Wasteland MTG Card
1997-10-14 - Number 330
1998-08-12 - Number rb330sb
1998-08-12 - Number br330
1999-08-04 - Number js330
1999-08-04 - Number mlp330
2010-01-01 - Number 8
2011-01-02 - Number 2021A
2011-01-02 - Number 2013
2015-05-06 - Number 249
2015-10-02 - Number 45
2016-06-10 - Number 248
2020-09-25 - Number 30
2023-06-23 - Number 406
2023-06-23 - Number 376
2023-06-23 - Number 406z
2024-03-08 - Number 889
2024-03-08 - Number 361
2001-01-02 - Number 1
2002-06-24 - Number 36877
2002-06-24 - Number 55874
2019-12-02 - Number 178
| Card sets | Released in 21 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
oc T: Add one colorless mana to your mana pool. oc T, Sacrifice Wasteland: Destroy target nonbasic land.
"The land promises nothing and keeps its promise." —Oracle *en*-Vec
Cards like Wasteland
Wasteland, a formidable land card in Magic: The Gathering, offers players the unique ability to destroy nonbasic lands. It’s often measured against Strip Mine, a card that shares the same land-destruction capability but lacks the nonbasic land restriction. Strip Mine can target any land type, presenting a wider range of disruptions against an opponent’s mana base.
Another notable parallel is Ghost Quarter, which also serves as a means of land disruption. While Ghost Quarter doesn’t come with the nonbasic land limitation, it does allow the affected player to replace the destroyed land with a basic land from their deck, thereby mitigating the disruption to some extent, something that neither Wasteland nor Strip Mine permit.
Tectonic Edge is yet another card that stands in comparison. It destroys nonbasic lands much like Wasteland, but with the prerequisite that the opponent must control at least four lands. This condition restricts its early game impact compared to Wasteland’s immediate potential.
Assessing each card’s strategic value, Wasteland offers a balanced mix of power and precision, allowing players to disrupt complex mana bases without over-empowering the land-destruction strategy. It holds a prime position among land disruption techniques in Magic: The Gathering and remains a powerful tool for controlling the pace and resources of the game.
Cards similar to Wasteland by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Wasteland. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mono-Black Scam | Legacy | Mono-Black Scam | Legacy League 2024-04-30 |
 | Maverick | Legacy | Maverick | Legacy League 2024-04-30 |
 | Lurrus Saga | Vintage | Lurrus Saga | Vintage League 2024-04-29 |
 | Mono-White Initiative | Vintage | Mono-White Initiative | Vintage Preliminary 2024-04-30 |
 | WUG | Vintage | Vintage Preliminary 2024-04-30 | |
| WUB | Legacy | Legacy Preliminary 2024-04-29 | |
| Izzet Delver | Legacy | Temur Delver | Legacy League 2024-04-29 |
| Grixis Tempo | Legacy | Grixis Tempo | Legacy Preliminary 2024-04-29 (1) |
 | Beanstalk Control | Legacy | Beanstalk Control | Legacy League 2024-04-29 |
| Oath of Druids | Vintage | Oath of Druids | Vintage League 2024-04-29 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Wasteland edges out in a subtle, yet impactful form of card advantage during gameplay. By demolishing a land, it disrupts your opponent’s resources while maintaining yours. This can translate to a lead in available mana or prevent your opponent from executing their strategy, effectively causing them to fall behind.
Resource Acceleration: While Wasteland doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, it efficiently impedes your opponent’s. This relative acceleration can equate to a significant advantage, as it allows you to operate on more mana than your adversary – a crucial aspect in the strategic depth of the game.
Instant Speed: The capacity to destroy lands at instant speed is what truly defines Wasteland’s versatility. It permits you to wait until the most opportune moment to disrupt your opponent’s plans, such as in response to them tapping out or when they attempt a critical land-dependent play.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Navigating its strategic use can sometimes backfire, especially in decks that do not readily benefit from land destruction or where sacrificing crucial mana sources could hinder your own gameplay.
Specific Mana Cost: Although Wasteland does not require a specific type of mana to activate, the necessity for tapping it means potentially foregoing mana that could be used for other spells or abilities in that turn.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite being a land card with no mana cost to play, activating Wasteland’s ability comes at the opportunity cost of utilizing the land for mana production instead. In some game scenarios, this might not be the most efficient use of your land slot.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Wasteland offers the unique ability to destroy nonbasic lands, which can be pivotal across various formats. Whether you’re disrupting a multi-colored mana base or taking out a land with powerful abilities, Wasteland seamlessly integrates into multiple deck types to keep your opponents on their toes.
Combo Potential: This card’s simple yet effective land destruction can be a key component in land denial strategies, combining with cards like Crucible of Worlds to repeatedly control your opponent’s land plays or with Life from the Loam for recurring removal.
Meta-Relevance: In a landscape where strong nonbasic lands often dictate the pace of the game, Wasteland retains relevance by offering a straightforward answer to problematic lands. As long as there are decks that heavily rely on such lands, Wasteland will continue to be an instrumental part of the competitive scene.
How to beat
The Wasteland card remains a formidable player in Magic: The Gathering, capable of disrupting your opponent’s mana base by destroying nonbasic lands. To successfully navigate around Wasteland’s threat, one strategy is running more basic lands in your deck to ensure a stable mana foundation.
Another approach involves utilizing land cards that can regenerate or return from your graveyard to the battlefield. Cards like Life from the Loam can recover destroyed lands and help mitigate Wasteland’s impact on your game plan. Tools like Pithing Needle can prevent Wasteland’s activated ability, allowing you to preserve your crucial lands.
Furthermore, counterplay cards that protect your lands or counter target abilities can offer a reprieve from Wasteland’s grasp. Swiftfoot Boots or Leyline of Sanctity grant your permanents hexproof, hence safeguarding your land assets. With careful deck building and an eye on land protection strategies, players can overcome the disruption Wasteland poses and maintain the flow of their game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Wasteland MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and World Championship Decks 1998, 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 Wasteland and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
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- MTG Mint Card
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- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Wasteland Magic the Gathering card was released in 14 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2024-03-08. Illustrated by 10 different artists.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997-10-14 | Tempest | TMP | 330 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Una Fricker | |
| 2 | 1998-08-12 | World Championship Decks 1998 | WC98 | rb330sb | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Una Fricker | |
| 3 | 1998-08-12 | World Championship Decks 1998 | WC98 | br330 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Una Fricker | |
| 4 | 1999-08-04 | World Championship Decks 1999 | WC99 | js330 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Una Fricker | |
| 5 | 1999-08-04 | World Championship Decks 1999 | WC99 | mlp330 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Una Fricker | |
| 6 | Magic Player Rewards 2001 | MPR | 1 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Una Fricker | ||
| 7 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 36877 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Carl Critchlow | ||
| 8 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 55874 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Steven Belledin | ||
| 9 | 2010-01-01 | Judge Gift Cards 2010 | G10 | 8 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Carl Critchlow | |
| 10 | 2011-01-02 | Legacy Championship | OLGC | 2021A | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mark Tedin | |
| 11 | 2011-01-02 | Legacy Championship | OLGC | 2013 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Steven Belledin | |
| 12 | 2015-05-06 | Tempest Remastered | TPR | 249 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Una Fricker | |
| 13 | 2015-10-02 | Zendikar Expeditions | EXP | 45 | 2015 | Normal | Black | William Wu | |
| 14 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 248 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eytan Zana | |
| 15 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 178 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mark Poole | ||
| 16 | 2020-09-25 | Zendikar Rising Expeditions | ZNE | 30 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Adam Paquette | |
| 17 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 406 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Hristo D. Chukov | |
| 18 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 376 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Hristo D. Chukov | |
| 19 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 406z | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Hristo D. Chukov | |
| 20 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 889 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | AKQA | |
| 21 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 361 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | AKQA |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Wasteland has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Banned |
| Predh | Legal |