Viability of Battle-lands in 3+ color decks
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Dec. 8, 2015, 3:53 p.m. by GeminiSpartanX
I'm wondering how useful the new BFZ lands are in commander decks with 3 or more colors. Once all the combinations are available in Oath of the Gatewatch (hopefully), should I run the 3 grixis colored ones in my grixis edh deck? What is the desired number of basics that a 3-color list should run to make the BFZ lands better than any CIPT dual? Do any of you have personal experience with them yet? Are they better than alara fastlands? Thanks!
julianjmoss says... #3
I think it depends on the deck in general. For a lot of green decks and non control decks, they will basically be an extra dual or shock. A lot of control decks mana is really tight already and they probably won't fit in.
December 8, 2015 4:11 p.m.
for those of us that cannot afford ABUR duals, these are a great alternative. i myself am happy to see them printed and plan to include them in pretty much all my decks that have 10+ basics
December 8, 2015 4:14 p.m. Edited.
I mean, what's your budget? The 3-3-9 split of Duals, Shocks, and Fetches is insanely reliable. After that, the check lands are godly. Beyond that, you've got Reflecting Pool and Command Tower + around 5 or so utility lands. Then there's the filter lands. Not really a big fan in 3 colors, tbh.
December 8, 2015 4:14 p.m.
UpperDeckerTaco says... #6
Each edh build should run a good number of basics but not an abundance of them. I play in a group where land destruction is a thing. Especially against a particular red deck that runs Blood Moon and the one land wipe that hits only nonbasics (the name escapes me). So I run a minimum basic count of 9 in my 3 color edh where it would allow me to be able to cast my colored spells easier should the board reach the state of disruption with the land destro and Blood Moons. Example: the most amount of White symbols in one of my spells is 3, Avacyn, Angel of Hope, do I run a minimum of 3 Basic plains. This has allowed me not to get wrecked by Blood Moon aND it makes it so the other players have to deal with it and it has little effect on me do I don't waste resources. Unless I absolutely need to get rid if it for some reason. Also I run Chromatic Lantern and other mana rocks to assist in casting my spells. It's all dependent upon your playgroup. And it depends on how you need to cast your spells. I usually fetch up basics early and then grab battle lands. I also use the battle lands over alpha duals because I refuse to fork over the money for alpha duals. But I'd say 2 of each color basic should make them viable. Plus, just run the shkcklands also so if you need the untapper source when you fetch you can get it, if not, get the battle land instead.
December 8, 2015 4:16 p.m.
CastleSiege says... #7
They're good budget options for the ABUR duals since you can fetch them. If you already have ABUR duals, then I wouldn't bother including them.
December 8, 2015 4:35 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #8
They're inferior in an optimized land base, especially in competitive decks. Tricolor decks at that stage should be running the 3-3-9 and won't benefit enough from the tango/battle lands.
That said, they're fine in semicompetitive or casual decks. They can be run alongside fetches and shocks (in lieu of ABUR duals) to give you some advantage, but you'll need to have either a high ratio of basics or a sizable number of traditional ramp. For this reason, I think they're most viable in 
/X/Y decks. 
in particular should have no problem achieving the desired mix of ramp and fixing using these lands.
Theoretically, you could run one as tech in even an optimized build so you have another EOT fetch that will let you keep your shocks and ABURs fetchable for situations in which the land must enter untapped.
December 8, 2015 5:54 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #9
I'm gonna jump on board this train, if you have ABUR's probably not gonna have room, don't have them, then yes. Absolutely.
December 8, 2015 5:59 p.m.
GeminiSpartanX says... #10
Perhaps I should explain what I already have. I have the 3 on-color fetches, shocks, buddy-lands, painlands, filterlands, and ravnica bouncelands with the rest being a few utility lands and about 3 of each basic atm. I'm wondering if I should replace the ravnica bounce lands with the BFZ lands. My meta isn't super competitve and there is little in the way of LD, but it's competitve enough that you can't play all lands that CIPT. If it turns out that the BFZ lands are always CIPT with my existing manabase, then I'd rather run the ravnica bounces since they will at least ramp me a little bit more in a color combination that doesn't ramp mana well (grixis). I'm just wondering what other people's experiences have been using the BFZ lands.
December 8, 2015 11:22 p.m. Edited.
Epochalyptik says... #11
What does your complete land list look like?
Keep in mind that the effectiveness of tango lands has an inverse relationship with the nonbasic count in your deck. If you want more powerful fetchable duals, you'll need to cut some of your other nonbasics to help improve the tango lands' viability.
December 9, 2015 7:42 a.m.
GeminiSpartanX says... #12
Here's a link to my deck. I know it's not at the most 'optimal' level yet (meaning I'm not running 9 fetches and 3 legacy duals), but I'd like to make it the next best thing to that setup. (read: please address my question in the title to this particular deck and not just say "you need legacy duals and more fetches derp!") Thanks!
Jeleva, Temptress to Your Spells
Commander / EDH*
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December 9, 2015 2:06 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #13
If you're looking to run tangoes to some effect, I'd drop at least the Rav karoos and the tainted lands.
December 9, 2015 2:15 p.m.
GeminiSpartanX says... #14
Thanks for the feedback. I figured adding the tangoes would make the tainted lands better, though if I'm swapping them out for basics then there's a good reason.
vishnarg says... #2
I'm not bothering to include them. Fetches, shocks and ABUR duals are just so much better and the rest of the land slots in my EDH decks at least are used for other things.
December 8, 2015 3:58 p.m.