Tainted Isle MTG Card
2002-02-04 - Number 141
2012-06-01 - Number 128
2016-11-25 - Number 128
2021-09-24 - Number 183
2022-06-10 - Number 920
2023-09-08 - Number 169
2024-02-09 - Number 300
2024-03-08 - Number 827
2024-03-08 - Number 299
| Card sets | Released in 9 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
oc T: Add one colorless mana to your mana pool. oc T: Add o U or o B to your mana pool. Play this ability only if you control a swamp.
Cards like Tainted Isle
Tainted Isle stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a resourceful land card, reminiscent of cards like Underground River. What makes this card shine is its ability to add either blue or black mana to your pool without dealing any damage to you, as long as you control a Swamp. Conversely, Underground River, a staple in many decks, can always provide both colors but at the cost of one life per mana generated if it’s not tapped for colorless.
Darkslick Shores is another land that shares similarities with Tainted Isle. It too can be tapped for blue or black mana, with the benefit of entering the battlefield untapped if you control two or fewer other lands. However, as the game progresses, the lack of such a condition on Tainted Isle makes it a consistent source of essential mana colors without the tempo drawback. Darkwater Catacombs offers mana fixing as well, yet it demands an extra mana to activate its ability, positioning Tainted Isle as a more land-efficient option in the right deck.
Each of these lands brings unique advantages to the table, but Tainted Isle’s conditional yet potentially cost-free generation of two critical mana types holds distinct value for decks that require consistent color flexibility without hindrance.
Cards similar to Tainted Isle by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Tainted Isle provides an innate advantage in multi-color decks with its ability to tap for two types of mana, ensuring a smoother mana curve and access to key spells without overextending your land drops. This versatility in mana production can be the difference between victory and defeat, particularly in formats that demand quick and efficient mana bases.
Resource Acceleration: As a dual land, this card offers resource acceleration by allowing you to effectively have two lands in one, thus freeing up space in your deck for other strategic cards. The flexible mana generation assists in casting multi-color spells sooner than your opponents and can accelerate your gameplay significantly.
Instant Speed: While Tainted Isle doesn’t function at instant speed, its immediate access to two types of mana without entering the battlefield tapped means you can respond to opponents’ actions with no delay. The flexibility and swiftness afforded by this land is akin to playing at instant speed because it allows an uninterrupted flow of resources with which to react or set up defenses.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Tainted Isle compels a player to discard a card to activate its ability. This can deplete your hand, leaving fewer options for future plays and making you vulnerable to opponent strategies.
Specific Mana Cost: Its activation is narrowly focused, producing only blue or black mana. This can become a limitation in decks that require a broader spectrum of mana colors for their spells and creatures.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The land comes into play tapped unless you control two or more other islands. This delayed availability could slow your tempo, especially during the crucial early game where speed is often key to gaining the upper hand.
Reasons to Include Tainted Isle in Your Collection
Versatility: Tainted Isle has the flexibility to be included in various deck types, particularly those that require consistent mana fixing without a steep cost. This card can support multicolor strategies, making it an asset in both casual play and more competitive formats.
Combo Potential: As a land that provides two colors of mana, Tainted Isle helps enable potent color-specific combos. Its inclusion can streamline your deck’s ability to execute complex sequences more reliably, maximizing your play efficiency.
Meta-Relevance: With the meta constantly evolving, having access to smooth mana sources can be the difference between victory and defeat. Tainted Isle can give decks the edge they need by providing the right mana at the right time, ensuring that your plays align with the pace of the current meta.
How to beat
Tainted Isle is a potent land card that has found its way into many decks within the world of MTG. Positioned well within the control and multicolor strategies, this card offers mana flexibility, which is key in casting a broader spectrum of spells. To gain an upper hand against Tainted Isle, it’s essential to disrupt the synergy it creates.
Land destruction or denial strategies can be effective. Cards that can remove lands or alter land abilities will dampen Tainted Isle’s effectiveness. Direct land removal spells like Field Ruin can be extremely useful as they can target Tainted Isle specifically, destabilizing your opponent’s mana base. Also, incorporating cards that limit land-based strategies, like Blood Moon, can transform Tainted Isle into a basic land, substantially reducing its utility and crippling multi-colored decks relying on it for mana fixing.
Ultimately, the key to overpowering a card like Tainted Isle lies in anticipating your opponent’s strategy and countering it with precise timing. Denying your adversary the mana flexibility they rely on disrupts their gameplay, giving you a significant advantage. Remember, controlling the battlefield often starts by controlling the lands within it.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Tainted Isle MTG card by a specific set like Torment and Planechase 2012, 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 Tainted Isle 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 Tainted Isle Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2002-02-04 and 2024-03-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2002-02-04 | Torment | TOR | 141 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 2 | 2012-06-01 | Planechase 2012 | PC2 | 128 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 3 | 2016-11-25 | Planechase Anthology | PCA | 128 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 4 | 2021-09-24 | Midnight Hunt Commander | MIC | 183 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 5 | 2022-06-10 | Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate | CLB | 920 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 6 | 2023-09-08 | Wilds of Eldraine Commander | WOC | 169 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 7 | 2024-02-09 | Murders at Karlov Manor Commander | MKC | 300 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | |
| 8 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 827 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Rafater | |
| 9 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 299 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Rafater |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Tainted Isle has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |