Flooded StrandFlooded Strand | Art by Zack Stella
Hello, and welcome to Am I the Bolas? This week, does a land base bump you up a bracket?
This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some Magic and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"
I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email amithebolas@gmail.com with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story below one day. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?
I'm Mike Carrozza, and hey, it's a miracle!
Welcome back, Velomachus!
(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)
SUBMISSION
Hi Mike,
Long-time listener and a big fan of the articles. I wanted to share an ongoing situation amongst my playgroup to get your take. We are a group of roughly 16 guys who get together in random pods of four to eight a few times a week, playing either on Spelltable or at a variety of local stores. We go way back, everyone has known each other for at least five years, with some friendships spanning over 20 years. I mention this to emphasize that we aren’t strangers; we spend hours together weekly and are very comfortable with one another.
Over the last two years, however, a divide has formed regarding mana bases. We have developed a near 50/50 split between those who optimize their lands (running fetches, shocks, and even original duals) and those who do not. Since we returned to standard mulligan rules (abandoning our old "mulligan until it’s decent" gentleman's agreement), the "optimizers" prioritize consistency to avoid "non-games." The other half of the group, however, argues that navigating mana issues is an inherent part of the "lower power" experience and insists that optimized mana bases should be reserved exclusively for Bracket 4.
To give you a concrete example, I play a Winter, Cynical OpportunistWinter, Cynical Opportunist deck that I consider Bracket 2. It is essentially a fairly upgraded precon with a "heavy" focus on Duskmourn flavor cards. However, I run seven fetch lands and a Prismatic VistaPrismatic Vista, along with Overgrown TombOvergrown Tomb and Underground MortuaryUnderground Mortuary. I use this setup not just to drive Delirium, but mostly because I simply do not like losing to a non-functional mana base. Despite the lower-power strategy, this deck has been accused of being Bracket 3 solely due to the lands.
I also want to highlight that this isn’t a financial issue. While most of us do not proxy, we are completely fine with it at any bracket. Furthermore, we share cards so openly that if someone wanted an optimized mana base, the collective would happily lend them the cards indefinitely with no expectation of a return.
What I want to know is: Am I the Bolas for optimizing my mana base across all brackets?
Thanks,
Bubba Trubba
VERDICT
Thank you for writing and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to amithebolas@gmail.com and I'll get to it here.
Here's where I apologize for the clickbait title. Of course, fetch lands aren't really Game Changers
Sowwy.
I appreciate you writing in, Bubba. I think I'm going to have a pretty easy time with this one. You've taken into consideration most things I'd ask about: are there budgetary considerations and what's the social dynamic like? Money is not an object, cost is of no concern, so the deck constructions are at their purest state of building for this group.
Mana bases get smoothed out so players can hit their colors for the most part and, while they can help, in a two-colour deck, I'd be happy with drawing basics replacing the untapped two-colour lands. It even adds a little tension to your deck if it's pretty pip-intensive.
You don't need shock lands and fetch lands to have your land base work fine in two-colour decks. Optimized mana bases allow for players to get into three-to-five color commanders a little easier and I think I'm way more for that at all levels rather than barring smooth mana bases to higher brackets.
When it comes to the example of your Winter, Cynical OpportunistWinter, Cynical Opportunist, the Bracket guide does mention that building toward higher synergy is a Bracket 3 trait, but I think that's easily scale that operates between a high-2 and a Bracket 3 deck. Winter has Delirium and the precon packed Evolving WildsEvolving Wilds to make sure the commander works alright. It's a very easily line to draw from that to other fetch lands similar to and better than it. Does that immediately take your deck up to Bracket 4? It just sort of makes your deck a little more functional but how else do you build this deck? This isn't really about the mana base for this deck.
I'm really wracking my brain on this one mainly because I have such a strong, immediate reaction to this submission that it feels very difficult to separate from it. My initial reaction to this submission was to say, out loud to myself, "What are we doing here?" If money is no issue, is your mana base really what's going to make the difference? Is the mana base really the stopgap between power levels when you all focus on meeting each other on the same level? I feel like he argument for classifying an optimized mana base as Bracket 4 is really weak. There was a time where Teferi, Temporal ArchmageTeferi, Temporal Archmage was one of the format's most competitive boogieman and that's basically (a pun!) basics!
I guess, I understand when it comes to the Surveil lands. Fetching an Elegant ParlorElegant Parlor can definitely help push a plan ahead, but dual lands and shock lands don't feel as powerful to me without the context of the deck. Two-color decks don't need 'em! You could replace duals and shocks with basics without noticing much and I recommend it, even. Save 'em for your three-to-five-color decks. I'd hate to watch anybody playing three or more colors not be able to get their plan on board just because their mana base isn't great.
Considering an optimized mana base Bracket 4 feels like a reach. I could see an argument for Bracket 3, but really, you could smooth out the mana of a precon and tune it up a bit, but it wouldn't take a Bracket 2 precon up a full notch. If I'm the tie-breaking vote, I vote "what the heck are ya talkin' about?" Not the Bolas.
It feels a little silly to get in a twist about this, but I guess this is probably one that'll set the comment section on fire. I'm really looking forward to it. It'd be a much different conversation if the claims were of Bracket 3. There is a conversation that must be had with the playgroup about what the shared desired "lower power" experience " means. It seems to me this debate is less about the lands and more about the scope of what "lower power" means to each player. Does "lower power" mean a tuned-down strong commander like Muldrotha, the GravetideMuldrotha, the Gravetide or a tuned-up "lower power" commander like Pia Nalaar, Chief MechanicPia Nalaar, Chief Mechanic? The discussion is clearly ongoing on that front, but maybe this is the crux of the issue that's not been brought up, yet?
I'm glad that you all keep playing and I hope you sort out what works for you. Thanks again!
Mike Carrozza
Mike Carrozza is a stand-up comedian from Montreal who’s done a lot of cool things like put out an album called Cherubic and worked with Tig Notaro, Kyle Kinane, and more people to brag about. He’s also been an avid EDH player who loves making silly stuff happen. @mikecarrozza on platforms.
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