Highland Lake MTG Card
2016-04-08 - Number 277
2017-04-28 - Number 282
2018-01-19 - Number 189
2018-07-13 - Number 252
2018-08-09 - Number 255
2019-08-23 - Number 251
2023-03-21 - Number 272
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
Highland Lake enters the battlefield tapped. : Add or to your mana pool.
With the fate of Innistrad uncertain, some seek solace in remote areas.
Cards like Highland Lake
Highland Lake is a popular land card that serves dual functions in MTG decks, offering both blue and red mana to a player’s mana pool. When considering its utility, it’s logical to look at other dual lands like Swiftwater Cliffs. Swiftwater Cliffs also taps for blue or red mana and has the added advantage of gaining the player 1 life when it enters the battlefield. However, unlike Highland Lake, Swiftwater Cliffs enters the battlefield untapped if you control two or more other lands, which can be a significant upside for tempo.
Izzet Guildgate is another land card comparable to Highland Lake, as it also provides access to both blue and red mana. It enters the battlefield tapped with no additional effects, making it a functional equivalent in many deck structures. However, cards like Steam Vents demonstrate a premium version within this category. Steam Vents has the option to enter the battlefield untapped at the cost of 2 life, thereby offering a significant speed advantage for a more aggressive strategy.
While Highland Lake might not have the life gain of Swiftwater Cliffs or the speed potential of Steam Vents, it remains a solid and reliable choice for many MTG decks that need consistent mana fixing without too high a cost.
Cards similar to Highland Lake by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Highland Lake enters the battlefield tapped, which may seem like a downside at first glance. However, for decks that can afford the slight delay, this land ensures that you have access to two colors of mana from a single card. This dual color availability can be crucial for maintaining mana consistency and ensuring you can cast a wider variety of spells in a multicolor deck.
Resource Acceleration: While not immediately ramping you in the same turn it’s played, Highland Lake provides a stable mana base that becomes increasingly valuable as the game progresses. In games that stretch into many turns, having versatile lands like Highland Lake can mean the difference between casting your game-changing spells or being stuck with unusable cards in hand.
Instant Speed: Although lands like Highland Lake are played at sorcery speed, having access to two different colors of mana can enable you to cast instant-speed spells more reliably. The importance of this cannot be understated, as being able to react to an opponent’s actions during their turn with counter spells or instant-speed tricks is a critical aspect of successful MTG gameplay.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Highland Lake enters the battlefield tapped, which can be a setback in fast-paced games where every turn counts. This delay can hamper your tempo and potentially give your opponents an advantage as they develop their board while you’re waiting to untap your lands.
Specific Mana Cost: Highland Lake produces only blue or red mana, which might not be ideal for decks that require a more diverse mana base. For players running three or more colors, this can lead to color-fixing issues where the land may not provide the necessary mana at a crucial point in the game.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although not associated with a mana cost for casting, the comparative cost of this land lies in its opportunity cost. In a format where there are a multitude of dual lands available, some with less restrictive conditions, the choice of including Highland Lake over others could mean losing out on efficiency and speed within your mana base.
Reasons to Include Highland Lake in Your Collection
Versatility: Highland Lake offers a reliable mana base for any deck comprising both red and blue elements. Its ability to provide two different types of mana makes it a versatile choice for multicolor strategies.
Combo Potential: As part of a multicolor deck, Highland Lake can smoothly integrate into combos that require both blue and red mana, enabling players to execute their strategies more efficiently.
Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-shifting nature of the MTG competitive landscape, having a land like Highland Lake can be crucial, particularly if the meta favors a blue-red archetype.
How to beat
Highland Lake enters the battlefield tapped, which can slow down tempo in fast-paced games of Magic: The Gathering. This drawback may put players behind their opponents in terms of resource availability. To capitalize on this, players should prioritize land destruction or land bounce cards that can further delay the opponent’s mana development. Cards such as Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin can remove Highland Lake from play, disrupting the opponent’s mana base.
Additionally, it’s vital to apply pressure early in the game. Aggressive strategies that deploy threats before your opponent can use their mana efficiently can put you at an advantage. If playing against a deck that heavily relies on dual lands like Highland Lake, consider using cards that restrict land types like Blood Moon to render the high utility lands less effective. This can box opponents into a corner and impede their gameplay, giving you the upper hand in the match.
An effective strategy revolves around staying ahead on board and using your untapped mana efficiently to maintain dominance. By understanding the disadvantages of cards like Highland Lake, one can craft a game plan to outpace and outmaneuver the opponent, securing a path to victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Highland Lake MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Amonkhet, 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 Highland Lake 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 Highland Lake Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-04-08 | Shadows over Innistrad | SOI | 277 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Florian de Gesincourt | |
| 2 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 282 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Florian de Gesincourt | |
| 3 | 2018-01-19 | Rivals of Ixalan | RIX | 189 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Noah Bradley | |
| 4 | 2018-07-13 | Core Set 2019 | M19 | 252 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Noah Bradley | |
| 5 | 2018-08-09 | Commander 2018 | C18 | 255 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Noah Bradley | |
| 6 | 2019-08-23 | Commander 2019 | C19 | 251 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Noah Bradley | |
| 7 | 2023-03-21 | Shadows over Innistrad Remastered | SIR | 272 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Florian de Gesincourt |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Highland Lake 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 |