Melt Terrain MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 2010-10-01 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Scars of Mirrodin |
| Set code | SOM |
| Number | 97 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | normal |
| Border | black |
| Illustred by | John Avon |
Key Takeaways
- Melt Terrain can act as a card advantage by removing opponent’s key land resources.
- Playing at instant speed grants flexibility and an element of surprise.
- Despite its power, Melt Terrain comes with a hefty cost to consider.
Text of card
Destroy target land. Melt Terrain deals 2 damage to that land's controller.
Just as the most finely wrought metal can warp and rust, so too does Mirrodin buckle under pressures from without and within.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Melt Terrain enables players to potentially remove key lands from the opponent’s battlefield, disrupting their mana base and hindering their gameplay strategy. Removing a land can equate to removing future plays and opportunities from the opponent, effectively working as a form of card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources for the player using Melt Terrain, it can paradoxically do so by setting the opponent back. By knocking the opponent’s resources a step behind, you can maintain or increase your relative board presence and the ability to cast more impactful spells sooner.
Instant Speed: The power to play Melt Terrain at instant speed cannot be understated. This crucial timing allows players to wait until the last possible moment to decide the best target, offering flexibility and the element of surprise. It also enables interaction during the opponent’s turn, disrupting their plays and complicating their decision-making process.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: To cast Melt Terrain, you need to fulfill not just its mana conditions but also discard another card from your hand. This added cost can be particularly stifling when your hand is already depleted, essentially forcing you to lose two resources at once.
Specific Mana Cost: Melt Terrain demands two red mana in its cost, which can be restrictive. Decks that don’t generate red mana consistently or have a diversified mana base may struggle to cast it when needed, potentially leading to dead cards in hand during critical moments.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of four mana, Melt Terrain is comparatively expensive for the effect it provides. Other cards in the same mana range could deliver an immediate board presence or significant card advantage, casting doubt on its overall efficiency. Therefore, evaluating its impact relative to other options available within the mana spectrum is essential for strategic deck construction.
Reasons to Include Melt Terrain in Your Collection
Versatility: Melt Terrain offers a straightforward approach to land disruption, which can be a strategic component in decks that aim to deny opponents essential mana resources.
Combo Potential: This card can work seamlessly with strategies that benefit from opponents having fewer lands, such as landfall triggers or cards that punish land-light states.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where nonbasic lands are cornerstone to many strategies, Melt Terrain gains relevance by specifically targeting those powerful land types, potentially crippling opponent’s game plans.
How to beat
Melt Terrain is a land destruction card in Magic: The Gathering that can disrupt your opponent’s mana base by specifically targeting nonbasic lands. One cost-effective strategy to counteract this red sorcery card is to employ a deck that relies less on nonbasic lands, thus reducing Melt Terrain’s impact on your game. Consider incorporating basic lands or land cards with basic land types to maintain your mana flow even if Melt Terrain is played against you.
Another approach is to use instant-speed spells or abilities that can counter sorceries, such as Negate or Disallow, to prevent Melt Terrain from resolving. Having these counterspells ready can not only stop the destruction of your lands but also provide a tactical advantage by leaving your opponent’s mana spent and their plans thwarted. Land protection spells like Terra Eternal can also give your lands indestructibility, leaving Melt Terrain with no valid targets.
Always tailor your deck and play style to anticipate potential threats, including land disruption tactics like Melt Terrain. Ensuring a blend of smart countermeasures and flexible mana solutions will ensure that you stay ahead in the game and maintain a stable playing field.
Exploring the Melt Terrain Magic Card
Melt Terrain stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a specialized form of land disruption, aiming to dismantle an opponent’s mana base. When pitted against other land destruction cards, Melt Terrain demands a comparison with the classic Stone Rain. Both cards serve the function of destroying lands at the same mana cost, with Stone Rain offering a broader destruction range by not restricting its target to nonbasic lands. Yet Melt Terrain compensates for its specificity with its secondary effect, dealing damage to the controller of the destroyed land, a feature Stone Rain does not possess.
Cards like Melt Terrain
Melt Terrain showcases similarities with the impactful Demolish, which destroys lands as well but with the added versatility of targeting artifacts. Despite this, Demolish lacks the direct damage aspect that gives Melt Terrain a dual threat nature. Furthermore, Molten Rain is another noteworthy comparator, also inflicting damage upon destroying lands, mirroring Melt Terrain’s damage dealing ability but at a lower casting cost. Yet, Molten Rain restricts its land destruction to nonbasic lands only, while Melt Terrain applies its effect to any land type.
Considering the landscape of land disruption cards in Magic: The Gathering, Melt Terrain finds its place for players seeking both to unsettle opponents’ mana stability and to apply direct pressure through its unique damage infliction capability.
Cards similar to Melt Terrain by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Melt Terrain MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin, 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 Melt Terrain 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 Magic products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Melt Terrain has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Melt Terrain card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-01-01 | If the targeted land is an illegal target by the time Melt Terrain resolves, the spell won’t resolve. No damage will be dealt. |
