Adarkar Wastes MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 17 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeLand

Key Takeaways

  1. Adarkar Wastes excels in mana flexibility, allowing for speedier casting of multicolor spells.
  2. It shines in blue-white decks but can cost extra life points with extensive use.
  3. Essential in tempo play, it remains a valuable asset throughout various MTG formats.

Text of card

oc T: Add o1 to your mana pool. oc T: Add o W to your mana pool. Adarkar Wastes deals 1 damage to you. oc T: Add o U to your mana pool. Adarkar Wastes deals 1 damage to you.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Adarkar Wastes can be pivotal in control decks where the balance of resources is key. With its ability to tap for colorless or one of two colors, it ensures you have access to the right mana to play your spells and maintain a solid grip on the game’s flow.

Resource Acceleration: This land is perfect for multicolored decks needing a boost in their mana base. By providing both white and blue mana, Adarkar Wastes accelerates your capacity to cast various spells quicker, easing the strain on your resources and keeping you ahead of the curve.

Instant Speed: Although the land itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its flexibility in providing two types of mana with no entering battlefield tapped delays assists in casting those crucial instant-speed interaction spells when you need them most, without having to compromise your land drop for the turn.


Card Cons

Discard requirement: Adarkar Wastes requires no immediate discard from players, but it’s essential to consider the potential card disadvantage created by using land that can deal damage to you. This self-inflicted damage is akin to a discard in that it’s a resource (life points) that could be preserved for use against opposing strategies.

Specific mana cost: Adarkar Wastes provides both colorless and either white or blue mana. However, the inability to cater to other color requirements without the penalty of life loss can make it less versatile in multi-colored decks not focusing on the white or blue mana spectrum.

Comparatively high mana cost: One of the key drawbacks of Adarkar Wastes is its potential for a higher comparative mana cost over time. While the initial investment for the land is moderate, the accumulative life points paid for colored mana can surpass the investment in other dual lands or mana-fixing options that offer a less punishing drawback.


Reasons to Include Adarkar Wastes in Your Collection

Versatility: Adarkar Wastes offers color fixing for blue and white mana without entering the battlefield tapped, allowing it to fit seamlessly into multicolor decks that emphasize these colors.

Combo Potential: This land’s ability to provide either color of mana at a moment’s notice enhances decks that rely on specific color combinations to execute their combos efficiently.

Meta-Relevance: With decks constantly evolving, the ability to have access to two colors of mana without delay keeps Adarkar Wastes relevant in various formats where tempo plays a critical role.


How to beat

Adarkar Wastes is a land card known for its ability to tap for colorless mana or for both white or blue mana at the cost of one life. The strategic value of Adarkar Wastes lies in its versatility for mana fixing in Magic: The Gathering, especially in decks that require a smooth mana curve for both colors early in the game. Despite the advantage it provides in mana flexibility, Adarkar Wastes exposes players to potential damage, which can be capitalized upon by opponents.

To effectively counter Adarkar Wastes, implement strategies that exacerbate the life payment drawback. Employing cards or abilities that can punish opponents for losing life, such as Erebos, God of the Dead, can discourage frequent use of the life payment option. Additionally, pressure your opponent with aggressive creatures and spells to make each life point critical, forcing them to consider alternative mana sources. Prioritize controlling the game tempo and applying continuous pressure to maximize the impact of the damage taken from their land base.

By focusing on the inherent risks associated with Adarkar Wastes, you can turn this seemingly small cost into a significant disadvantage, swinging the match in your favor in the intricate world of Magic: The Gathering.


Cards like Adarkar Wastes

Adarkar Wastes sets itself prominently in the sphere of multi-colored land cards in Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to cards like Brushland, it offers crucial mana flexibility. While Brushland taps for green or white, Adarkar Wastes provides blue or white mana at the expense of 1 life. This versatility is invaluable for players needing precise mana for their spell casting.

Similarly, there’s Underground River which also belongs to the same ‘pain land’ family, offering either blue or black mana. The concept is echoed here; players trade life points for a seamless mana base which can be a strategic move in many decks. City of Brass takes this flexibility further by producing any color of mana, but it also deals 1 damage every time it is tapped. Although more versatile, the constant life payment can be riskier for the player’s health total.

Considering these options, Adarkar Wastes emerges as a reliable choice for decks that require both consistency in mana generation and the tactical advantage of having access to two colors. Its presence strengthens the backbone of many blue-white decks and showcases the enduring value of the pain land series in Magic: The Gathering.

Brushland - MTG Card versions
Underground River - MTG Card versions
City of Brass - MTG Card versions
Brushland - Ice Age (ICE)
Underground River - Ice Age (ICE)
City of Brass - Arabian Nights (ARN)

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Tundra - Legacy Championship (OLGC)
Thalakos Lowlands - Tempest (TMP)
Coastal Tower - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
Port Town - Doctor Who (WHO)
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Wanderwine Hub - Lorwyn (LRW)
Mystic Gate - Double Masters (2XM)
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Moorland Haunt - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)
Sejiri Refuge - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)
Prairie Stream - Fallout (PIP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Adarkar Wastes MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Pro Tour Collector Set, 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 Adarkar Wastes and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Adarkar Wastes Magic the Gathering card was released in 12 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2022-09-09. Illustrated by 5 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11995-06-03Ice AgeICE 3511993normalblackMike Raabe
21996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC ml3511993normalgoldMike Raabe
31996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC shr3511993normalgoldMike Raabe
41997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 4101997normalwhiteGary Leach
51999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 3191997normalwhiteGary Leach
62000-08-02World Championship Decks 2000WC00 tvdl3191997normalgoldGary Leach
72001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 3251997normalwhiteJohn Avon
82001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 325★1997normalblackJohn Avon
92002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 1034762015normalblackRob Alexander
102005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 317★2003normalblackJohn Avon
112005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 3172003normalwhiteJohn Avon
122007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 3472003normalblackJohn Avon
132022-09-09Dominaria UnitedDMU 3772015normalborderlessRob Alexander
142022-09-09Dominaria United PromosPDMU 243p2015normalblackPiotr Dura
152022-09-09Dominaria UnitedDMU 2432015normalblackPiotr Dura
162022-09-09Dominaria United Art SeriesADMU 592015art_seriesborderless
172022-09-09Dominaria United PromosPDMU 243s2015normalblackPiotr Dura

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Adarkar Wastes 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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