Ruins of Trokair MTG Card
1994-11-01 - Number 100
1996-05-02 - Number pp100
1996-05-02 - Number ml100
1996-05-02 - Number shr100
1996-05-02 - Number bl100
1997-03-24 - Number 422
1999-04-21 - Number 327
2008-09-22 - Number 234
| Card sets | Released in 8 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
Comes into play tapped. oc T: Add o W to your mana pool. oc T: Sacrifice Ruins of Trokair to add o Wo W to your mana pool.
Cards like Ruins of Trokair
Ruins of Trokair is a unique land card in Magic the Gathering, providing a blend of mana generation and late-game utility. Its closest relative is perhaps New Benalia, which also enters the battlefield tapped and provides white mana, but instead of offering a late-game benefit, it allows a player to scry 1 upon entry. This aligns with New Benalia’s role in setting up future plays more so than providing extra resources in the later stages of the game.
Another similar card is the Secluded Steppe, sharing the characteristic of cycling for a new card, although it lacks the tap for white mana ability altogether. Both Ruins of Trokair and Secluded Steppe offer a means to convert a land into a card advantage in the late game, but the latter provides flexibility without the need for sacrificing the land. Drifting Meadow also cycles, but does so at a higher cost, emphasizing Ruins of Trokair’s efficiency and manageability in terms of resource expenditure.
In evaluating these cards, Ruins of Trokair stands out for its potential to serve as both an early-game mana source and a late-game resource. This dual utility can be particularly advantageous in games where balancing mana availability and card advantage is crucial.
Cards similar to Ruins of Trokair by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ruins of Trokair, as a land, doesn’t occupy a spell slot in your deck, effectively keeping your hand flush with more opportunity for action cards, an integral part of maintaining card advantage during matches.
Resource Acceleration: This land has the upside of tapping for white mana effortlessly, supporting a smooth mana curve early in the game. Upon its eventual sacrifice, it generates an additional white mana for a crucial play, aiding in the vital resource acceleration needed for timely board impacts.
Instant Speed: While Ruins of Trokair itself is a land and doesn’t operate at instant speed, its simple mechanic of sacrificing for an extra mana can be utilized at instant speed. This allows you to continue with your game plan and suddenly ramp up when the moment is opportune, catching opponents off guard.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While the Ruins of Trokair card can be an asset, it requires you to sacrifice the land itself. This means you are discarding a valuable land resource which could be utilized for generating mana in future turns.
Specific Mana Cost: This card produces white mana exclusively. This singular mana output confines the card’s versatility, presenting challenges in multicolor decks where a variety of mana colors might be in demand.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: In the context of land cards, the Ruins of Trokair taps for a single mana, yet also provides an additional option to sacrifice for white mana. Despite this, other lands may offer greater mana flexibility or additional abilities with lower activation costs, potentially making the Ruins of Trokair a less favorable choice in certain deck builds.
Reasons to Include Ruins of Trokair in Your Collection
Versatility: Ruins of Trokair offers flexibility in deck building with its ability to produce white mana or be sacrificed for a burst of colorless mana, fitting well in mono-white builds or as a mana-fixing land in multi-color decks.
Combo Potential: By sacrificing Ruins of Trokair for an additional mana, players can enable surprise plays or feed into strategies that pivot around land interaction and recursion, offering exciting possibilities for synergy with cards like Crucible of Worlds.
Meta-Relevance: In a fast-paced meta where land destruction isn’t prevalent, having a land like Ruins of Trokair which can provide a mana boost at a critical moment often swings games, making it a practical addition to reactive or control-oriented decks.
How to beat
Ruins of Trokair is a classic land card within the realm of Magic: The Gathering, known for its plain cycling ability and White mana generation. Players looking to maneuver around this card should consider its one-shot nature and the tempo pause it can introduce when its cycling is activated. The key to countering Ruins of Trokair lies in maintaining a consistent pace and exploiting the turn it’s sacrificed.
To effectively play against it, consider ramping up your land drops or mana acceleration to stay ahead. Lands that tap for multiple mana or spells that untap lands can tilt the mana balance in your favor. Additionally, cards that benefit from land sacrifice or graveyard interactions can turn the tables, making Ruins of Trokair’s cycling an advantage for you rather than your opponent. Tactically, focusing on robust board presence and pressure can also divert your opponent’s plan, potentially causing them to hold off cycling Ruins of Trokair in favor of more immediate defensive actions.
In essence, by staying on top of your land development and applying constant in-game pressure, you can navigate your way past the strategic elements Ruins of Trokair brings to the table and maintain an edge in your MTG matches.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ruins of Trokair MTG card by a specific set like Fallen Empires 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 Ruins of Trokair 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 Ruins of Trokair Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1994-11-01 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-11-01 | Fallen Empires | FEM | 100 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | |
| 2 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | pp100 | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Mark Poole | |
| 3 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | ml100 | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Mark Poole | |
| 4 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | shr100 | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Mark Poole | |
| 5 | 1996-05-02 | Pro Tour Collector Set | PTC | bl100 | 1993 | Normal | Gold | Mark Poole | |
| 6 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 422 | 1997 | Normal | White | Liz Danforth | |
| 7 | 1999-04-21 | Classic Sixth Edition | 6ED | 327 | 1997 | Normal | White | Liz Danforth | |
| 8 | 2008-09-22 | Masters Edition II | ME2 | 234 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ruins of Trokair has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |