Orzhov Basilica MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 25 setsSee all
RarityCommon
TypeLand

Key Takeaways

  1. Orzhov Basilica optimizes land plays, returning a land for strategic redeployments or abilities.
  2. It enables multicolor decks by providing two types of mana, enhancing efficiency.
  3. Incorporating Basilica can delay game tempo due to its land-bouncing requirement.

Text of card

Orzhov Basilica comes into play tapped. When Orzhov Basilica comes into play, return a land you control to its owner's hand. : Add to your mana pool.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Orzhov Basilica provides an immediate return on investment by returning another land to your hand when it comes into play. This can be particularly beneficial if you retrieve a land with an additional ability or one that can produce multiple colors of mana, effectively optimizing your land plays.

Resource Acceleration: Despite entering the battlefield tapped, Orzhov Basilica effectively ramps your mana by producing both black and white mana in one go. This resource acceleration is key in multicolor decks where mana efficiency can make or break a game.

Instant Speed: While Orzhov Basilica itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it aligns with instant-speed strategies by smoothing out mana availability. Having access to two mana from a single land leaves more room in your mana base to hold up lands that can be played at instant speed, thus supporting reactive or flexible playstyles.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Orzhov Basilica requires that you return a land you control to your hand upon entering the battlefield. This can set you back in land development, especially when played early in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Tapping for both white and black mana, the Basilica is perfect for Orzhov decks but may not fit into other multicolor deck strategies that don’t include both of those colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Entering the battlefield tapped means its mana contribution is delayed by a turn. In fast-paced games, this can be a significant drawback as compared to other lands that provide immediate mana.


Reasons to Include Orzhov Basilica in Your Collection

Versatility: Orzhov Basilica isn’t just a land; it’s a dual-land with an intrinsic bounce mechanism. This allows players to not only have access to two essential colors – black and white – but also to recycle other lands for additional landfall triggers or simply to ensure a land drop for the next turn.

Combo Potential: In decks that capitalize on land-untap synergies or need to beef up their land count quickly, Orzhov Basilica works wonders. It serves as a cornerstone in strategies that may involve returning permanents to your hand for value or benefiting from the Karoo lands, so named for their self-bounce ability.

Meta-Relevance: Decks that run a slower, more value-oriented game plan see Orzhov Basilica as a boon. It’s a card that can be particularly potent in a commander format where the pace allows for its tap-entry downside to be mitigated by its long-term economic advantage.


How to beat

The Orzhov Basilica card in Magic: The Gathering brings a unique dynamic to the land play. It belongs to a subclass of lands known as ‘bounce lands’ due to its entry effect that returns a land to its owner’s hand. This, however, can be exploited by astute players. When facing this card, timing is of the essence. Applying pressure early in the game and capitalizing on the momentary setback of the land return can be a winning strategy. Another approach is to use land destruction or denial strategies which can hamper your opponent’s ability to generate the mana advantage that Orzhov Basilica is supposed to provide.

Moreover, countering the late-game advantage gained from such a card is also key. Cards that restrict or tax your opponent’s land usage can minimize the Boon Basilica offers. Don’t overlook the benefits of aggressive plays, forcing your opponent to use mana reactively instead of proactively. With patience and clever deck construction, the initial cost of playing Orzhov Basilica can be turned from a minor hindrance into a stumbling block for your opponent.


Cards like Orzhov Basilica

Orzhov Basilica stands out in the selection of lands within Magic: The Gathering. This card joins the ranks of the Ravnica block’s bouncelands, such as Azorius Chancery and Dimir Aqueduct. What makes Orzhov Basilica special is its ability to tap for two mana, balancing this with the requirement to return another land to its owner’s hand upon entering the battlefield.

Looking at other lands with similar abilities, we find the Gruul Turf. Much like Orzhov Basilica, this land can potentially double your mana output, but it too necessitates the bounce of another land. The main difference lies in the color combination they provide: Orzhov Basilica serves the black and white mana needs, crucial for decks focusing on control and debt paying themes, while Gruul Turf caters to red and green mana needs, which is typically more aligned with aggressive and creature-based strategies.

Ultimately, Orzhov Basilica offers a strategic advantage for those crafting decks that benefit from its specific mana combination, facilitate delayed gratification, and enjoy an extra land in hand for various uses. In this way, it holds its own as a valuable asset in the MTG landscape: an essential piece for its aligned color decks.

Azorius Chancery - MTG Card versions
Dimir Aqueduct - MTG Card versions
Gruul Turf - MTG Card versions
Azorius Chancery - Dissension (DIS)
Dimir Aqueduct - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Gruul Turf - Guildpact (GPT)

Cards similar to Orzhov Basilica by color, type and mana cost

Scrubland - MTG Card versions
Caves of Koilos - MTG Card versions
Shattered Sanctum - MTG Card versions
Brightclimb Pathway // Grimclimb Pathway - MTG Card versions
Isolated Chapel - MTG Card versions
Tainted Field - MTG Card versions
Orzhov Guildgate - MTG Card versions
Vault of the Archangel - MTG Card versions
Salt Flats - MTG Card versions
Scoured Barrens - MTG Card versions
Fetid Heath - MTG Card versions
Forsaken Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Concealed Courtyard - MTG Card versions
Godless Shrine - MTG Card versions
Temple of Silence - MTG Card versions
Vault of Champions - MTG Card versions
Shineshadow Snarl - MTG Card versions
Sunlit Marsh - MTG Card versions
Restless Fortress - MTG Card versions
Shadowy Backstreet - MTG Card versions
Scrubland - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Caves of Koilos - Dominaria United Promos (PDMU)
Shattered Sanctum - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Brightclimb Pathway // Grimclimb Pathway - From Cute to Brute (PCTB)
Isolated Chapel - Fallout (PIP)
Tainted Field - Fallout (PIP)
Orzhov Guildgate - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Vault of the Archangel - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)
Salt Flats - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Scoured Barrens - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Fetid Heath - Zendikar Expeditions (EXP)
Forsaken Sanctuary - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
Concealed Courtyard - Kaladesh (KLD)
Godless Shrine - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Temple of Silence - Fallout (PIP)
Vault of Champions - Commander Masters (CMM)
Shineshadow Snarl - Commander Masters (CMM)
Sunlit Marsh - Dominaria United (DMU)
Restless Fortress - Wilds of Eldraine Promos (PWOE)
Shadowy Backstreet - Murders at Karlov Manor Promos (PMKM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Orzhov Basilica MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Guildpact, 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 Orzhov Basilica and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Orzhov Basilica Magic the Gathering card was released in 24 different sets between 2006-02-03 and 2024-02-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 1023612015normalblackJim Nelson
22006-02-03GuildpactGPT 1612003normalblackJohn Avon
32011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 2832003normalblackJohn Avon
42013-11-01Commander 2013C13 3112003normalblackJohn Avon
52015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 2462015normalblackJohn Avon
62015-11-13Commander 2015C15 2982015normalblackJohn Avon
72016-11-11Commander 2016C16 3142015normalblackJohn Avon
82017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 2642015normalblackJohn Avon
92017-08-25Commander 2017C17 2682015normalblackJohn Avon
102017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 2432015normalblackJohn Avon
112018-08-09Commander 2018C18 2712015normalblackJohn Avon
122019-02-15RNA Guild KitGK2 492015normalblackJohn Avon
132019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 16822015normalblackJohn Avon
142020-04-17Commander 2020C20 2972015normalblackJohn Avon
152020-09-26The ListPLST C17-2682015normalblackJohn Avon
162021-04-23Commander 2021C21 3082015normalblackJohn Avon
172021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 2532015normalblackJohn Avon
182022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 9062015normalblackJohn Avon
192022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 4092015normalborderlessJim Nelson
202022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 3272015normalblackJohn Avon
212022-09-09Dominaria United CommanderDMC 2242015normalblackJohn Avon
222022-11-18The Brothers' War CommanderBRC 1911997normalblackJohn Avon
232023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 10182015normalblackJohn Avon
242023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 3452015normalblackJohn Avon
252024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 2412015normalblackJohn Avon

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Orzhov Basilica has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Orzhov Basilica card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2013-04-15 If this land enters the battlefield and you control no other lands, its ability will force you to return it to your hand.

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