Terminal Moraine MTG Card
2001-02-05 - Number 142
2023-01-13 - Number 259
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
oc T: Add one colorless mana to your mana pool. , oc T, Sacrifice Terminal Moraine: Search your library for a basic land card and put that card into play tapped. Then shuffle your library.
Cards like Terminal Moraine
Terminal Moraine is a unique land card in Magic: The Gathering, belonging to the subset of cards that allow players to fix their mana by searching for basic lands. Comparable to Terramorphic Expanse and Evolving Wilds, Terminal Moraine provides deck thinning and mana color correction. However, unlike these other two, Terminal Moraine requires mana investment to activate its ability, which can influence the pacing of gameplay.
Comparing it with Myriad Landscape, we notice that despite a higher activation cost, Myriad Landscape fetches two basic lands of the same type, providing an accelerated potential for mana advantage. On the side, Terminal Moraine can fetch any basic land, not restricting to a pair of identical ones, offering a more flexible mana base at a slower pace.
When evaluating the utility and effectiveness of mana-fixing land cards, Terminal Moraine certainly has its place in decks that can afford the tempo shift. Its ability to provide any color mana at the cost of the land itself and an additional mana is beneficial in multi-colored decks where mana diversity is key.
Cards similar to Terminal Moraine by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Terminal Moraine steps into the role of a dual utility card, able to fetch the right mana you need while also potentially filling your graveyard for strategies that thrive on having a stocked bin.
Resource Acceleration: As a land card, Terminal Moraine facilitates mana acceleration by being able to tap for colorless mana. Moreover, its ability to search for a basic land card ensures you’re not missing key land drops, keeping you ahead or on curve.
Instant Speed: While Terminal Moraine is not an instant itself, it does enable strategic plays at instant speed. With the mana it provides, you can keep options open to react during your opponent’s turn with actual instants, giving you the flexibility that defines successful decks.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Terminal Moraine requires a land card to be sacrificed for its ability to be activated. This could potentially put you at a land disadvantage and hinder your mana curve, especially in the early game where every land drop counts.
Specific Mana Cost: The land provides a range of mana options, but the catch is that it enters the battlefield tapped. This specific aspect reduces its utility since you can’t use it the turn it’s played unless you have ways to untap it.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Terminal Moraine can fetch a land of any color, it does so at the cost of losing itself plus an investment of two mana. This is a steep price compared to other land cards that can either tap for different mana without sacrificing themselves or don’t come into play tapped.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Terminal Moraine is a land card that provides not just color fixing but also basic land searchability, making it a practical inclusion in multicolored decks requiring consistent mana bases.
Combo Potential: This card can synergize well with landfall strategies or support decks that trigger effects on land retrieval, pairing seamlessly with mechanics that capitalize on playing or recycling lands.
Meta-Relevance: As the meta shifts and land interaction becomes more prominent, Terminal Moraine can gain importance. It’s a utility player in the environment, especially in formats where land plays are crucial.
How to Beat
Terminal Moraine may not be the biggest threat on its own, but in Magic: The Gathering, every card has the potential to tilt the odds in favor of your opponent. This Land card is primarily used for mana fixing, as it allows a player to search their library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. To gain an advantage over Terminal Moraine, a strategic approach is to apply land destruction effects or use cards that can inhibit land activation such as Stony Silence. Nonetheless, keep in mind that directly addressing Terminal Moraine may not always be the most efficient use of your resources.
Controlling the pace at which your opponent can manipulate their mana base is key. If Terminal Moraine has become integral to their game plan, perhaps due to a reliance on specific mana types, cards like Leonin Arbiter can restrict their ability to search their library unless they pay additional cost. Additionally, employing land destruction, though not always favored in player communities, could dismantle your opponent’s strategy if Terminal Moraine is a linchpin for their mana-fixing needs.
To conclude, facing Terminal Moraine effectively requires a balance of strategy and resource management. While the card itself might not always warrant direct action, understanding when and how to limit its utility can ensure that this utility land does not become a stumbling block to your victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Terminal Moraine MTG card by a specific set like Planeshift and Dominaria Remastered, 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 Terminal Moraine 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 Terminal Moraine Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2001-02-05 and 2023-01-13. Illustrated by Scott Bailey.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2001-02-05 | Planeshift | PLS | 142 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Scott Bailey | |
| 2 | 2023-01-13 | Dominaria Remastered | DMR | 259 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott Bailey |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Terminal Moraine has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Terminal Moraine card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Because the “search” requires you to find a card with certain characteristics, you don't have to find the card if you don't want to. |