Why is Ash barrens Better then Evolving wilds?
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Nov. 8, 2016, 1:11 a.m. by joecool1299
I keep hearing Hype for Ash Barrens and I don't quite get it.
I mean no one says Evolving Wilds is a great card but aren't they essentially the same card? Both get a land out of you deck. Both use one mana to work (Evolving winds land comes in tapped and Ash Barrens cost one to use) and both take up your land drop for the turn (As you still have to play the basic land)
I mean, Ash Barren can be done at instant speed. Which is basically irrelevant. And I will concede it's good in decks like The Gitrog Monster and Titania, Protector of Argoth but then again, so is Evolving Wilds.
And just to be clear, I'm not saying "IF YOU THINK ASH BARRENS IS GOOD YOU ATE GLUE AS A CHILD" I'm clearly in the minority. I'm not even saying it's bad. But worthy of being one of the best and in the set? I just am very confused. Why do you guys think this card is good?
The benefit behind Ash Barrens is that while yo uhave to pay mana for it, you get the mana of the colour you need untapped, that turn. The biggest drawback of Evolving Wilds or Terramorphic Expanse is that you have to wait until next turn before you get the coloured mana.
Here however, you can spend a differnt colour that you don't need (or a colourless mana) to fix right now.
November 8, 2016 1:34 a.m.
GolgariLeprechaun says... #4
If you feel like you need that kind of effect in your commander deck, I would just run both. Either fixes for you and both work equally well with Deathrite Shaman, which is what I am most interested in.
That being said, I believe the folks who are most excited about this card are the pauper community. It's very flexible mana fixing at common.
November 8, 2016 2:06 a.m.
Gidgetimer says... #5
The ability to be played as a colorless source can not be underestimated. Many three color decks only run five or six basics and four color will probably only run four. I have had every basic pulled out of a deck before. In that scenario I would rather draw a source of colorless mana over a card that does stone nothing.
November 8, 2016 7:24 a.m.
Jreluctance says... #6
enpc nailed it in my opinion. There has been many games where I needed a specific color untapped that turn, and Ash Barrens helps tremendously over Terramorphic Expanse and Evolving Wilds. On a budget I'd run all 3.
November 8, 2016 1:53 p.m.
joecool1299 says... #7
I appreciate all the posts! Still not sold on Ash barrens being as great as everyone says it is, but I guess i get it more now.
November 8, 2016 9:51 p.m.
I don't think it's that great and certainly not the best card in the set, however it is infinitely better than Evolving Wilds. Wilds eats your land drop, whereas Ash Barrens can be cycled on end step allowing you to leave up counter magic ect (imo the biggest difference, but it's HUGE). If a wilds gets Stifled you got Stone Rained, if Barrens gets stifled then they just countered Lay of the Land. Barrens can be played untapped for mana the turn you play it, wilds etbs tapped. Ash Barrens can be cycled turn 1 at no disadvantage (usually), playing evolving wilds will always set you back a turn. Quite honestly you shouldn't be playing Evolving Wilds ever, this is somewhat playable maybe in five-colour or something, in the end though they're both just worse than real fetchlands. Also this triggers Astral Slide.
Onion_duck says... #2
The advantage Ash Barrens has over Evolving Wilds is that you can just play it as a Wastes if you need the mana that turn.
November 8, 2016 1:25 a.m.