Tribute to Urborg MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Kicker |
| Released | 2022-09-09 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Dominaria United |
| Set code | DMU |
| Number | 113 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Jodie Muir |
Key Takeaways
- Tribute to Urborg offers card advantage by generating zombie tokens, increasing board presence without depleting resources.
- Its ability to accelerate mana resources and operate at instant speed gives players a flexible, strategic edge.
- Consider mana base and discard costs when integrating Tribute to Urborg into multi-color or tightly-curated decks.
Text of card
Kicker (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell.) Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn. If this spell was kicked, that creature gets an additional -1/-1 until end of turn for each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Tribute to Urborg provides you with a consistent stream of zombie tokens, which effectively leads to card advantage by populating the board without depleting your hand.
Resource Acceleration: This card transforms each swamp you control into an additional source of fuel for your spells and abilities, essentially accelerating your resource pool and ensuring you’re never short on mana.
Instant Speed: The ability to use this card at instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond to threats or opportunities at the most opportune moment, often catching your opponent off-guard and swinging the game in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: To play Tribute to Urborg in your deck effectively, you might find yourself at a crossroads when the card demands you ditch another valuable card from your hand. This cost of discarding can put you in difficult positions, particularly when every card in your hand is essential for your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Equipped with a mana cost that requires both black and generic mana, Tribute to Urborg can be cumbersome for multicolored decks that might struggle to generate the necessary mana combination consistently. This specific mana requirement can restrict deck building freedom and strategic diversity.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing the costs and benefits, Tribute to Urborg comes with a mana cost that might be on the higher side compared to other options available. Players often assess the impact a card will have in comparison to its mana investment, and in fast-paced games, the card’s mana demand could outweigh its potential benefits, leading players to opt for more mana-efficient alternatives.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Tribute to Urborg can seamlessly adapt to various deck themes, offering an edge in games where land manipulation is crucial. Its ability to turn all lands into swamps lends itself to both aggressive and control strategies, empowering mana-hungry decks.
Combo Potential: This card synchronizes beautifully with abilities that thrive on a high number of swamps. It amplifies cards like Cabal Coffers or synergizes with swampwalk abilities, paving the way for numerous strategic combinations and impactful plays.
Meta-Relevance: With an ever-shifting competitive scene, being able to alter your mana base can be a game-changer. Tribute to Urborg holds its ground in metas where adjusting your land types can take your opponent by surprise, disrupt their strategy, or enhance your own tactics significantly.
How to beat
Tribute to Urborg offers a unique twist in Magic: The Gathering, sending players a curveball by transforming all lands into Swamps for a turn. This feature can greatly benefit decks built around black mana or swamp-centric strategies, but it can also be a thorn in the side for those unprepared.
To overcome this card, efficient mana management is crucial. Consider including versatile mana sources in your deck, such as artifacts or creatures that can tap for mana of any color. Additionally, cards with basic landcycling or those that can fetch specific basic land types mitigate the impact of this temporary swampification. Having non-land sources of mana can allow you to cast spells even when your lands are temporarily transformed.
Awareness of your deck’s mana base composition can also be a significant asset. By favoring a deck with a robust single-color focus or sporting cards unaffected by land type changes, you can navigate the dangerous waters Tribute to Urborg creates. Additionally, relying on instant-speed spells allows you to respond before or after your lands are affected. Thus, by preparing for the unexpected, you can turn a potential setback into an opportunity for victory.
Cards like Tribute to Urborg
When discussing Tribute to Urborg, seasoned Magic the Gathering players might draw parallels with other powerful land cards. One such card is Cabal Coffers, a land that demonstrates a strong synergy with Tribute to Urborg, as they both capitalize on the number of swamps you control. While Tribute to Urborg turns all lands into additional Swamps, Cabal Coffers taps for one black mana for each Swamp you control, a combo that can generate immense mana in the right deck.
In a comparison with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, another land with a transforming ability, Tribute to Urborg shines in a different light. The Tomb of Yawgmoth simply converts all lands into Swamps without the additional graveyard interactions that Tribute provides. Lastly, Lake of the Dead also deserves a mention, offering a sacrifice option to ramp up your mana pool, but lacking the comprehensive board impact that Tribute to Urborg carries.
In essence, while there are several cards that change land types or amplify your mana resources, Tribute to Urborg presents a unique blend of land transformation and strategic graveyard play that sets it apart in the realm of MTG.
Cards similar to Tribute to Urborg by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Tribute to Urborg MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria United, 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 Tribute to Urborg and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Tribute to Urborg has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Tribute to Urborg card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-09-09 | Tribute to Urborg is not in your graveyard yet as it is resolving, so it doesn’t count itself. |