Corrupted Roots MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	2009-02-06
Set symbol
Set name	Conflux
Set code	CON
Number	41
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mark Hyzer

Key Takeaways

Generates card advantage and resource acceleration, altering the pace of the game significantly.
Instant speed casting adds a level of tactical versatility, broadening strategic possibilities.
Demands careful hand and mana management given the sacrifice and specific mana cost constraints.

Text of card

Enchant Forest or Plains Whenever enchanted land becomes tapped, its controller loses 2 life.

The bones of Jund's dead resurfaced in Naya, poisoning the jungle and killing the sunseeders' crops.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Corrupted Roots excels in generating card advantage by allowing players to consistently access additional cards over time. This can help maintain a strong hand and provide options as the match progresses.

Resource Acceleration: By facilitating the transformation of non-creature permanents into potent mana sources, Corrupted Roots offers a significant boost in resource acceleration. This not only hastens your game plan but can also outpace the opponent’s development.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Corrupted Roots is further amplified by its ability to be cast at instant speed. This enables strategic players to optimally time their plays, reacting to the unfolding game and maximizing the card’s impact when most advantageous.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Corrupted Roots necessitates the sacrifice of another card, which can lead to an unfavorable exchange when your hand is already depleted or when holding key pieces for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise combination of green and black mana, potentially restricting its integration into multicolor decks that do not focus on this color pair, thereby limiting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that may be considered steep for its effect, Corrupted Roots becomes a less tempting option when weighed against other ramp or land destruction spells which could be cast at a lower cost and with immediate impact.

Reasons to Include Corrupted Roots in Your Collection

Versatility: Corrupted Roots card provides substantial flexibility for deck builders. It serves as an impactful addition to strategies that capitalize on land destruction or mana disruption, compelling opponents to rethink their plans.

Combo Potential: The enchantment synergizes well with effects that benefit from destroying lands, or with strategies that return lands to play, creating opportunities for powerful plays and resource denial.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where mana bases are nuanced and lands like duals or utility varieties are prevalent, Corrupted Roots can serve as a tactical advantage, potentially hindering opponent’s tempo and progress.

How to beat

Corrupted Roots stands out in the realm of debilitating enchantment cards in MTG. Its ability to lock down a land and steadily chip away at an opponent’s life total can be quite the nuisance. The key to overcoming this card lies in timely removal spells or enchantment destruction abilities. Having a Naturalize or Disenchant on hand can quickly turn the tables by neutralizing Corrupted Roots before its effects accumulate.

Another strategy involves proactive land protection like running cards such as Heroic Intervention, which can render your lands indestructible, thwarting Corrupted Roots’ potential damage. Additionally, land diversification in your deck construction reduces the impact of Corrupted Roots, ensuring it doesn’t stifle your mana base color requirements.

Ultimately, staying one step ahead with versatile responses or preventive measures makes Corrupted Roots a minor setback rather than a game-ending threat. Adopting these tactics will help maintain your gameplay momentum and outlast the attrition strategy that Corrupted Roots aims to employ.

Cards like Corrupted Roots

Corrupted Roots stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a unique enchantment that leverages your opponent’s land arsenal against them. Meanwhile, Contaminated Ground also transforms lands into liabilities, however, it hinges on interfering with mana production rather than leveraging direct damage. Both cards can stymie an opponent’s strategy, but Corrupted Roots is distinct in adding potential damage every turn.

Comparing further, Psychic Venom is another classic spell that capitalizes on tapped lands, inflicting damage to the controller. While it’s more cost efficient, Corrupted Roots afflicts more punishment with higher potential damage output. Lastly, we look at Pooling Venom, which shares the same theme but offers a more explosive outcome, dealing damage when the infested land becomes untapped. The choice between the steady attrition of Corrupted Roots and the surprise burst from Pooling Venom could dictate the tempo of your deck.

Evaluating these alternatives, Corrupted Roots garners attention within the realm of land-targeting enchantments. With its steady pressure and capacity for consistent damage, it’s a card that can fearlessly root its way into a strategic MTG player’s deck, disrupting and damaging foes turn after turn.

Cards similar to Corrupted Roots by color, type and mana cost

Volrath's Motion Sensor - MTG Card versions

Phyrexian Reclamation - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Corrupted Roots MTG card by a specific set like Conflux, 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 Corrupted Roots and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Corrupted Roots has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2009-02-01	Corrupted Roots can enchant only a Forest or a Plains. It checks the enchanted land’s subtypes, not its name. If at any time the enchanted land is neither a Forest nor a Plains (due to Unstable Frontier’s ability, perhaps), Corrupted Roots is put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based action.
2009-02-01	Corrupted Roots doesn’t care why the enchanted land becomes tapped. If that land changes from being untapped to being tapped for any reason, the ability will trigger.