Rising Waters MTG Card

Nemesis (NEM)
2000-02-14 - Number 38

Rising Waters - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)

World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
2000-08-02 - Number jf38sb

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Enchantment

Key Takeaways

Rising Waters is a control card that can tip the game by restricting opponents’ land usage.
It thrives in decks with alternative mana sources, giving users a unique advantage.
Key in control strategies, it’s a must-have for manipulating game tempo and resources.

Text of card

Lands don't untap during their controllers' untap steps. At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player untaps a land he or she controls.

Rising waters, sinking hope.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rising Waters is a strategic card that can disrupt your opponent’s game play significantly. When this enchantment comes into play, being able to untap only one land during the untap step can slow down your opponent, potentially leading to a cumulative card advantage as they’ll be unable to play multiple spells or utilize expensive abilities.

Resource Acceleration: In decks built with a focus on mana artifacts or creatures that generate mana, Rising Waters can serve as a form of indirect resource acceleration. While it does not generate additional mana, it can allow a player with alternative mana sources to pull ahead while their opponent’s land-based resources are hampered, effectively accelerating the player’s available resources in comparison to their opponent.

Instant Speed: While Rising Waters isn’t an instant itself, it can be played alongside other instants or flash creatures. This enables you to keep mana open for immediate threats or end-of-turn plays, making it a complex and tactical tool in control decks. Timing the resolution of this powerful enchantment can change the pace of the game, especially when opponents are left with fewer options during their critical phases.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Rising Waters demands a significant adaptation in strategy as each player must discard their untapped lands, potentially constraining resources and disrupting play flow.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a dedicated blue mana investment, Rising Waters fits primarily within mono-blue or compatible two-color decks, limiting its versatility across the diverse MTG multiverse.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that sits at four mana, players might find that there are alternative enchantments or control elements that could deliver a more immediate or less restrictive impact on the game state.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Rising Waters is a powerful card for those who like to tailor their decks toward control strategies. By limiting each player to untapping only one land during their untap steps, it allows for an unconventional approach to resource management that can fit into numerous blue-centric decks.

Combo Potential: As Rising Waters can severely hamper your opponents’ mana availability, it works particularly well in combination with cards that provide untap benefits or utilize tap mechanics. This card can be a key piece in a lock-down combo, paving the way for a controlled and strategic victory.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where fast mana and quick plays dominate, Rising Waters can act as a game-changer. Its ability to slow down the game provides a significant edge to slower, more deliberate decks that thrive on limiting opponent actions and ensuring a steady march to victory.

How to beat

Rising Waters is a potent blue enchantment in Magic The Gathering that can lock down players by causing lands to not untap during the untap phase. Facing it can feel suffocating, but there are strategies to turn the tide. Employing a deck with numerous mana artifacts allows you to circumvent the restriction since they aren’t impacted by Rising Waters’ ability. Artifacts like Mana Vault or Sol Ring become valuable assets, providing a reliable mana base.

Alternatively, targeting the enchantment directly can dismantle your opponent’s strategy. Keeping card removal spells or enchantment destruction cards in your deck ensures you can deal with Rising Waters efficiently. Naturalize or Disenchant remain staples in this regard, offering straightforward and low-cost solutions. Non-traditional mana sources are also viable; creatures with abilities that produce mana or untap lands can offer reprieve. Cards like Birds of Paradise or Voyaging Satyr can maintain your momentum even when Rising Waters is in play.

Understanding these strategies equips you with the necessary tools to counter and ultimately overcome the challenge posed by Rising Waters. Keep these tactics in mind, and you’ll find yourself navigating even the most treacherous waters with confidence.

Cards like Rising Waters

Rising Waters is an intriguing enchantment in the realm of Magic: The Gathering that creates a persistent effect which locks down lands. It’s often compared to cards like Winter Orb, as both limit the untap phase considerably. Rising Waters requires all lands to be tapped out, while Winter Orb restricts players to untapping only one land per turn. Nevertheless, Rising Waters allows for a strategic workaround since it only affects lands, whereas Winter Orb also limits the untapping of artifacts, posing a broader challenge.

Another parallel can be drawn with Static Orb, affecting the pace of gameplay by allowing only two permanents to untap during the untap phase. However, Rising Waters provides a slight advantage as it doesn’t affect the controller’s ability to untap artifacts or creatures. This can provide a significant edge to those using artifact-based mana sources or creatures with tap abilities. Finally, Stasis is the most severe, demanding a continual cost to maintain the lockdown. Despite these comparisons, Rising Waters stands out with its unique land-focused approach, appealing to players who wish to systematically control the game tempo.

Assessing utility against these similar cards, Rising Waters remains a formidable option for players looking to enforce a methodical stratagem, solidifying its position within the MTG control archetype.

Cards similar to Rising Waters by color, type and mana cost

Collective Restraint - MTG Card versions

Delusions of Mediocrity - MTG Card versions

Thassa, Deep-Dwelling - MTG Card versions

Leyline of Singularity - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rising Waters MTG card by a specific set like Nemesis and World Championship Decks 2000, 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 Rising Waters and other MTG cards: