Karplusan Forest MTG Card
1995-06-03 - Number 356
1996-05-02 - Number gb356
1996-05-02 - Number et356
1996-05-02 - Number mj356
1997-03-24 - Number 421
1998-08-12 - Number bs356
1999-04-21 - Number 326
2000-08-02 - Number jk326
2001-04-11 - Number 336★
2001-04-11 - Number 336
2001-08-08 - Number jt336
2001-12-01 - Number 39
2002-08-14 - Number bk336
2002-08-14 - Number shh336
2005-07-29 - Number 321★
2005-07-29 - Number 321
2007-07-13 - Number 354
2016-11-11 - Number 305
2022-09-09 - Number 379
2022-09-09 - Number 250p
2022-09-09 - Number 250
2022-09-09 - Number 250s
2024-06-14 - Number 351
2002-06-24 - Number 103480
| Card sets | Released in 24 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
oc T: Add o1 to your mana pool. oc T: Add o R to your mana pool. Karplusan Forest deals 1 damage to you. oc T: Add o G to your mana pool. Karplusan Forest deals 1 damage to you.
Cards like Karplusan Forest
Karplusan Forest is a renowned land in the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering due to its ability to tap for both red and green mana without entering the battlefield tapped. Its nearest relatives in terms of functionality include the likes of Rootbound Crag and Game Trail, which also cater to a red-green mana base. Unlike Karplusan Forest, these lands can potentially come into play tapped unless you meet certain conditions, such as having a Mountain or Forest for Rootbound Crag, or revealing a Mountain or Forest card from your hand for Game Trail.
Another card worth mentioning in this category is Copperline Gorge, which enters the battlefield untapped conditionally but doesn’t cause life loss for tapping for colored mana. However, it loses this advantage if you play it later in the game. Karplusan Forest’s ease of use, offering immediate access to both colors of mana with no conditions, might come with a minor trade-off of one life per use, but that flexibility can be crucial for decks requiring a consistent and speedy mana base.
Assessing Karplusan Forest alongside these alternatives showcases the card’s competitive edge – its immediate dual mana availability can be critical for fast-paced decks, ensuring it retains its relevance among land options in the game.
Cards similar to Karplusan Forest by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Karplusan Forest. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Gruul Aggro | Pioneer | Gruul Aggro | Pioneer Challenge 32 2024-04-28 |
 | Kuldotha Aggro | Modern | Kuldotha Aggro | Modern Preliminary 2024-04-29 |
 | URG | Standard | Standard Super Qualifier 2024-04-28 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Karplusan Forest doesn’t directly let you draw more cards, its ability to tap for two types of mana without entering the battlefield tapped ensures you’re able to deploy your hand effectively. This efficient mana access can lead to significant card advantage as you cast more spells over the course of a game.
Resource Acceleration: Karplusan Forest can be critical for mana acceleration as it provides immediate access to both red and green mana. This allows for faster plays and contributes to more dynamic strategies, particularly in multi-colored decks where mana flexibility can be the difference between victory and defeat.
Instant Speed: While Karplusan Forest itself is a land and not played at instant speed, having access to both of its mana sources at any time gives players the flexibility to respond to opponents with instant speed spells. This land doesn’t need to tap only during your own turn, so it supports holding up mana for crucial instant speed interactions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Karplusan Forest requires the player to make a tough choice: accept a point of damage every time you need a specific color of mana, or fall behind in the mana race. This drawback can be especially taxing in fast-paced games where health is a precious commodity.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana provided by Karplusan Forest is either colorless or a combination of red or green. This specificity can be a limiting factor for multicolored decks that may require a broader spectrum of mana accessibility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Karplusan Forest enters the battlefield untapped, offering immediate mana availability, the implicit cost of taking damage for colored mana is comparatively high. This is especially true when considering other pain-free land options such as basic lands or dual lands that do not inflict damage upon tapping for mana.
Reasons to Include Karplusan Forest in Your Collection
Versatility: Karplusan Forest offers a flexible mana base for multicolored decks, particularly those in red and green. Its ability to provide either color of mana without coming into play tapped makes it an asset for maintaining the pace of your game.
Combo Potential: For decks that require both colors of mana simultaneously or on-demand, this land is a linchpin. It works exceptionally well in strategies that pivot around land-type synergies or need an unfaltering mana supply for combo execution.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where speed and consistency reign, Karplusan Forest holds its ground. Its presence is significant for decks that aim to outpace opponents in creature-heavy or aggressive strategies that thrive in the current meta.
How to beat Karplusan Forest
Karplusan Forest presents an interesting dynamic to land strategies within MTG. As a dual land capable of tapping for both green and red mana, it holds a position of utility and versatility in many deck constructions. Unlike the classic Ravnica dual lands that enter the battlefield tapped, Karplusan Forest can be used immediately, although it comes with the downside of dealing 1 damage to you when used for colored mana. This presents an incremental cost over the course of a game that can add up, providing an angle for opponents to pressure life totals.
To effectively counteract Karplusan Forest’s strengths, prioritizing land destruction strategies can be beneficial. Utilizing cards like Ghost Quarter or Tectonic Edge allows players to specifically target mana-producing lands, disrupting opponent’s color balances or simply setting them back on resources. Additionally, incorporating life-loss mitigation tactics such as lifelink creatures or spells like Essence Warden can offset the lifeloss from Karplusan Forest, diminishing its drawback for the controller.
Emphasizing aggressive strategies can also capitalize on the self-inflicted damage from Karplusan Forest. Fast-paced decks can leverage the life paid as an additional cost to quicken the pace of the game, forcing opponents into unfavorable blocks or pressuring them into a defensive position. With smart plays and strategic deck building, players can ensure that Karplusan Forest’s cost becomes a hurdle too high for opponents to overcome.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Karplusan Forest MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age 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 Karplusan Forest and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
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- Card Market
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- MTG Mint Card
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Printings
The Karplusan Forest Magic the Gathering card was released in 17 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by 5 different artists.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1995-06-03 | Ice Age | ICE | 356 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Nicola Leonard | |
| 2 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | gb356 | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Nicola Leonard | |
| 3 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | et356 | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Nicola Leonard | |
| 4 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | mj356 | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Nicola Leonard | |
| 5 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 421 | 1997 | Normal | White | Randy Gallegos | |
| 6 | 1998-08-12 | World Championship Decks 1998 | WC98 | bs356 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Nicola Leonard | |
| 7 | 1999-04-21 | Classic Sixth Edition | 6ED | 326 | 1997 | Normal | White | Randy Gallegos | |
| 8 | 2000-08-02 | World Championship Decks 2000 | WC00 | jk326 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Randy Gallegos | |
| 9 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 336★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | Scott Bailey | |
| 10 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 336 | 1997 | Normal | White | Scott Bailey | |
| 11 | 2001-08-08 | World Championship Decks 2001 | WC01 | jt336 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Scott Bailey | |
| 12 | 2001-12-01 | Deckmasters | DKM | 39 | 1997 | Normal | White | Nicola Leonard | |
| 13 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 103480 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Randy Gallegos | ||
| 14 | 2002-08-14 | World Championship Decks 2002 | WC02 | bk336 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Scott Bailey | |
| 15 | 2002-08-14 | World Championship Decks 2002 | WC02 | shh336 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Scott Bailey | |
| 16 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 321★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 17 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 321 | 2003 | Normal | White | John Avon | |
| 18 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 354 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 19 | 2016-11-11 | Commander 2016 | C16 | 305 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 20 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United | DMU | 379 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Randy Gallegos | |
| 21 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United Promos | PDMU | 250p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sam Burley | |
| 22 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United | DMU | 250 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sam Burley | |
| 23 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United Promos | PDMU | 250s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sam Burley | |
| 24 | 2024-06-14 | Modern Horizons 3 Commander | M3C | 351 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sam Burley |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Karplusan Forest has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |