Tropical Island MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 283
1993-10-04 - Number 284
1993-12-01 - Number 284
1993-12-10 - Number 284
1993-12-10 - Number 284
1994-04-01 - Number 288
1994-04-01 - Number 288
1994-06-21 - Number 288
2009-09-07 - Number 213
2011-01-02 - Number 2019
2011-01-10 - Number 254
2014-06-16 - Number 321
2021-08-26 - Number 792
2022-11-28 - Number 576
2022-11-28 - Number 279
2002-06-24 - Number 43620
| Card sets | Released in 16 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land — Forest Island |
Text of card
Counts as both forest and islands and is affected by spells that affect either. Tap to add either o G or o U to your mana pool.
Cards like Tropical Island
The illustrious Tropical Island stands as a premier land card for players looking to smoothly cast spells within the Simic color combination (green and blue). It shares this dual mana flexibility with other original dual lands like Tundra and Bayou. Still, Tropical Island has the unique advantage of not entering the battlefield tapped, allowing for immediate mana access – a trait not found in its modern counterparts like the “shock lands” (Breeding Pool) or the “check lands” (Hinterland Harbor).
Likewise, the fetchable aspect of Tropical Island through cards like Fetch Lands (Polluted Delta, Misty Rainforest) makes it a powerhouse in deck building. While other non-original duals like the “battle lands” (Sunken Hollow) and “bicycle lands” (Irrigated Farmland) can also be fetched, they don’t offer the immediate untapped playability that defines Tropical Island.
Evaluating these similarities and differences, Tropical Island’s value remains unmatched in MTG. Its synergy with various strategies and its scarcity being part of the Reserved List solidify its status as a highly sought-after card for competitive and casual formats alike.
Cards similar to Tropical Island by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Tropical Island. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Lurrus Saga | Vintage | Lurrus Saga | Vintage League 2024-04-25 |
 | Beanstalk Control | Legacy | Beanstalk Control | Legacy Preliminary 2024-04-24 |
 | Sultai Scam | Legacy | Sultai Scam | Legacy League 2024-04-25 |
| Izzet Delver | Legacy | Temur Delver | Legacy Preliminary 2024-04-24 |
| Oath of Druids | Vintage | Oath of Druids | Vintage League 2024-04-25 |
| Sultai Midrange | Vintage | Sultai Midrange | Vintage League 2024-04-25 |
 | Omni-Tell | Legacy | Omni-Tell | Legacy League 2024-04-25 |
 | Lands | Legacy | Lands | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-04-24 |
 | Temur Cascade | Legacy | Temur Cascade | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-04-24 |
| Beseech Storm | Legacy | Beseech Storm | Legacy League 2024-04-24 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Tropical Island doesn’t directly allow you to draw more cards, but by ensuring your mana base is stable, it gives you the ability to reliably play card draw spells and other crucial cards to maintain momentum.
Resource Acceleration: This dual land taps for both green and blue mana, offering excellent resource acceleration. Having access to two types of mana from a single land ensures a smoother and more efficient mana curve, allowing for quicker deployment of threats and answers alike.
Instant Speed: While Tropical Island itself is a land card, it enables the casting of many spells at instant speed. With no enter-the-battlefield tapped restrictions, it keeps your options open, allowing for a highly responsive play style.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While there’s no direct discard cost attached to Tropical Island itself, it does count towards the maximum hand size limit. In game states where your hand is full, drawing into this land might force a discard of a potentially more impactful card.
Specific Mana Cost: Tropical Island provides only blue or green mana, which makes it exclusively beneficial in decks that require these colors. Players not using these colors in their deck could find the card less useful in terms of the mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Tropical Island doesn’t cost any mana to play, its high market value can be a considerable setback. For many players, the investment in this dual land might not equate to a substantial improvement in the deck’s performance when compared to other available land options.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Tropical Island is a dual land card, seamlessly blending into decks that run on green and blue mana. It eases the mana base and is a crucial component for multi-colored decks, increasing consistency in gameplay.
Combo Potential: This card enables combinations and synergies in green-blue decks. As it can provide both types of mana without entering the battlefield tapped, it sets the stage for potential turn-one plays and smooth execution of combos.
Meta-Relevance: In competitive formats where the speed and efficiency of your mana base can make or break a game, Tropical Island holds its value. It’s a powerhouse in Legacy and Vintage formats, supporting strategies that dominate in current and ever-evolving metagames.
How to beat
Understanding the strengths and vulnerabilities of the Tropical Island card can be crucial to outmaneuvering opponents in MTG. As a dual land, this card provides both green and blue mana without incurring any life penalties or entering the battlefield tapped, a major advantage for players looking to accelerate their manabase. Its value on the board is immeasurable, especially in multi-color decks seeking consistency and speed.
To effectively counter this card, focus on land disruption strategies. Utilize cards capable of targeting nonbasic lands, as Tropical Island falls into this category. Consider leveraging spells like Blood Moon, which can render Tropical Island just a basic mountain, thus stripping away its dual-color benefits and hindering your opponent’s mana flexibility. Field of Ruin is another tactical choice, forcing a trade with a basic land, reducing the influence of Tropical Island’s otherwise unassailable advantage.
Another avenue is to implement strategies that punish the use of nonbasic lands. Cards such as Price of Progress can deal damage proportional to the number of nonbasic lands the opponent controls, turning the Tropical Island’s strength into a potential liability. By focusing on these angles, you can effectively minimize the impact of a Tropical Island and keep the match in your favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Tropical Island MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Tropical Island 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Tropical Island Magic the Gathering card was released in 15 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 283 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 284 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 284 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 284 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 284 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 288 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 288 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 288 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 9 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 43620 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Franz Vohwinkel | ||
| 10 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 213 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 11 | 2011-01-02 | Legacy Championship | OLGC | 2019 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | |
| 12 | 2011-01-10 | Masters Edition IV | ME4 | 254 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 13 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 321 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Franz Vohwinkel | |
| 14 | 2021-08-26 | Jumpstart: Historic Horizons | J21 | 792 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Franz Vohwinkel | |
| 15 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 576 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 16 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 279 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Tropical Island has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Tropical Island card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | This has basic land types, but it isn’t a basic land. Things that affect basic lands don’t affect it. Things that affect basic land types do. |
| 2008-10-01 | This has the mana abilities associated with both of its basic land types. |