magic: The Gathering, offering a sneak peek at mana acceleration and resource advantage. When considered alongside similar cards like Ancient Tomb or City of Traitors, Gemstone Caverns stands out due to its ability to provide an extra mana at the very start of the game when it is in your opening hand and you’re not going first. This ability is not present in Ancient Tomb, which simply provides two mana at the cost of two life, or City of Traitors, which restricts your land plays.
Examining other cards in this spectrum, Crystal Vein also permits an early game advantage by sacrificing itself for a burst of two mana, yet it doesn’t offer the consistent mana potential of Gemstone Caverns. A closer comparison might be struck with Tolarian Academy, with its ability to tap for an immense amount of mana based on the number of artifacts you control, but it lacks the starting-game head start that Gemstone Caverns can grant.
When analyzing the cost-benefit scenario of such lands, Gemstone Caverns skillfully carves its niche in MTG as an unparalleled option for players seeking a quick and advantageous jump on resources from their very first turn.
Cards similar to Gemstone Caverns by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Gemstone Caverns. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Crashing Footfalls | Modern | Crashing Footfalls | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-27 |
 | Eldrazi Tron | Modern | Eldrazi Tron | Modern League 2024-05-02 |
 | Affinity | Modern | Affinity | Modern Challenge 32 2024-05-03 |
 | Mono-Green Tron | Modern | Mono-Green Tron | Modern Preliminary 2024-04-29 |
 | Mono-Green Hardened Scales | Modern | Hardened Scales | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-27 |
 | Mono-Blue Tron | Modern | Mono-Blue Tron | Modern Qualifier 2024-05-01 |
| Selesnya Tron | Modern | Mono-Green Tron | Modern Preliminary 2024-04-30 (1) |
| WUBG | Modern | Modern Challenge 32 2024-04-30 | |
 | Goblins | Legacy | Goblins | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-04-27 (1) |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Gemstone Caverns offers a unique form of card advantage in games that start with you not playing first. By allowing you to begin the match with an extra card in play, it can effectively negate the disadvantage of being the second player, giving you a crucial edge right from the start.
Resource Acceleration: This powerful land speeds up your resource availability by coming into play with a Luck counter if it’s in your opening hand and you’re not the first player. The result is an additional mana source available on your first turn, which can be pivotal in executing your strategy more quickly than your opponent expects.
Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Gemstone Caverns can be a boon for decks that focus on instant-speed interaction. By ramping up your mana early, it ensures that your mana is open to cast spells at instant speed sooner in the game, thus allowing you to respond to your opponent’s moves with greater flexibility and pace.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Gemstone Caverns asks you to discard a card if it comes into play on your first turn through its Lucky counter mechanic. This could set you back in card advantage early on, especially if you do not have additional ways to draw or retrieve cards.
Specific Mana Cost: Gemstone Caverns generates colorless mana, which may not always align with your deck’s mana requirements. If your strategy relies heavily on colored mana, its presence could hinder you more than it helps.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not directly related to its mana-producing ability, Gemstone Caverns has a tangible cost associated with starting the game with one less card in your opening hand if you wish to utilize its unique early play advantage. Some players may find other lands or mana sources more cost-effective to their game plan.
Reasons to Include Gemstone Caverns in Your Collection
Versatility: Gemstone Caverns has the unique ability to provide a significant mana advantage if it’s in your opening hand and you’re not going first. Its ability to produce colorless mana or mana of any color when tapped makes it flexible for various deck archetypes.
Combo Potential: This card is exceptional in enabling early game plays that can accelerate combo decks. By starting the game with an extra mana source, you can deploy game-winning combinations much faster than your opponents anticipate.
Meta-Relevance: In faster paced formats where establishing tempo quickly can lead to victory, Gemstone Caverns fits right in. It can tilt the balance in your favor, being especially relevant in eternal formats like Commander or Legacy, where early powerful plays are crucial.
How to beat
Gemstone Caverns lends a unique strategic edge in Magic: The Gathering, allowing players to begin the game with an extra mana resource at the slight cost of exiling a card from their hand. This can feel like an uphill battle when facing an opponent who’s effectively a step ahead. However, prevailing against this card is about understanding its timing and minimizing its advantage.
One approach is to focus on swift and efficient removal of key spells that your opponent casts using this mana boost. By anticipating their accelerated play, you can prepare counter-measures or disruption spells to mitigate the early advantage Gemstone Caverns provides. Another tactic is to employ hand disruption, such as Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek, which can target pivotal cards and ruin your opponent’s initial mana leverage. Also, consider pacing your game to withstand an early onslaught, then outmaneuver the opponent with superior card advantage as the game progresses.
Overcoming the tactical start Gemstone Caverns offers requires foresight and strategic play. While it grants an early boost, remember that Magic: The Gathering is a game of varied and complex interactions—there’s always a path to turn the tides in your favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Gemstone Caverns MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and The List, 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 Gemstone Caverns 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
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Printings
The Gemstone Caverns Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2006-10-06 | Time Spiral | TSP | 274 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Martina Pilcerova | |
| 2 | The List | PLST | TSP-274 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Martina Pilcerova | ||
| 3 | 2021-03-19 | Time Spiral Remastered | TSR | 280 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Martina Pilcerova | |
| 4 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 364 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Jonas De Ro | |
| 5 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 394z | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Jonas De Ro | |
| 6 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 394 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Jonas De Ro |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Gemstone Caverns has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Gemstone Caverns card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-03-19 | A player's "opening hand" is the hand of cards the player has after all players have taken mulligans. If players have any cards in hand that allow actions to be taken with them from a player's opening hand, the starting player takes all such actions first in any order, followed by each other player in turn order. Then the first turn begins. |
| 2021-03-19 | If multiple Gemstone Caverns are put onto the battlefield under a single player's control before the game begins, the "legend rule" won't put the extras into that player's graveyard until just before the starting player gets priority during the game's first upkeep step. There's no opportunity to tap the extras for mana. |