Timberline Ridge MTG Card

Rarity	Rare
Type	Land
Released	1995-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Ice Age
Set code	ICE
Number	361
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jeff A. Menges

Key Takeaways

Timberline Ridge assures land drops for smooth gameplay, indirectly leading to more play options each turn.
Accelerates resource availability by offering two mana types, crucial for early high-impact spell casting.
Its reliability enhances instant speed interaction, adding a strategic layer of game pace control.

Text of card

If there are any depletion counters on Timberline Ridge, it does not untap during your untap phase. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a depletion counter from Timberline Ridge. oc T: Add o R to your mana pool. Put a depletion counter on Timberline Ridge. oc T: Add o G to your mana pool. Put a depletion counter on Timberline Ridge.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Timberline Ridge isn’t directly a card advantage engine, but it does enable smoother plays by ensuring land drops, helping prevent being stuck without necessary resources. This consistent access to land types can indirectly lead to card advantage, as it allows for more flexibility and options in every turn.

Resource Acceleration: As dual lands are a cornerstone of any MTG strategy, Timberline Ridge provides simultaneous access to two types of mana, thereby accelerating your resources. This can be pivotal for casting high-impact spells sooner than your opponents expect, which can be a critical advantage.

Instant Speed: While Timberline Ridge itself cannot be played at instant speed, its presence assures that you can optimally utilize your other cards at instant speed. The confidence in your mana base that Timberline Ridge provides means holding up mana for instant speed interaction becomes more reliable, giving you more control over the game’s pace.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Timberline Ridge requires you to part ways with another card from your hand whenever you opt to generate red mana. This could put you at a disadvantage when your hand-size diminishes and each card begins to hold significant strategic value.

Specific Mana Cost: Locked into generating only red or green mana, Timberline Ridge may not find a place in multicolored decks that need a more diverse mana base or in decks where flexibility is paramount.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Tapping for a single red or green mana with an additional cost is hefty when other land options might provide a similar benefit without the downside or bring multiple mana to your pool immediately and efficiently.

Reasons to Include Timberline Ridge in Your Collection

Versatility: Timberline Ridge provides a versatile land choice, capable of tapping for both red and green mana. This can be crucial for decks that run on a Gruul color scheme (green and red) or multicolor decks that include these colors. Its ability to come into play untapped if you control two or fewer other lands adds flexibility in the early game.

Combo Potential: In the right deck, Timberline Ridge can be part of powerful land-based combos. It works well with landfall abilities, where generating multiple colored mana can trigger effects multiple times. Additionally, it can synergize with cards that benefit from the number of lands that produce a certain type of mana.

Meta-Relevance: With an emphasis on efficient mana bases in competitive play, having access to dual lands like Timberline Ridge is critical. It aligns with the current meta that often requires versatile mana sources to cast a variety of spells seamlessly and maintain tempo against opposing decks.

How to beat

Timberline Ridge has been a topic of interest among players looking to optimize their strategy against this specific land card in MTG. One effective method is to integrate land destruction or control cards into your deck that can specifically target Timberline Ridge. Cards like Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin can be very effective, as they allow you to target and destroy Timberline Ridge, thereby limiting your opponent’s mana resources. Additionally, strategies that prevent the opponent from searching their library forge a strong line of play against this land.

Another approach is to employ counterplay measures that limit the use of activated abilities. This can be achieved with cards like Pithing Needle or Phyrexian Revoker, which can be tailored to shut down Timberline Ridge’s mana-generating ability. This effectively nullifies its advantage and can tip the scales in your favor. Always remember to consider the pace of the game and that every move should contribute towards achieving your long-term game plan against decks that utilize such specific lands.

Ultimately, understanding the ways in which Timberline Ridge supports your opponent’s strategy and countering that with precise, targeted plays will greatly improve your chances of success against players who rely on it. Be mindful of your deck’s coherence and ensure that your tactics are compatible with your overall strategy.

Cards like Timberline Ridge

Timberline Ridge brings its unique touch to the land card category in Magic: The Gathering. It closely resembles dual lands such as Taiga which also offers the flexibility of providing either red or green mana. Where Timberline Ridge takes a divergent path is in its ability to come into play tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands, injecting an interesting play dynamic based on the game’s progression.

Comparably, we have lands like Karplusan Forest. While Karplusan Forest doesn’t enter the battlefield tapped, it does have a drawback. Tapping it for either of its two mana types inflicts 1 damage to you, setting up a trade-off between speed and a hit to your life total. Timberline Ridge sidesteps this life loss issue, providing a safer, albeit sometimes slower, alternative.

Stepping into the broader picture of versatile land cards in Magic: The Gathering, Timberline Ridge holds an intriguing position. It plays well in decks that aim for a strong start without the early life loss penalty, distinguishing itself from other dual lands with its conditional play mechanic and making it an option worth considering for many Red-Green decks.

Cards similar to Timberline Ridge by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Timberline Ridge MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age, 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 Timberline Ridge and other MTG cards: