Can I used basic land in a colorless EDH eck?

Asked by SirSenor 3 years ago

I working on my first colorless edh deck. I recall reading somewhere that you can use 1 type basic land in place of wastes. Is still true or did I dream this up. I cant seem to find a source for this.

Thanks

Caerwyn says... #1

You did not dream this up, but it is not correct for constructed. In constructed (when you build a deck using purchased cards) your basic lands must also follow color identity rules - as such, you are limited to Wastes.

You are thinking about draft/sealed Commander (when you build your deck from cards opened in packs). Wastes are not common in Basic land piles at game stores or people’s houses, so they had to make a special rule if you draft a colorless Commander.

January 19, 2021 3:44 a.m.

Yesterday says... #2

IIRC, before the card Wastes existed, you were allowed to run another basic in their place in colourless decks. This was also back when you couldn't produce mana outside of your Commander's colour identity anyway.

Anyway, now you are stuck on Wastes. But if that's prohibitively expensive, as long as you're up front with your playgroup, I'd be surprised if they wouldn't let you just pretend that your Mountains in your deck are Wastes.

January 19, 2021 7:54 a.m.

Rhadamanthus says... #3

The rule you're thinking of is specific to Brawl:

903.12. Brawl Option
...
903.12e If a player’s commander has no colors in its color identity, that player’s deck may contain any number of basic lands of one basic land type of their choice. This is an exception to rule 903.5d.

January 19, 2021 9:48 a.m.

Neotrup says... Accepted answer #4

It's not a commander rule, it's a Brawl rule (903.12 covers the rules for Brawl):

903.12e If a player's commander has no colors in its color identity, that player’s deck may contain any number of basic lands of one basic land type of their choice. This is an exception to rule 903.5d.

@Caerwyn 903.13 covers Commander drafts, and does not have any such rule, it's possible this was a house rule for a cube you'd played. Conversely, I've seen cubes house rule that Wastes can be taken in any quantity like other basics, whether a Commander cube or otherwise.

As always, you can ask the people you play with if they're okay with it. If your group is already okay with proxying, just say you're using Plains as a proxy for Wastes and treat them as such.

January 19, 2021 9:54 a.m.

Caerwyn says... #5

Neotrup - Evidently it was the Brawl rule, which I had not actually paid any attention to until around the same time as Commander Legends was being spoiled. Seems I got my rules conflated as well.

Apologies for any confusion.

January 19, 2021 11:10 a.m.

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