Two reasons someone might not play them (and I should stress that these are incredible cards and rarely would you not play them if you had the chance):
- They don't produce colored mana on their own, which creates two potential problems. If this is somehow your only land in play (unlikely), you'll be in trouble. Also, you can't "save" your mana. As in, if you were to have a plains and a mountain, you could play a Firebolt on your turn and save the plains for a Path to Exile on their turn. But if you were to have a plains and this card, you'd have to do both on your turn. Again, almost never a problem, but a limitation that Wizards certainly intended when designing this cycle.
- The other, and more obvious reason, is decks that run more than these two colors. A deck that stretches its mana base might not have the mana on-hand to activate this card, and might rather run a S... (see all)
Posted By:
Ichorix
(5/8/2010 4:08:47 PM)
I like it.
Posted By:
land_comment
(3/25/2011 6:58:04 AM)
How can you give these lands anything but 5 stars? Why would you not run 4 if your deck used the right colors and you had the lands on hand?
Posted By:
Kenji18
(6/18/2009 10:09:01 PM)
The Cycle is Great
How else would you cast a Spectral Rider T2 with a Mountain in play
Posted By:
Zokorad
(12/20/2011 3:06:23 PM)
not as good as some of the other dual lands available, but certantly playable as long as they aren't your first and/or only land.
Posted By:
Shoe2
(6/8/2011 1:05:54 PM)
This card is good, but it frustrates me. As far as my perception goes, whenever it does what it's supposed to do (make it so I don't have to worry about mana colors in my R/W deck) I barely notice it. But whenever it manages to mess up, usually by making me tap two lands when I'd rather tap only one, I really start to wish it was just another Sacred Foundry or a Plateau, which I use and have started to grow accustomed to. Sometimes, I even just prefer the good ol' Battlefield forge.
So, in short, if you're spoiled and are used to the best two kinds of dual lands (Ravnica Shock and the Originals), this is just an okay card. Otherwise, it's an excellent mana fixer, especially when you realize that they don't like to print enemy color dual lands as often as they print ally colored ones.
Posted By:
Asmodi0000
(4/27/2011 7:50:40 AM)
Shadowmoor is something between paradise and hell - incredibly beautiful and incredibly creepy at the same time!
Posted By:
GengilOrbios
(9/3/2011 4:03:51 AM)
Aside from the obvious, one of the key advantages to this cycle is that you can use {R} to cast Goblin Guide (for example) first turn, then follow it up with a {W}{W} spell like White Knight
Posted By:
LordRandomness
(5/22/2013 1:15:07 AM)