Underground River MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 19 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeLand

Key Takeaways

  1. Underground River provides crucial mana fixing without using up deck space for spells, indirectly aiding in card advantage.
  2. Dual mana availability from this land can boost early game presence and enable instant-speed plays with precision.
  3. Despite its benefits, the card’s life loss for colored mana and specific color restriction can pose strategic challenges.

Text of card

oc T: Add o1 to your mana pool. oc T: Add o U to your mana pool. Underground River deals 1 damage to you. oc T: Add o B to your mana pool. Underground River deals 1 damage to you.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Underground River doesn’t directly influence the number of cards in hand; however, as a land, it offers the key utility of mana fixing without taking up a spell slot in your deck. This indirectly contributes to card advantage by allowing more consistent plays and minimizing the chances of being unable to cast the spells you draw.

Resource Acceleration: This card offers a dual mana source, tapping for both blue and black mana. It can be incredibly valuable for early game plays, helping you to establish a strong board presence by providing the necessary resources to accelerate your game plan.

Instant Speed: While the land itself is not an instant, it supports playing cards at instant speed by providing unwavering access to two types of mana. This ensures that you can keep mana open for crucial instant-speed interactions, thus allowing decisive responses to your opponent’s moves.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike other lands, Underground River’s option to produce colored mana comes with the detriment of taking 1 damage. This can be a disadvantage in the long run, especially in formats where life totals are essential.

Specific Mana Cost: Underground River provides only blue or black mana which, while flexible within those colors, may not be as versatile for multicolored decks that do not use these specific colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite being a land, the implicit cost of life loss for mana fixing could be considered high when compared with other lands that don’t have such a drawback or have the ability to come into play untapped without a cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Underground River affords flexibility in mana generation, serving dual-color decks with a need for both blue and black mana. Its ability to tap for colorless or colored mana without entering the battlefield tapped makes it a valuable asset in various situations.

Combo Potential: As a land with the potential to provide two different colors of mana, it can be crucial for setting off combos in decks that rely on color diversity. It’s a staple in enabling casting of spells across multiple colors with less constraint on mana availability.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that demands fast and efficient mana bases, Underground River can be incredibly significant. Its seamless integration into decks without the downside of coming into play tapped makes it a competitive choice for players looking to capitalize on speed and consistency.


How to beat

Underground River is a dual land card that has been an asset for many Magic: The Gathering players, especially in decks necessitating blue and black mana without a significant drawback. Its ability to provide either color of mana at the cost of 1 life renders it a subtle yet powerful component in multicolored deck strategies. However, its strength can be mitigated.

To counteract Underground River, one effective tactic is to use land destruction cards or effects that can specifically target nonbasic lands. By removing the card from the battlefield, you not only deprive your opponent of mana resources but you might also disrupt their strategy, especially if they rely heavily on the dual land for color fixing. Cards with abilities to tax or restrict the utilization of lands can force opponents into tough decisions regarding their life points and mana usage. Moreover, incorporating strategies that capitalize on life point loss, such as leveraging the damage caused by Underground River itself, can turn the tide of the game in your favor.

In essence, challenging Underground River involves being proactive in controlling the field and taking advantage of the incremental losses that a player may overlook as they tap for mana, turning a minor setback into a winning edge.


Cards like Underground River

Underground River stands as a versatile land card in Magic: The Gathering, much akin to other dual lands like Darkslick Shores. Both offer access to both blue and black mana, which is crucial for decks that run on a Dimir color scheme. The edge of Underground River lies in its immediate utility, not entering the battlefield tapped, thereby allowing for an instantaneous mana boost. Darkslick Shores, alternatively, enters tapped if you control three or more other lands, potentially disrupting your tempo.

Reflecting on Caves of Koilos, another similar card, it’s easy to see the equivalency in function, providing both white and black mana without entering tapped. Yet, Underground River grants players blue mana instead of white, which might be preferred in control or combo archetypes. And much like Underground River, using Caves of Koilos for colored mana comes at the cost of 1 life, a minor drawback for a significant advantage in deck flexibility.

Ultimately, Underground River exemplifies the balance cards must strike between accessibility and impact within Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to provide immediate, flexible mana at the mere expense of life makes it a strategic inclusion in many decks that prioritize a fast and adaptive mana base.

Darkslick Shores - MTG Card versions
Caves of Koilos - MTG Card versions
Darkslick Shores - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Caves of Koilos - Apocalypse (APC)

Cards similar to Underground River by color, type and mana cost

Underground Sea - MTG Card versions
River Delta - MTG Card versions
Salt Marsh - MTG Card versions
Dimir Aqueduct - MTG Card versions
Temple of Deceit - MTG Card versions
Watery Grave - MTG Card versions
Clearwater Pathway // Murkwater Pathway - MTG Card versions
Shipwreck Marsh - MTG Card versions
Darkwater Catacombs - MTG Card versions
Waterveil Cavern - MTG Card versions
Dreadship Reef - MTG Card versions
Secluded Glen - MTG Card versions
Jwar Isle Refuge - MTG Card versions
Drowned Catacomb - MTG Card versions
Darkslick Shores - MTG Card versions
Tainted Isle - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Depths - MTG Card versions
Sunken Hollow - MTG Card versions
Submerged Boneyard - MTG Card versions
Dismal Backwater - MTG Card versions
Underground Sea - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
River Delta - Ice Age (ICE)
Salt Marsh - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)
Dimir Aqueduct - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Temple of Deceit - Doctor Who (WHO)
Watery Grave - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Clearwater Pathway // Murkwater Pathway - From Cute to Brute (PCTB)
Shipwreck Marsh - Doctor Who (WHO)
Darkwater Catacombs - Fallout (PIP)
Waterveil Cavern - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Dreadship Reef - The List (PLST)
Secluded Glen - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Jwar Isle Refuge - Commander Anthology Volume II (CM2)
Drowned Catacomb - Fallout (PIP)
Darkslick Shores - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE)
Tainted Isle - Fallout (PIP)
Rootwater Depths - The List (PLST)
Sunken Hollow - Murders at Karlov Manor Commander (MKC)
Submerged Boneyard - Commander 2018 (C18)
Dismal Backwater - March of the Machine (MOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Underground River MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Fifth Edition, 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 Underground River and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Underground River Magic the Gathering card was released in 16 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 6 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11995-06-03Ice AgeICE 3621993normalblackNéNé Thomas
21997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 4261997normalwhiteJeff Miracola
31997-08-13World Championship Decks 1997WC97 js4261997normalgoldJeff Miracola
41998-08-12World Championship Decks 1998WC98 bs3621997normalgoldNéNé Thomas
51999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 3301997normalwhiteJeff Miracola
62001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 3501997normalwhiteAndrew Goldhawk
72001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 350★1997normalblackAndrew Goldhawk
82001-08-08World Championship Decks 2001WC01 ar3501997normalgoldAndrew Goldhawk
92001-12-01DeckmastersDKM 411997normalwhiteNéNé Thomas
102002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 1058762015normalblackRob Alexander
112002-08-14World Championship Decks 2002WC02 cr3501997normalgoldAndrew Goldhawk
122005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 326★2003normalblackAndrew Goldhawk
132005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 3262003normalwhiteAndrew Goldhawk
142007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 3622003normalblackAndrew Goldhawk
152016-11-11Commander 2016C16 3352015normalblackAndrew Goldhawk
162018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 2752015normalblackAndrew Goldhawk
172022-11-18The Brothers' WarBRO 3002015normalborderlessRob Alexander
182022-11-18The Brothers' WarBRO 2672015normalblackVolkan Baǵa
192023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 3422015normalblackLogan Feliciano

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Underground River has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PremodernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PredhLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

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