Destroy All Nonbasic Lands Mtg

In the world of Magic: The Gathering, land destruction is one of the most disruptive and powerful strategies, especially when it targets nonbasic lands. While basic lands form the foundation of most mana bases, nonbasic lands often provide key strategic advantages such as extra colors, activated abilities, or utility functions. Cards that destroy all nonbasic lands can reset the board in ways few spells can, affecting both tempo and strategy in competitive and casual formats alike. Understanding how these spells work, which cards are commonly used, and how to build around or counter them is crucial for any MTG player looking to navigate complex matchups.

What Are Nonbasic Lands?

Definition and Importance

In MTG, a land is considered ‘nonbasic’ if it does not have one of the five basic land types: Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, or Forest. Nonbasic lands include dual lands, shock lands, fetch lands, and utility lands such asField of the Dead,Strip Mine, orCavern of Souls. These lands often come with added value and are commonly included in decks for their versatility and power.

Why Target Nonbasic Lands?

• They often enable multicolor decks by providing multiple mana types.
• Some have powerful activated abilities that can turn the tide of a game.
• They can support specific combos or strategies that rely on certain land synergies.
• Targeting them often doesn’t cripple mono-colored or budget decks, making it a balanced form of land hate.

Cards That Destroy All Nonbasic Lands

Top Examples

Several spells throughout Magic’s history are designed to wipe the battlefield clean of nonbasic lands. Here are some of the most impactful ones:

• Ruination– A red sorcery that simply reads: Destroy all nonbasic lands. It’s fast, efficient, and brutally effective in mono-red or red-heavy decks.
• Price of Glory– While not a board wipe itself, it punishes opponents for using lands during your turn, often discouraging the use of utility lands.
• BoilandChoke– These cards don’t destroy but effectively disable Islands, making them potent against blue-heavy decks.
• Impending Disaster– Destroys all lands if you control seven or more at the beginning of your upkeep. A more symmetrical effect, but it hits hard.
• Wake of Destruction– Destroys all lands of a specific type, including nonbasic ones sharing that type. Excellent in mono-colored decks.
• Destructive Flow– A recurring land destruction enchantment that forces each player to sacrifice a nonbasic land during their upkeep.
• From the Ashes– Destroys all nonbasic lands and replaces them with basic lands, leveling the playing field.

Color Identity and Card Access

Most nonbasic land destruction effects appear in red, reflecting red’s chaotic nature and willingness to disrupt the game state. Black and green may also contribute to land hate, but red is the king when it comes to cards like Ruination or Wake of Destruction. This makes mono-red decks and certain Gruul or Jund strategies well-suited for this kind of disruption.

Strategic Use of Nonbasic Land Destruction

Deck Archetypes That Benefit

Several deck types thrive on land destruction, especially when focused on nonbasic targets:

• Mono-Red Control: Using Ruination alongside burn and artifact ramp to keep pressure on opponents while denying resources.
• Gruul Ponza: Combines land destruction with ramp and midrange threats to quickly outpace opponents.
• Stax/Prison Decks: These decks seek to control all aspects of the game, including mana bases. Destroying nonbasic lands limits options and tempo.
• Commander/EDH Hatebears: Many EDH decks use only a handful of basic lands. Cards that destroy nonbasic lands can effectively shut down entire tables.

Timing the Destruction

Knowing when to cast a spell that destroys nonbasic lands is just as important as having it in your hand. Playing it too early may not disrupt opponents enough, while playing it too late might give them time to recover. The ideal moment is often when you have a stronger board position or can follow up the destruction with a strong threat or lock effect. Card advantage and board state awareness are key.

Building Around Nonbasic Land Destruction

Deck Construction Tips

• Use mostly or exclusively basic lands in your own deck to avoid self-damage.
• Include mana rocks likeSol Ring,Arcane Signet, orMind Stoneto maintain mana even after land wipes.
• Utilize land recursion if needed, with cards likeCrucible of WorldsorRamunap Excavator.
• Support with cards that punish land play, such asBlood MoonorMagus of the Moon.

Example Synergies

Pairing nonbasic land destruction with cards likeAvenger of ZendikarorTitania, Protector of Argothcan give you an edge post-destruction. After clearing nonbasic lands, you can establish board control with creatures or tokens, especially if your deck is prepared to operate with fewer lands or accelerants.

Countering Nonbasic Land Destruction

Protective Strategies

• Land Insurance: Cards likeCrucible of WorldsorLife from the Loamallow you to recover quickly from land loss.
• Mana Rocks: These help maintain tempo when lands are destroyed.
• Tutors and Draw Engines: Ensuring you can find basic lands or fetch replacements reduces impact.

Metagame Awareness

If your meta includes many land destruction decks, consider running more basics than usual and avoid relying on utility lands. Cards likeExpedition MaporWayfarer’s Baublecan ensure access to basics without needing fetch lands.

Impact on Game Formats

Commander/EDH

In Commander, destroying all nonbasic lands can be controversial. Some players consider it unfun or against the casual spirit of the format, while others argue it’s a fair way to check greedy mana bases. The key is knowing your playgroup’s tolerance. In competitive EDH (cEDH), it’s a legitimate strategy, especially with fast mana and explosive combos that capitalize on land wipes.

Modern and Legacy

In Modern, nonbasic land hate is typically narrower, such as withBlood Moon. However, older formats like Legacy include more powerful effects and recursive engines, making cards that destroy nonbasic lands relevant for sideboards or specific metas.

Pauper and Limited

These formats rarely feature powerful nonbasic lands, so full board wipes against nonbasics are usually irrelevant. However, tech options still exist to deal with problematic lands on a case-by-case basis.

Destroying all nonbasic lands in Magic: The Gathering is a high-impact move that can dramatically alter the flow of a game. It punishes greedy mana bases, disrupts advanced strategies, and provides breathing room for decks built with resilience in mind. Whether you’re the one casting Ruination or the one trying to survive it, understanding the mechanics, timing, and strategic context of nonbasic land destruction is essential. In the right hands, this tactic can be the difference between victory and defeat, especially in formats where mana is king and nonbasic lands are everywhere.