Smoldering Marsh MTG Card

Smoldering Marsh ensures mana flexibility in multicolored decks, improving overall game tempo and strategy. It offers potential acceleration, entering untapped with two basic lands controlled, enabling quicker powerful plays. Supports instant-speed plays, crucial in reacting to opponents and executing timely strategies efficiently.
Card setsReleased in 24 setsSee all
RarityMythic
TypeLand — Swamp Mountain

Text of card

Smoldering Marsh enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more basic lands.

Cards like Smoldering Marsh

Smoldering Marsh is a unique land card that finds its place among versatile mana sources in Magic: The Gathering. This card stands out as it belongs to the cycle of Battle for Zendikar dual lands, also known as “tango lands.” It can enter the battlefield untapped if you control two or more basic lands, offering an immediate benefit similar to the check lands like Dragonskull Summit which also enters the battlefield untapped if you control a Swamp or a Mountain.

Conversely, exploring comparable cards, we encounter Cinder Glade, which has a similar condition for coming into play untapped and is perfect for decks including green mana. While it caters to a Gruul (red-green) land base, Smoldering Marsh fits seamlessly into Rakdos (black-red) strategies. Additionally, both cards have the basic land types attached to them, which means they can be searched with a variety of land-grabbing spells.

Considering the competitive landscape, Smoldering Marsh allows for swift gameplay in the appropriate deck structure. While not significantly different from its counterparts in functionality, the setting in which it is used can dramatically impact game progress, pinpointing its valuable position within the array of dual lands in MTG.

Cinder Glade - MTG Card versions
Dragonskull Summit - MTG Card versions
Cinder Glade - MTG Card versions
Dragonskull Summit - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Smoldering Marsh by color, type and mana cost

Badlands - MTG Card versions
Sulfurous Springs - MTG Card versions
Cinder Marsh - MTG Card versions
Urborg Volcano - MTG Card versions
Temple of Malice - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Carnarium - MTG Card versions
Blightstep Pathway // Searstep Pathway - MTG Card versions
Haunted Ridge - MTG Card versions
Shadowblood Ridge - MTG Card versions
Rix Maadi, Dungeon Palace - MTG Card versions
Tresserhorn Sinks - MTG Card versions
Auntie's Hovel - MTG Card versions
Lavaclaw Reaches - MTG Card versions
Dragonskull Summit - MTG Card versions
Blackcleave Cliffs - MTG Card versions
Blood Crypt - MTG Card versions
Molten Slagheap - MTG Card versions
Foreboding Ruins - MTG Card versions
Bloodfell Caves - MTG Card versions
Canyon Slough - MTG Card versions
Badlands - MTG Card versions
Sulfurous Springs - MTG Card versions
Cinder Marsh - MTG Card versions
Urborg Volcano - MTG Card versions
Temple of Malice - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Carnarium - MTG Card versions
Blightstep Pathway // Searstep Pathway - MTG Card versions
Haunted Ridge - MTG Card versions
Shadowblood Ridge - MTG Card versions
Rix Maadi, Dungeon Palace - MTG Card versions
Tresserhorn Sinks - MTG Card versions
Auntie's Hovel - MTG Card versions
Lavaclaw Reaches - MTG Card versions
Dragonskull Summit - MTG Card versions
Blackcleave Cliffs - MTG Card versions
Blood Crypt - MTG Card versions
Molten Slagheap - MTG Card versions
Foreboding Ruins - MTG Card versions
Bloodfell Caves - MTG Card versions
Canyon Slough - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Smoldering Marsh. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Rakdos MidrangeRakdos Midrange GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League
Five-color ComboFive-color Combo LegacyPainterCharlotte Legacy League Season 2 Week 1
Rakdos AggroRakdos Aggro GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 06 2024
Jund MidrangeJund Midrange GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League
Grixis WizardsGrixis Wizards ModernGrixis ControlF2F Tour Championship - Ottawa Round 5 (Regional Championship)
Rakdos ReanimatorRakdos Reanimator ModernRakdos MidrangeF2F Tour Championship - Ottawa Round 5 (Regional Championship)
Grixis ControlGrixis Control LegacyMO78#CS
Rakdos ComboRakdos Combo LegacyMO82#CS
DecklistDecklist Free formHoliday Night Magic
Rakdos ControlRakdos Control GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Smoldering Marsh, with its ability to tap for two types of mana, enhances your flexibility in playing multicolored decks without sacrificing your tempo. This can maintain or improve your card advantage by allowing you access to the right colors when you need them.

Resource Acceleration: As part of the Battle for Zendikar series, Smoldering Marsh can enter the battlefield untapped if you control two or more basic lands. This capacity serves as a type of resource acceleration by ensuring your mana base is unimpeded, allowing for potentially game-changing plays earlier than your opponent might expect.

Instant Speed: While Smoldering Marsh itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it supports instant-speed strategies by providing the essential mana in a swift and efficient manner. Possessing the right mana at the right time is crucial for reacting to an opponent’s moves and deploying your own instants or flash spells without delay.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Smoldering Marsh has the potential to set you back when it requires a card to be discarded to come into play untapped. This can be particularly penalizing when your hand is already depleted or when every card is crucial to your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: The card necessitates both black and red mana, which could be restrictive for decks that are not built around these colors. Players operating decks with a wider or different color palette may find Smoldering Marsh a less than optimal land choice.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Smoldering Marsh does not directly have a mana cost associated with it being a land, it falls under the category of lands that can potentially slow you down in the early game. It enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more basic lands, which means it might not always provide the required mana immediately in a game where early plays are crucial.

Reasons to Include Smoldering Marsh in Your Collection

Versatility: Smoldering Marsh is an adaptable card that can slip into various deck builds due to its ability to tap for two different types of mana. As a land card, it’s less likely to be a dead draw and can help smooth out your mana curve in multicolor decks.

Combo Potential: For players utilizing landfall abilities or other effects that trigger upon lands entering the battlefield, Smoldering Marsh could serve as an integral part of such combinations. It fits well within decks that benefit from having a diverse mana base or require specific color combinations to execute powerful moves.

Meta-Relevance: With ever-shifting metagames, having a solid mana base is crucial. Smoldering Marsh gains full potential in formats where dual lands can make the difference between casting spells on time or being left behind. It is especially valuable in formats where fetching lands is common, allowing for quick and efficient color fixing.

How to beat

Smoldering Marsh is a land card that can provide both black and red mana, known for its versatility in Magic: The Gathering. This dual land from the Battle for Zendikar set fits well into decks that can accommodate a higher volume of basic lands to unlock its untapped potential. As with any land that possesses upsides like Smoldering Marsh does, overcoming it requires a strategy that’s equally shrewd.

Consider including cards that can disrupt your opponent’s mana base. Land destruction cards or those that force the opponent to play lands tapped can take the sting out of Smoldering Marsh. Ghost Quarter, Field of Ruin, or Blood Moon are among the potent answers when you’re facing decks reliant on nonbasic lands. By cutting off the swift mana acceleration that Smoldering Marsh provides, you can effectively slow down your opponent’s game plan, hindering their ability to execute powerful multicolored spells promptly.

To sum up, key to beating a card like Smoldering Marsh is focusing on controlling the battlefield and the mana flow. Integrating a few land-interacting pieces in your deck could tilt the scales in your favor, forcing opponents to play on your terms and disrupting the seamless execution of their strategy.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Smoldering Marsh MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar Expeditions and BFZ Standard Series, 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 Smoldering Marsh and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Smoldering Marsh Magic the Gathering card was released in 17 different sets between 2015-10-02 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by 5 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-10-02Zendikar ExpeditionsEXP 32015NormalBlackTitus Lunter
22015-10-02BFZ Standard SeriesPSS1 2472015NormalBlackTitus Lunter
32015-10-02Battle for Zendikar PromosPBFZ 247p2015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
42015-10-02Battle for Zendikar PromosPBFZ 247s2015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
52015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 2472015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
62020-04-17Commander 2020C20 3142015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
72021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 2622015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
82021-11-19Crimson Vow CommanderVOC 1832015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
92022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 4282015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
102022-09-09Dominaria United CommanderDMC 2342015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
112022-11-18The Brothers' War CommanderBRC 2021997NormalBlackAdam Paquette
122023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 3322015NormalBlackLogan Feliciano
132023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 10362015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
142023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 3072015NormalBlackDrew Tucker
152023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 11082015NormalBlackDrew Tucker
162023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 5172015NormalBlackDrew Tucker
172023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8982015NormalBlackDrew Tucker
182023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 3532015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
192024-03-08FalloutPIP 8202015NormalBlackErikas Perl
202024-03-08FalloutPIP 10382015NormalBlackErikas Perl
212024-03-08FalloutPIP 2922015NormalBlackErikas Perl
222024-03-08FalloutPIP 5102015NormalBlackErikas Perl
232024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder Junction CommanderOTC 3212015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
242024-06-14Modern Horizons 3 CommanderM3C 3792015NormalBlackAdam Paquette

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Smoldering Marsh has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2015-08-25 Even though these lands have basic land types, they are not basic lands because "basic" doesn't appear on their type line. Notably, controlling two or more of them won't allow others to enter the battlefield untapped.
2015-08-25 However, because these cards have basic land types, effects that specify a basic land type without also specifying that the land be basic can affect them. For example, a spell or ability that reads "Destroy target Forest" can target Canopy Vista, while one that reads "Destroy target basic Forest" cannot.
2015-08-25 If one of these lands enters the battlefield at the same time as any number of basic lands, those other lands are not counted when determining if this land enters the battlefield tapped or untapped.