(Lotus Field | Art by John Avon)
To Lands Unknown
Welcome back to Wombo Combo, the episodic article series where we look at EDH's best combo cards using data from EDHREC and Commander Spellbook. Today, we will take a look at the building blocks of Magic, both literally and figuratively, in the form of lands!
Lands are the building blocks for almost all Magic decks, providing you the mana you need to cast your spells and activate abilities. Most Magic players start playing the basic lands as their mana bases and progressively implement more complicated lands, such as fetchlands, bouncelands, and even non-mana lands like Dark DepthsDark Depths. While lands are the foundation of Magic decks, they can also be extremely convenient pieces for infinite combos, especially if your deck specializes in landfall cards. Let's take a look at EDH's best land combo cards to see what makes the cut.
#10: Gaea's Cradle
Deck Inclusions: 146,832 decks
Gaea's CradleGaea's Cradle is an extremely powerful land allowing you to tap it to add for each creature you control.
This effect is extremely useful in basically any deck, allowing you to easily ramp early in the game by playing mana dorks and getting additional mana from Gaea's Cradle at the same time.
Gaea's Cradle can combo with cards like Derevi, Empyrial TacticianDerevi, Empyrial Tactician and Argothian ElderArgothian Elder quite easily alongside one or two additional cards. You can also use Voyaging SatyrVoyaging Satyr to untap Gaea's Cradle, and then untap Voyaging Satyr using any number of untapping options.
While Gaea's Cradle is extremely powerful, its $800+ price tag certainly limits what players using authentic paper copies can play it.
#9: Dakmor Salvage
Deck Inclusions: 54,202 decks (1.954%)
Dakmor SalvageDakmor Salvage is a unique card as it is the only current Magic land card that has dredge printed onto it (although The NecrobloomThe Necrobloom can cheat this).
Dakmor Salvage main home is in The Gitrog MonsterThe Gitrog Monster decks, as Gitrog's card draw ability can be used to dredge Dakmor Salvage back to your hand.
Afterwards, a simple discard outlet like Skirge FamiliarSkirge Familiar starts the combo once again. Dakmor Salvage also pairs well with other discard payoffs like Bone MiserBone Miser or Surly BadgersaurSurly Badgersaur.
#8: Minamo, School at Water's Edge
Deck Inclusions: 119,137 decks (4.423%)
Minamo, School at Water's EdgeMinamo, School at Water's Edge is a legendary land that can untap legendary permanents, including itself.
When combined with Rings of BrighthearthRings of Brighthearth, you can untap copy Minamo's ability to untap it and another legendary permanent to produce the needed mana (like Chromatic OrreryChromatic Orrery or Selvala, Heart of the WildsSelvala, Heart of the Wilds).
Minamo's untap ability can also be used on a creature like Kiki-Jiki, Mirror BreakerKiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, after which you use Kiki-Jiki to make a token copy of Cloud of FaeriesCloud of Faeries to untap Minamo and another land.
Another option is Kitsa, Otterball EliteKitsa, Otterball Elite, which can be untapped by Minamo to copy a spell again.
#7: Lotus Field
Deck Inclusions: 70,835 decks (1.289%)
Lotus FieldLotus Field causes you to sacrifice two lands when it enters, but allows you to tap Lotus Field for three mana of any color instead.
Lotus Field works as a good mana-fixing land for multicolored decks, and (unsurprisingly since it is on this list) for combos. Many of the combo lines echo what we discussed earlier with Gaea's Cradle - such as a creature to untap Lotus Field and then a way to untap that creature, like Pemmin's AuraPemmin's Aura.
One popular option to untap Lotus Field is Magus of the CandelabraMagus of the Candelabra which can untap Lotus Field and other lands all at once. You can also make a Lotus themed deck if you want - just be prepared to open your pocket book for the illustrious Black LotusBlack Lotus.
#5 and #6: Petrified Field / Echoing Deeps
Deck Inclusions: 31,405 (Echoing Deeps); 8,858 (Petrified Field)
Echoing DeepsEchoing Deeps and Petrified FieldPetrified Field are paid together as they work very well together, and they are two key combo pieces in the same combo.
The combo involves Kodama of the East TreeKodama of the East Tree, and a landfall token generator like Tireless ProvisionerTireless Provisioner. You play Petrified Field, use it to return Echoing Deeps and then play Echoing Deeps from the Kodama trigger.
Because Echoing Deeps can enter as a copy of Petrified Field, you can do the same process and continue infinitely. Land recursion (or cloning) can also come in handy should one of your key lands become the target of a Generous GiftGenerous Gift.
Commander Spellbook
#4: Glacial Chasm
Deck Inclusions: 41,530 decks (0.757%)
Glacial ChasmGlacial Chasm is our lock inclusion for this list, existing solely to make your opponents' lives more difficult. Glacial Chasm prevents you from attacking, but as a tradeoff, makes you immune to damage.
This effect can stop a lot of decks in their tracks, as you can no longer be killed by combat damage or even damage spells like Crackle with PowerCrackle with Power, which are payoffs popularly included to end games.
The main issue with Glacial Chasm is the cumulative upkeep cost, which causes you to pay 2 life during each upkeep for each age counter on it. There are easy ways to counteract this.
For one, you can just sacrifice Glacial Chasm before the effect triggers, and replay it thanks to Ramunap ExcavatorRamunap Excavator. You can also use SolemnitySolemnity to simply prevent the counters from being placed. Zuran OrbZuran Orb can also help you regain some life, if you need.
#3: Dryad Arbor
Deck Inclusions: 104,643 decks (4.084%)
Dryad ArborDryad Arbor is the only card in the game that has both land and creature in its type box without being double-faced (sorry Arixmethes, Slumbering IsleArixmethes, Slumbering Isle - you do not count).
This gives Dryad Arbor some extremely unique properties - you play it like a land, but it still has summoning sickness like a creature.
For instance, Dryad Arbor can have Springheart NantukoSpringheart Nantuko attached to it, while also triggering Springheart Nantuko again once the token is created. Dryad Arbor can also be blinked by Deadeye NavigatorDeadeye Navigator, giving you an ETB, LTB and landfall trigger all at once.
Dryad Arbor also works great for Kodama of the East Tree as it has a mana value of 0, meaning anything can cause Kodama to put Dryad Arbor onto the battlefield.
While it is more prone to removal being a creature, Dryad Arbor is an extremely unique land that opens up a world of comboing possibilities that aren't possible with other cards.
#2: Bouncelands
The bouncelands, like Simic Growth ChamberSimic Growth Chamber, are a staple of budget mana-fixing, allowing you to easily add options to add your colored mana without having to break the bank.
The bouncelands have a "drawback" which causes you to return a land to your hand. I say "drawback" because that ability is the key to an easy and efficient combo, as the bouncelands can bounce themselves when they re-enter.
This is a perfect effect for cards like Kodama of the East Tree, Chulane, Teller of TalesChulane, Teller of Tales and Patron of the MoonPatron of the Moon. With bouncelands, you never have to worry about not having a land to play and continue your combo.
Bouncelands come in colorless in the form of Guildless CommonsGuildless Commons and Arid ArchwayArid Archway, as well as every two-color pair in Magic, making them a very easy card to slot into your deck.
#1: Mystic Sanctuary
Deck Inclusions: 315,718 decks (11.721%)
Mystic SanctuaryMystic Sanctuary is an extremely popular card in spellslinger decks, and it's easy to see why. Mystic Sanctuary, assuming it enters untapped, returns an instant or sorcery from your hand to the top of your library.
There are a host of ways to take advantage of this; first, you can draw the instant or sorcery thanks to Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre StraitAesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait when Mystic Sanctuary enters the battlefield. Second, you can use a topdeck like The Reality ChipThe Reality Chip to play the card off the top without needing to draw it.
Once you do these, you can use an extra turn spell and a way to play Mystic Sanctuary each turn for an easy infinite turns combo. You can also use cards like Ghostly FlickerGhostly Flicker to get another trigger and further the combo.
If you want infinite Mystic Sanctuary tokens, perhaps DoppelgangDoppelgang can be of assistance. Mystic Sanctuary should certainly be automatically considered for any blue+ deck that uses instants or sorceries even on a semi-regular basis.
Commander Spellbook
Honorable Mentions
If the previous landscapes haven't tickled your fancy, perhaps these lands can offer a change of scenery:
1. Drownyard TempleDrownyard Temple: A rare example of a self-recurring land, which combos nicely with landfall cards and sacrifice outlets like Squandered ResourcesSquandered Resources.
2. Deserted TempleDeserted Temple: A land that can untap lands, which works great with Rings of Brighthearth.
3. Shifting WoodlandShifting Woodland: A land with the ability to clone a card in your graveyard, perfect for Aftermath AnalystAftermath Analyst combos.
Thank you very much for reading this edition of Wombo Combo, and don't forget to check out Commander Spellbook for more EDH combos and visit the Commander Spellbook Discord for all EDH discussion and to submit your own combos. Until next time, happy comboing!
Ethan Coover
Ethan has been an avid EDH player since 2014 with the release of Core Set 2015. In 2021, he joined the Commander Spellbook project as an editor, and later a head-editor and moderator, and has assisted in the curation, updating and/or uploading of over 10,000 unique EDH combos. In his spare time, Ethan loves coming up with new jank EDH lines, playing video games, and going for long walks.
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