Island MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 122 setsSee all |
Rarity | Common |
Type | Basic Land — Island |
Text of card
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Cards like Island
The Island card, a fundamental piece of Magic: The Gathering, shares its basic land status with others such as Forest, Swamp, Mountain, and Plains. Each provides a specific type of mana, with Island offering blue. This simplicity is mirrored in the Plains card which generates white mana. However, unlike color-specific lands like Steam Vents that require you to pay life for an untapped state, Island enters the battlefield ready to use.
While the Island card doesn’t produce any additional effects like the dual lands, it remains a cornerstone in many MTG decks due to the consistency it offers. Lands such as Hinterland Harbor might tap for blue or green mana but are conditional, requiring you to have another type of basic land for it to come into play untapped. This requirement doesn’t hamper the reliable Island.
In the realm of basic lands, Island stands out for enabling powerful blue spells, known for control and manipulation in the game. Its counterpart, the Mountain, thrives in high-paced, aggressive strategies. Both are equally important, offering versatility and stability in mana bases within MTG’s diverse deck archetypes.
Cards similar to Island by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Island. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
# | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
---|---|---|---|---|
Esper Midrange | Standard | Esper Midrange | Pro Tour Thunder Junction | |
Temur Analyst | Standard | Temur Land Combo | Pro Tour Thunder Junction | |
Domain Ramp | Standard | Domain | Pro Tour Thunder Junction | |
Grixis Reanimator | Standard | Grixis Reanimator | Pro Tour Thunder Junction | |
Dimir Midrange | Standard | Dimir Midrange | Pro Tour Thunder Junction | |
Dimir Control | Standard | Dimir Control | Pro Tour Thunder Junction | |
Mono-Blue Cauldron | Standard | Izzet Cauldron Combo | Pro Tour Thunder Junction | |
Five-Color Analyst | Standard | 4c Land Combo | Pro Tour Thunder Junction | |
Azorius Control | Standard | Azorius Control | Pro Tour Thunder Junction |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: An Island card doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, but it supports numerous blue card draw spells that can tilt the game in your favor, making it a backbone for decks that aim to maintain a healthy hand size throughout the match.
Resource Acceleration: Islands are fundamental for mana acceleration in blue-centric decks, enabling you to swiftly cast high-impact spells earlier in the game. It harmonizes perfectly with spells that untap lands, or with artifact abilities that convert blue mana into even more resources.
Instant Speed: While an Island itself isn’t cast at instant speed, it provides the mana necessary to execute some of the most powerful instant-speed interactions in MTG. This includes countering critical threats or drawing cards in response to an opponent’s moves, keeping you one step ahead.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While the Island card itself doesn’t require a discard, it can sometimes lead to a hand clogged with land cards, causing critical non-land cards to be discarded for hand size limits.
Specific Mana Cost: This card provides only blue mana, which might not be helpful in multicolored decks that need other types of mana to cast a variety of spells.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: In decks that require mana acceleration or multiple colors, relying too heavily on basic lands like the Island may slow you down compared to using dual lands or mana artifacts.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Island card is a fundamental piece in any MTG player’s collection due to its ability to provide blue mana with no drawbacks. It’s an essential land for blue-based decks, from control to combo, and it seamlessly fits into multicolored deck strategies as well.
Combo Potential: As a basic land, the Island is often used to fuel powerful blue spells that can turn the tide of the game. It’s also part of many combo setups, enabling the casting of game-ending sequences or empowering synergies with cards that benefit from having numerous Islands in play.
Meta-Relevance: In the ever-changing MTG landscape, the significance of Islands remains constant. It supports strategies that hinge on counter-magic, bounce effects, and card draw which are always relevant in competitive play. Keeping Islands in your collection ensures you’re always prepared for shifts in the meta where blue spells become critical.
How to Confront and Overcome Islands in Your Magic Match-Up
The Island card remains a foundational piece in Magic: The Gathering gameplay, acting as the main mana source for powerful blue spells. With its ability to generate blue mana effortlessly, it enables a range of strategic plays, from countering opponent’s moves to drawing cards for an advantageous position. To effectively navigate through the challenge Islands pose, consider employing disruption strategies. These can include land destruction, which can hinder an opponent’s mana base, or utilizing cards that limit mana generation benefits.
An alternative approach to tackle an Island-heavy deck is to apply pressure early in the game. Aggressive deck archetypes can overwhelm an opponent before they stabilize their mana base or mount a substantial defense. Denying the opponent time to establish control or to deploy their most impactful spells is key. Moreover, always be mindful of potential counterspells when playing against decks with Islands and try to bait them out or play around them with your own instants and low-cost spells. Keep them guessing, and you might just disrupt their well-laid plans.
Overcoming the challenge Islands present relies on outsmarting the opponent and predicting their strategies. By forcing them to react rather than allowing them to dictate the pace, you gain the upper hand. Focus on direct, strategic plays, and maintain control over the board to ensure your victory against decks utilizing the serene yet potent power of the Island card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Island MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Pro Tour Collector Set, 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 Island and other MTG cards:
BUY NOWBurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Island Magic the Gathering card was released in 87 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2024-07-05. Illustrated by 54 different artists.
Show/hide all sets# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 288 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | |
2 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | shr368 | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Mark Poole | |
3 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | shr367 | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Mark Poole | |
4 | 1996-10-08 | Mirage | MIR | 335 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
5 | 1997-05-01 | Portal | POR | 201s | 1997 | Normal | Black | 库雪明 | |
6 | 1997-05-01 | Portal | POR | 202 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Eric Peterson | |
7 | 1997-08-13 | World Championship Decks 1997 | WC97 | pm435 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | J. W. Frost | |
8 | 1999-04-21 | Classic Sixth Edition | 6ED | 335 | 1997 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
9 | 1999-07-01 | Starter 1999 | S99 | 158 | 1997 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
10 | 1999-11-12 | Battle Royale Box Set | BRB | 114 | 1997 | Normal | White | Ku Xueming | |
11 | 2000-02-05 | European Land Program | PELP | 7 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Eric Peterson | |
12 | 2000-10-02 | Invasion | INV | 335 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Tony Szczudlo | |
13 | 2001-01-01 | Arena League 2001 | PAL01 | 3 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
14 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 334 | 1997 | Normal | White | John Avon | |
15 | 2001-08-08 | World Championship Decks 2001 | WC01 | ab336 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Scott Bailey | |
16 | 2001-08-08 | World Championship Decks 2001 | WC01 | ab335 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Terry Springer | |
17 | 2001-08-08 | World Championship Decks 2001 | WC01 | ab335b | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Tony Szczudlo | |
18 | 2001-08-08 | World Championship Decks 2001 | WC01 | ar334 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | John Avon | |
19 | 2001-08-08 | World Championship Decks 2001 | WC01 | ab336a | 1997 | Normal | Gold | John Avon | |
20 | 2001-08-08 | World Championship Decks 2001 | WC01 | ar335b | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Terry Springer | |
21 | 2001-08-08 | World Championship Decks 2001 | WC01 | ar336a | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Scott Bailey | |
22 | 2001-08-08 | World Championship Decks 2001 | WC01 | ar338 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Tony Szczudlo | |
23 | 2001-10-01 | Odyssey | ODY | 338 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
24 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 273 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Eric Peterson | ||
25 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 239 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | ||
26 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 81850 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Piotr Dura | ||
27 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 31979 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | ||
28 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 32023 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | ||
29 | 2002-08-14 | World Championship Decks 2002 | WC02 | cr334 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | John Avon | |
30 | 2002-08-14 | World Championship Decks 2002 | WC02 | cr332 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Scott Bailey | |
31 | 2003-10-02 | Mirrodin | MRD | 292 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
32 | 2003-10-02 | Mirrodin | MRD | 291 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Mark Tedin | |
33 | 2004-09-01 | World Championship Decks 2004 | WC04 | gn336 | 2003 | Normal | Gold | John Avon | |
34 | 2005-01-01 | Magic Premiere Shop 2005 | PMPS | 293 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Anthony S. Waters | |
35 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 336★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
36 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | H59 | 2003 | Normal | White | Tony Szczudlo | |
37 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | H45 | 2003 | Normal | White | Scott Bailey | |
38 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | H32 | 2003 | Normal | White | Tony Szczudlo | |
39 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | H60 | 2003 | Normal | White | Scott Bailey | |
40 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | G36 | 2003 | Normal | White | John Avon | |
41 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | G48 | 2003 | Normal | White | Tony Szczudlo | |
42 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | H21 | 2003 | Normal | White | Tony Szczudlo | |
43 | 2006-01-01 | Arena League 2006 | PAL06 | 2 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
44 | 2007-10-12 | Lorwyn | LRW | 289 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
45 | 2008-05-02 | Shadowmoor | SHM | 287 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Warren Mahy | |
46 | 2008-10-03 | Shards of Alara | ALA | 234 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Michael Komarck | |
47 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 221 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Ku Xueming | |
48 | 2009-10-02 | Zendikar | ZEN | 236 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Véronique Meignaud | |
49 | 2010-01-01 | Magic Premiere Shop 2010 | PMPS10 | 2 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
50 | 2010-04-23 | Rise of the Eldrazi | ROE | 236 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Vincent Proce | |
51 | 2011-05-14 | Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia | TD2 | 45 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
52 | 2011-05-14 | Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia | TD2 | 47 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jung Park | |
53 | 2011-05-14 | Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia | TD2 | 46 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jung Park | |
54 | 2011-07-15 | Magic 2012 | M12 | 235 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cliff Childs | |
55 | 2012-05-04 | Avacyn Restored | AVR | 235 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jung Park | |
56 | 2012-06-01 | Planechase 2012 | PC2 | 141 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Martina Pilcerova | |
57 | 2012-07-13 | Magic 2013 | M13 | 234 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
58 | 2012-10-05 | Return to Ravnica | RTR | 257 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Adam Paquette | |
59 | 2013-11-01 | Commander 2013 | C13 | 342 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cliff Childs | |
60 | 2014-11-07 | Commander 2014 | C14 | 322 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
61 | 2014-12-05 | Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra | JVC | 31 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott Bailey | |
62 | 2015-07-17 | Magic Origins | ORI | 259 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Richard Wright | |
63 | 2015-10-02 | Battle for Zendikar | BFZ | 258a | 2015 | Normal | Black | Vincent Proce | |
64 | 2016-11-11 | Commander 2016 | C16 | 342 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
65 | 2016-11-16 | Treasure Chest | PZ2 | 70803 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Babyson Chen & Uzhen Lin | |
66 | 2016-11-25 | Planechase Anthology | PCA | 137 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
67 | 2016-11-25 | Planechase Anthology | PCA | 139 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Martina Pilcerova | |
68 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 260 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | |
69 | 2017-06-09 | Commander Anthology | CMA | 294 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cliff Childs | |
70 | 2017-06-16 | Archenemy: Nicol Bolas | E01 | 98 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Christine Choi | |
71 | 2017-09-29 | Ixalan | XLN | 266 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Raoul Vitale | |
72 | 2017-10-20 | 2017 Gift Pack | G17 | 2 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | |
73 | 2017-10-24 | Duel Decks: Merfolk vs. Goblins | DDT | 31 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Raoul Vitale | |
74 | 2017-12-08 | Unstable | UST | 213 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | John Avon | |
75 | 2018-01-19 | Rivals of Ixalan | RIX | 193 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dimitar Marinski | |
76 | 2018-04-27 | Dominaria | DOM | 257 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | |
77 | 2018-06-08 | Commander Anthology Volume II | CM2 | 288 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
78 | 2018-06-08 | Commander Anthology Volume II | CM2 | 286 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
79 | 2018-07-13 | Core Set 2019 | M19 | 265 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cliff Childs | |
80 | 2018-07-13 | Core Set 2019 | M19 | 266 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chippy | |
81 | 2018-07-14 | MTG Arena Promos | PANA | 237 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jonas De Ro | |
82 | 2018-07-14 | MTG Arena Promos | PANA | 249 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Bob Ross | |
83 | 2018-08-09 | Commander 2018 | C18 | 298 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss | |
84 | 2018-11-02 | GRN Guild Kit | GK1 | 24 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jung Park | |
85 | 2018-11-09 | GRN Ravnica Weekend | PRWK | A01 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jung Park | |
86 | 2019-01-25 | Ravnica Allegiance | RNA | 261 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eytan Zana | |
87 | 2019-10-04 | Throne of Eldraine | ELD | 256 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nils Hamm | |
88 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 552 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Piotr Dura | ||
89 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 673 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daniel Warren Johnson | ||
90 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 416 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Ben Schnuck | ||
91 | 2020-01-01 | MagicFest 2020 | PF20 | 3 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jonas De Ro | |
92 | 2020-02-29 | Unsanctioned | UND | 90 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Adam Paquette | |
93 | 2020-04-24 | Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths | IKO | 265 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nick Southam | |
94 | 2020-07-03 | Core Set 2021 | M21 | 263 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cliff Childs | |
95 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart | JMP | 49 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Piotr Dura | |
96 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart | JMP | 47 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sung Choi | |
97 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart | JMP | 50 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Piotr Dura | |
98 | The List | PLST | AKH-258 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jonas De Ro | ||
99 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 507 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alayna Danner | |
100 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 506 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Babyson Chen & Uzhen Lin | |
101 | 2021-06-18 | Modern Horizons 2 | MH2 | 483 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Donato Giancola | |
102 | 2021-09-24 | Innistrad: Midnight Hunt | MID | 381 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Andreas Rocha | |
103 | 2022-06-10 | Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate | CLB | 458 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sam White | |
104 | 2022-07-07 | Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate | HBG | 295 | 2015 | Normal | Black | James Paick | |
105 | 2022-07-07 | Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate | HBG | 294 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Piotr Dura | |
106 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United | DMU | 267 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss | |
107 | 2022-10-07 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander | 40K | 308 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Calder Moore | |
108 | 2022-10-07 | Unfinity | UNF | 492 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Adam Paquette | |
109 | 2022-10-14 | Game Night: Free-for-All | GN3 | 127 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
110 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War | BRO | 281 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lucas Staniec | |
111 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 584 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | |
112 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 288 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | |
113 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 101 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cliff Childs | |
114 | 2023-01-13 | Dominaria Remastered | DMR | 404 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | |
115 | 2023-04-21 | March of the Machine | MOM | 284 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Grady Frederick | |
116 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 716 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Deven Rue | |
117 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 440 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Alayna Danner | |
118 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 198 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Titus Lunter | |
119 | 2024-02-09 | Murders at Karlov Manor | MKM | 279 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jorge Jacinto | |
120 | 2024-04-19 | Outlaws of Thunder Junction | OTJ | 279 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sergey Glushakov | |
121 | 2024-07-05 | Assassin's Creed | ACR | 303 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alexandre Honoré | |
122 | 2024-07-05 | Assassin's Creed | ACR | 103 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alexandre Honoré |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Island has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Oldschool | Legal |
Standard | Legal |
Historicbrawl | Legal |
Historic | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Paupercommander | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Gladiator | Legal |
Alchemy | Legal |
Pioneer | Legal |
Commander | Legal |
Modern | Legal |
Pauper | Legal |
Premodern | Legal |
Future | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Explorer | Legal |
Predh | Legal |
Brawl | Legal |
Penny | Legal |
Timeless | Legal |