In the vast and complex universe of Magic: The Gathering, land cards form the foundation of every deck. Among these lands, nonbasic lands stand out due to their powerful utility and flexibility. But when nonbasic lands are treated as Forests, it changes the dynamics of gameplay in subtle yet impactful ways. This mechanic is often overlooked by newer players, yet it holds strategic value for deck builders who specialize in green mana strategies, land synergy, or specific Forest-based combos. Understanding what happens when nonbasic lands are Forests opens new possibilities for control, ramp, and surprise plays in both casual and competitive MTG environments.
Understanding Land Types in MTG
Basic vs. Nonbasic Lands
Before diving into nonbasic lands that become Forests, it’s important to distinguish between basic and nonbasic lands:
- Basic Lands: These include Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. They have the basic land type and are the only lands you can include in unlimited quantities in a deck.
- Nonbasic Lands: These are lands that are not one of the five basic types. Some can produce multiple types of mana or have additional abilities, like drawing cards or entering the battlefield untapped under certain conditions.
Some cards have the ability to turn nonbasic lands into basic land types, such as Forests. When this happens, the affected lands gain the Forest subtype and the associated ability to tap for green mana, sometimes losing their original abilities or types in the process.
Effects That Turn Lands Into Forests
Notable Cards That Cause Land Type Changes
There are several cards in Magic that can turn lands including nonbasic lands into Forests. These effects are especially common in green and often used to manipulate the battlefield to your advantage. Key examples include:
- Primal Order: Deals damage to opponents based on the number of nonbasic lands they control, punishing reliance on utility lands.
- Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth: A black example of this kind of land-type spread, turning all lands into Swamps, similar in spirit to how some green cards treat lands as Forests.
- Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth: Perhaps the most iconic recent card, this legendary land gives all lands the Forest subtype in addition to their other types.
- Convincing Mirage / Spreading Seas: These are blue spells that can turn lands into specific basic land types, including Forests if desired.
When nonbasic lands are treated as Forests, they can be affected by any card that references Forests, such asArbor ElforUtopia Sprawl. This opens the door for strategic ramp and synergy without relying solely on basic Forests.
Gameplay Implications of Nonbasic Forests
Mana Fixing and Ramp Strategies
One of the primary advantages of treating nonbasic lands as Forests is mana consistency. In decks with multiple colors, you may still want to exploit green mana synergies. Turning all lands into Forests enables you to tap into green ramp spells without altering your color balance too much.
For example, if you useYavimaya, Cradle of Growthin a multicolor deck, all of your lands can now be tapped by cards likeArbor Elfor targeted byUtopia Sprawl. This supercharges mana production and accelerates gameplay toward your win conditions.
Synergy with Forest-Based Abilities
Many powerful cards in MTG interact specifically with Forests. Making nonbasic lands count as Forests allows you to maximize these synergies even when you’re not running a mono-green deck.
- Timberwatch Elf: Boosts creatures based on the number of Elves or Forests nonbasic lands now add to this count.
- Nature’s Lore: Can fetch any Forest card, including nonbasic lands with the Forest subtype.
This layer of synergy allows green decks to reach peak efficiency, tapping into powerful abilities without sacrificing land variety or fixing.
Strategic Advantages and Tricks
Deck Building Flexibility
By enabling all lands to function as Forests, you gain flexibility in deck construction. You can include powerful nonbasic lands likeTemple Garden,Stomping Ground, or even utility lands likeBojuka Bog, while still satisfying card requirements or triggers that specifically call out Forests.
This allows hybrid strategies such as Simic, Gruul, or Selesnya to run heavy green ramp without committing entirely to mono-green land bases. It’s especially useful in Commander decks where land slots are limited, but versatility is key.
Disrupting Opponents with Land Type Manipulation
Turning all lands into Forests isn’t just beneficial to you it can also disrupt opponents’ plans. Certain land-specific hate cards become more effective when combined with this strategy:
- Choke: Causes Islands not to untap. In combination withUrborgor similar cards, turning opponents’ lands into different types can amplify hate strategies.
- Magus of the Moon: Turns nonbasic lands into Mountains. When layered with Forest-altering effects, you create confusing land states that disrupt mana bases.
- Dryad of the Ilysian Grove: Makes all lands every basic land type, ensuring cards likeValakut, the Molten Pinnacletrigger more consistently.
This kind of manipulation can help you control the flow of the game while keeping opponents off-balance, especially in multiplayer formats where diverse mana bases are common.
Commander and EDH Applications
Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth in EDH
This one-card powerhouse has become a staple in many Commander decks, not just green ones. Its legendary status and ability to transform all lands into Forests create massive synergy, particularly with Commanders that reward ramp and Forest density.
Decks led by commanders likeAzusa, Lost but Seeking,Omnath, Locus of Mana, orGoreclaw, Terror of Qal Sismabenefit tremendously. The synergy with mana dorks, land auras, and green tutors becomes even more powerful when every land counts as a Forest.
Multicolor Deck Optimization
In three-color decks like Naya or Temur, where green is present, turning all lands into Forests ensures you get the benefits of green ramp tools without compromising mana base diversity. It also lets you reuse cards likeSylvan AwakeningorGenesis Wavewith maximum efficiency since they scale better with large land counts and green mana access.
Potential Drawbacks
Conflict with Opponents’ Strategies
While beneficial to you, turning all lands into Forests may inadvertently help opponents who also use green. It could enable their ramp or trigger beneficial effects for them as well. That’s why timing is crucial make sure the payoff outweighs the potential support it gives your adversaries.
Interactions with Land Destruction
In games where land destruction or land-specific hate cards are present, changing nonbasic lands to Forests could backfire. Cards that target basic land types (such asFlashfiresorBoil) might now affect more of your board than intended, so be aware of meta risks before using such a strategy competitively.
Making nonbasic lands into Forests in Magic: The Gathering is more than just a flavor mechanic it’s a strategic tool that enhances synergy, increases ramp potential, and opens new gameplay lines. Whether through powerful cards like Yavimaya or carefully selected spells, turning lands into Forests offers subtle yet significant advantages. With the right build, this tactic can transform your deck’s efficiency and surprise opponents with unexpected power. For green players and land-focused strategies, embracing nonbasic Forests could be the key to unlocking your deck’s full potential.
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