As I've been constructing my standard deck, one of the more unique suggestions I've gotten was to change my Basic lands into snow lands. What would be the advantage to this?
It's not so much a rulings issue, it just gives you access to snow costs in addition to your normal costs. Lets you run Scrying Sheets, Mouth of Ronom, Skred, etc.
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Some people argue that there is some psychological advantage to opening with a snow land, so your opponent won't know what you're playing, but really, it doesn't.
I have heard the one of the biggest advantages to running snow-lands (besides if you run any sort of control magic) is that all the snow-lands from each set have the same art for every single one. This means that if one of your lands gets bounced and you accidentally lay down a different one, your opponent won't know because they have the same art. -Jack
I have heard the one of the biggest advantages to running snow-lands (besides if you run any sort of control magic) is that all the snow-lands from each set have the same art for every single one. This means that if one of your lands gets bounced and you accidentally lay down a different one, your opponent won't know because they have the same art. -Jack
That's why you run the same art on all your lands to begin with.
I have heard the one of the biggest advantages to running snow-lands (besides if you run any sort of control magic) is that all the snow-lands from each set have the same art for every single one. This means that if one of your lands gets bounced and you accidentally lay down a different one, your opponent won't know because they have the same art. -Jack
This is true, but you still could have Ice age snow lands or foils....I refuse to use snow lands in my decks because I just can not help myself but use foil lands....and it would take WAY too much effort to obtain an adequate quantity of foil snow lands.
Hmm, some interesting points, especially that bit about the same picture thing; I hadn't even thought of that. Not that it matters seeing as I have same-art basic lands anyway... I think I'll just stick with my basic ones for now, as I don't have any costs that require snow mana.
Hmm, some interesting points, especially that bit about the same picture thing; I hadn't even thought of that. Not that it matters seeing as I have same-art basic lands anyway... I think I'll just stick with my basic ones for now, as I don't have any costs that require snow mana.
Yeah, if you actually have no reason to use a snow-base, then having the same art on all your cards works to the same effect.
You might get your opponent to play around Mouth of Ronom.
That, too, is a good point. If you're playing Red, they may also play around [cardSkred[/card] as well.
I think just as important as psyching your opponent out and having the same lands, though, is that if you play any sort of control magic and take over something that requires an activation cost, you'll be able to pay for the cost for sure. Unless there's something that says snow mana cannot be used on it... -Jack
The biggest advantage to snow lands is that you can get two islands/swamps (one snow covered one, one normal one) with gifts ungiven. It also makes spoils of the vault more reliable. There are also spells with snow-theme (like the cards memnarch mentioned).
Given that both cards are seeing a lot less play than they used to, there's little advantage to playing snow. At least one person I know lost a vintage tournament because he was pimping his deck with foreign foil snow covered lands as opposed to normal lands, but I don't remember the details.
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"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
If i'm not wrong snow land aren't "walkable" by forestwalk mountainwalk plainswalk etc.. abilities... You need a snowland-walk.
Plus you have access to all benefits of snow (activating cost that needs snow mana etc).
You're wrong. Snow-covered Forests are still forests, as it says on the type line. Just like my car that's been covered with snow is still a car.
I usually play with a snow land base, as I usually play control and things like Scrying Sheets and Mouth of Ronom are invaluable. Additionally you can bluff Phyrexian Ironfoot, Skred, etc. And you can also use a Phyrexian Ironfoot that you Sower of Temptation from your opponent. There's no real harm in using snow lands since nobody really plays the snow hosers.
The chances of that happening are similar to the chances of someone running CoP: Red maindeck in a vintage tournament.
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There's essentially no reason not to run them. There are a couple of snow-hosers, but they're really terrible and you can be 99.999% certain that you will never, ever be faced with one, much less beaten by it. If you don't use any actual snow abilities, snow lands are functionally exactly like regular ones. Even if there's only a 1% chance that your opponent might try to play around a non-existent Mouth of Ronom, it's still an edge that you get for free. You might as well take it.
Also, one real-life scenario: I once stole my opponent's Phyrexian Ironfoot with a Sower of Temptation. Sure wish my Islands had been snow-covered in that case. Sure, that might only happen one in a hundred times, but since running snow lands won't hurt you in those 99 other cases you might as well do it.
I acutally used to go half and half (half snow land and half nonsnow) in a couple of my decks when one of the other guys in my playgroup liked to Eradicate our basic land
Other than that, I think that snow lands are pretty much the same, unless you are running things like Mouth of Ronom or Skred, in which case I'd argue they are, in essence, strictly better since no one bothers to use snow hate.
Thanks in advance.
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Some people argue that there is some psychological advantage to opening with a snow land, so your opponent won't know what you're playing, but really, it doesn't.
The drawback is the snow supertype. You can be walked past or locked out of untapping...
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That's why you run the same art on all your lands to begin with.
This is true, but you still could have Ice age snow lands or foils....I refuse to use snow lands in my decks because I just can not help myself but use foil lands....and it would take WAY too much effort to obtain an adequate quantity of foil snow lands.
I think just as important as psyching your opponent out and having the same lands, though, is that if you play any sort of control magic and take over something that requires an activation cost, you'll be able to pay for the cost for sure. Unless there's something that says snow mana cannot be used on it... -Jack Yeah, if you actually have no reason to use a snow-base, then having the same art on all your cards works to the same effect. That, too, is a good point. If you're playing Red, they may also play around [cardSkred[/card] as well.
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Vizzerdrix Count = 183, 3 in Italian, 2 Foil
Given that both cards are seeing a lot less play than they used to, there's little advantage to playing snow. At least one person I know lost a vintage tournament because he was pimping his deck with foreign foil snow covered lands as opposed to normal lands, but I don't remember the details.
"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
You're wrong. Snow-covered Forests are still forests, as it says on the type line. Just like my car that's been covered with snow is still a car.
I usually play with a snow land base, as I usually play control and things like Scrying Sheets and Mouth of Ronom are invaluable. Additionally you can bluff Phyrexian Ironfoot, Skred, etc. And you can also use a Phyrexian Ironfoot that you Sower of Temptation from your opponent. There's no real harm in using snow lands since nobody really plays the snow hosers.
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The chances of that happening are similar to the chances of someone running CoP: Red maindeck in a vintage tournament.
Added bonus: we're holding a songwriting contest in march with a registry drive going on right now! Check it out, plus the opportunity to earn $50!
Also, one real-life scenario: I once stole my opponent's Phyrexian Ironfoot with a Sower of Temptation. Sure wish my Islands had been snow-covered in that case. Sure, that might only happen one in a hundred times, but since running snow lands won't hurt you in those 99 other cases you might as well do it.
Other than that, I think that snow lands are pretty much the same, unless you are running things like Mouth of Ronom or Skred, in which case I'd argue they are, in essence, strictly better since no one bothers to use snow hate.
i sb it in my elves (though only 2)