Scorched Ruins MTG Card

Rarity	Rare
Type	Land
Released	1997-06-09
Set symbol
Set name	Weatherlight
Set code	WTH
Number	166
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	John Avon

Key Takeaways

Scorched Ruins can substantially accelerate your mana, enabling the casting of large spells sooner.
Utilizing Scorched Ruins requires sacrificing two lands, which may hinder early game development.
Despite producing only colorless mana, its potential for game-changing plays is undeniable.

Text of card

When Scorched Ruins comes into play, sacrifice two untapped lands or bury Scorched Ruins. oc T: Add four colorless mana to your mana pool.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Scorched Ruins in your arsenal, streamline your deck’s performance while maximizing your hand’s potential. This powerful land can set you up for a significant advantage by transforming a modest board state into an imposing array of options.

Resource Acceleration: The Ruins offer an exceptional burst of mana. By sacrificing two untapped lands, you can access a substantial four colorless mana in one go. It’s a daring move that, when played strategically, can catapult you turns ahead of your opponents.

Instant Speed: Though Scorched Ruins doesn’t operate at instant speed, its impact is immediate upon your mana pool. It enables rapid deployment of high-cost cards that could otherwise linger in your hand, looming as untapped potential. Harnessing this swift surge of resources can often be the pivot point to claiming victory.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Scorched Ruins requires players to sacrifice two untapped lands when it comes into play, which can set back land development and reduce options for mana generation.

Specific Mana Cost: This land only generates colorless mana. In a deck demanding multiple colors, its utility can be quite limited, requiring careful consideration in deck construction.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Scorched Ruins provides an increase in mana, this benefit can be outweighed by the initial cost of two lands, which might cause a significant delay in your game plan, especially if utilized too early.

Reasons to Include Scorched Ruins in Your Collection

Versatility: Scorched Ruins offers a unique approach to land-based mana acceleration. It can supercharge powerful spells or activate abilities ahead of schedule, making it a versatile choice for decks in search of quick and substantial mana boosts.

Combo Potential: As a land that creates a potentially game-altering amount of mana, Scorched Ruins pairs well with strategies that capitalize on explosive turns. It can be the linchpin in decks that aim to unleash massive plays or combo off unexpectedly.

Meta-Relevance: In formats where the meta allows for the use of cards like Scorched Ruins, it becomes a compelling inclusion. It holds specific relevance in environments where reaching critical mana thresholds rapidly can be the difference between victory and defeat.

How to beat

Scorched Ruins poses a unique challenge in MTG, with its potential for a massive mana boost coming at the steep price of sacrificing two lands upon entry. Tackling this card requires a strategy that leverages land destruction or counterspells effectively. Maintaining the pace and pressuring the Scorched Ruins user to tap out can hinder their ability to capitalize on its benefit, making cards like Wasteland or Ghost Quarter valuable as they can directly target and eliminate the problematic land.

It’s also prudent to keep in mind the sacrifice-triggering ability of Scorched Ruins when considering land counts, as reducing the opponent’s land base can severely setback their game plan. Countermagic also serves as a strong tool here – a well-timed Counterspell or Daze not only prevents the powerful land from hitting the board but also maintains your card advantage.

Ultimately, playing around Scorched Ruins requires a careful balance of land destruction, counterspells, and pressuring strategies. By understanding the risk and reward associated with cards like this, players can refine their decks to anticipate such high-impact plays, ensuring they remain one step ahead in the game.

Cards like Scorched Ruins

Scorched Ruins holds a unique position within the pantheon of land cards in MTG. It bears resemblance to cards like Crystal Vein, which allows players to tap for one mana, or sacrifice it for two. Scorched Ruins requires a sacrifice of two untapped lands when it comes into play, but it compensates players with an impressive four colorless mana output. A generous upswing in resources, yet at a potentially high initial cost.

Consider Ancient Tomb, an alternative that taps for two colorless mana and inflicts two damage to its controller. While providing half the mana, it does not demand the same level of commitment as sacrificing land. City of Traitors is yet another similar card that offers two colorless mana, but comes with the drawback of being sacrificed if another land enters the field under your control.

Through comparing these cards, Scorched Ruins stands out for its high-risk, high-reward strategy. It is a card that encourages careful planning and can drastically shift the pace of resource availability in a game of MTG, catering to players who are willing to gamble for a significant advantage.

Cards similar to Scorched Ruins by color, type and mana cost

Terramorphic Expanse - MTG Card versions

Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx - MTG Card versions

Temple of the False God - MTG Card versions

Labyrinth of Skophos - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scorched Ruins MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight, 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 Scorched Ruins and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Scorched Ruins has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Scorched Ruins card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.