Graven Cairns MTG Card
2007-05-04 - Number 175
2008-05-02 - Number 272
2015-10-02 - Number 28
2017-11-17 - Number 237
2020-08-07 - Number 320
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
: Add to your mana pool. {BR}, : Add , , or to your mana pool.
Shamans of Kar-Sengir claim that their sun sets because it can no longer bear the gaze of those pain-carved cliffs.
Graven Cairns’ Role in Land Flexibility
Graven Cairns stands out as a unique land card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, providing exceptional mana flexibility. This card’s ability to filter mana distinguishes it from basic lands. It allows players to turn one mana of any color into two mana of any combination of red and/or black. This potent ability makes Graven Cairns a valuable asset in decks that require specific mana combinations to cast powerful multicolored spells efficiently.
Cards like Graven Cairns
Graven Cairns shares its functional space with a family of filter lands, such as Sunken Ruins or Twilight Mire, which offer similar mana conversion for other color pairs. Twilight Mire also allows the conversion of one green mana into black and green mana, fostering smooth and adaptable gameplay for cards within those mana alignments. Another comparable card is Cascade Bluffs. This land works on the principle analogous to Graven Cairns, but services red and blue mana needs instead, proving useful in a different multicolor deck archetype.
While each card in this filter land cycle provides tailored support to different color pairings, their distinction lies in the specific mana they impact. Graven Cairns gains an edge in decks that are heavy in red and black spells, where it can offer unparalleled mana filtering versatility.
Cards similar to Graven Cairns by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Graven Cairns. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Rakdos Breach | Modern | Rakdos Breach | Modern Showcase Challenge 2024-02-10 |
| Rakdos Midrange | Modern | Rakdos Midrange | Modern Challenge 64 2024-02-10 |
| Rakdos Discard | Modern | Rakdos Midrange | Grand Open Qualifier Prague 2024 |
| Rakdos Zombies | Modern | Rakdos Zombies | 2024 Hunter Burton Memorial Open |
 | Rakdos Goblins | Modern | Goblins | $5K RCQ - Modern - SCG CON Philadelphia - Sunday - 9:00 am |
| Rakdos Tempo | Modern | Sacrifice | DEN24 Sat 9:00 - U.S. Regional Championship - presented by Laughing Dragon |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Graven Cairns offers advantageous mana filtering options without loss of card economy, enabling you to convert your lands into more useful colors while maintaining the same number of assets on the board.
Resource Acceleration: By facilitating smoother mana conversion, Graven Cairns can effectively accelerate your resource management, ensuring that you have the right color combinations for spell casting when you need them.
Instant Speed: Its mana-filtering ability can be utilized at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to respond to the evolving battlefield and make critical plays without the need to telegraph your moves in advance.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Graven Cairns doesn’t inherently require a discard, but it synergizes with strategies that might. If you’re using it to filter mana for spells that do require discarding, this can be a downside if your hand is already depleted.
Specific Mana Cost: While Graven Cairns can be a boon for dual-color decks, its utility is limited mainly to those that need black and red mana. This specificity may restrict deck-building choices, confining the card’s usefulness to certain archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: As a land card, Graven Cairns does not have a mana cost, but its ability comes at the cost of one mana of any type. In critical turns, utilizing its filtration ability could effectively slow you down as it translates into having one less mana available for immediate use than a basic land might provide.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Graven Cairns fits seamlessly into dual or multi-color decks that utilize both Red and Black mana. Its ability to filter mana offers flexibility and smooths out the mana base, ensuring that your spells can be cast without delay.
Combo Potential: This land card is exceptional in combinations that require specific mana ratios, aiding in the execution of combo decks. It can help activate potent abilities that require heavy color commitment, bridging the gap to victory.
Meta-Relevance: In a dynamic meta where speed and consistency are vital, Graven Cairns plays a critical role. It maintains relevance by enabling fast-paced strategies and reinforcing decks designed to stand against the shifting tides of competitive play.
How to beat Graven Cairns
Graven Cairns stands out in the Magic: The Gathering landscape for its filtering ability, allowing players to turn one color of mana into a combination of black and red. It’s a solid tool for mana fixing in multicolored decks, especially those running heavy costs or double mana symbols. However, it is not without weaknesses. Players looking to challenge a deck that utilizes Graven Cairns should consider a few strategies.
Land destruction can be a straightforward tactic to undermine the effectiveness of Graven Cairns. By targeting this land with spells like Ghost Quarter, you can disrupt the mana base of an opponent, particularly if they’re relying heavily on Graven Cairns for their color fixing. Artifact removal is another approach, as activating Graven Cairns requires it to function like an artifact, so cards like Nature’s Claim provide a dual purpose. Moreover, keeping a steady pace in applying pressure on the board can often force an opponent to use their mana inefficiently, diminishing the impact of Graven Cairns’ filtering capabilities.
Ultimately, while Graven Cairns can be a powerful asset for decks that need the right color of mana at the right time, there are multiple strategies to mitigate its impact on the game, ensuring you maintain the upper hand.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Graven Cairns MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight and Shadowmoor, 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 Graven Cairns 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 Graven Cairns Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2007-05-04 and 2020-08-07. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2007-05-04 | Future Sight | FUT | 175 | future | Normal | Black | Anthony S. Waters | |
| 2 | 2008-05-02 | Shadowmoor | SHM | 272 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
| 3 | 2015-10-02 | Zendikar Expeditions | EXP | 28 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Adam Paquette | |
| 4 | 2017-11-17 | Iconic Masters | IMA | 237 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anthony S. Waters | |
| 5 | 2020-08-07 | Double Masters | 2XM | 320 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Graven Cairns has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Graven Cairns card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2007-05-01 | {B/R}, ” is the same as saying “, or , . |