BinderLoot

Mana and colors

Lands make the mana, and the symbols in a cost name the colors it needs.

5 min read

After this guide you can

  • Say if a group of lands can pay a cost, generic and colored.
  • Say what happens to mana that you do not spend before the step ends.

What each color does well

  • white

    Small creatures in numbers, gaining life, and clearing the whole board at once.

    Wrath of God, a white sorcery that destroys every creature on the battlefield

  • blue

    Drawing cards, countering a spell before it happens, and creatures that fly.

    We Say Thee Nay!, a blue instant that counters a spell while it waits on the stack

  • black

    Killing a creature, searching your deck, and paying life for an advantage.

    Hour of Defeat, a black instant that destroys one creature

  • red

    Cheap fast creatures, haste, and damage aimed straight at a target.

    Lightning Strike, a red instant that deals three damage and has no power or toughness

  • green

    The biggest creatures, trample, and extra mana earlier than anyone else.

    Llanowar Elves, a green creature that taps to add one green mana

Wrath of God, Commander Masters, illustrated by Willian Murai. We Say Thee Nay!, Marvel Super Heroes, illustrated by Mateus Manhanini. Hour of Defeat, Marvel Super Heroes, illustrated by Jake Murray. Lightning Strike, Marvel Super Heroes, illustrated by Toni Infante. Llanowar Elves, Foundations, illustrated by Kev Walker. Card images from Scryfall. Magic: The Gathering is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast. Marvel and all related character names are trademarks of MARVEL. BinderLoot is unofficial Fan Content and is not approved or endorsed by Wizards or by Marvel.

  • White: order and community. Small armies, life gain, protection, and spells that destroy every creature at once.
  • Blue: knowledge and control. Card draw, counterspells, cards that return a permanent to its owner, and creatures with flying.
  • Black: power at any cost. Spells that destroy a creature, spells that search your library, and effects you pay life for.
  • Red: freedom and impulse. Cheap fast creatures, haste, and direct damage.
  • Green: growth. Large creatures, trample, +1/+1 counters, and extra mana.

  • Magic has five colors: white, blue, black, red and green.

    CR 105.1

  • A card has the colors of the mana symbols in its mana cost. The frame does not decide the color.

    CR 105.1, 105.2

Lands make mana

  • Forest, a basic land that taps to add one green manaForestBasic Land — Forest
  • Island, a basic land that taps to add one blue manaIslandBasic Land — Island
  • Llanowar Elves, a green creature that taps to add one green manaLlanowar ElvesCreature — Elf Druid · 1/1

Forest, Marvel Super Heroes, illustrated by Domenico Cava. Island, Marvel Super Heroes, illustrated by Raymond Bonilla. Llanowar Elves, Foundations, illustrated by Kev Walker. Card images from Scryfall. Magic: The Gathering is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast. Marvel and all related character names are trademarks of MARVEL. BinderLoot is unofficial Fan Content and is not approved or endorsed by Wizards or by Marvel.

To add mana, tap a land: turn it sideways. A Forest adds . An Island adds . A tapped land untaps at the start of your next turn.

Llanowar Elves reads {T}: Add . It is a creature, and it makes mana the same way a land does.

  • Each basic land taps for one mana of its color: Plains for , Island for , Swamp for , Mountain for and Forest for .

    CR 305.6

  • Tapping a land for mana is a mana ability. It does not use the stack, and a player can activate it while casting a spell.

    CR 605.1a, 605.3a, 601.2g

Paying a cost

{2} asks for one green mana and two more mana of any color.

Pay the colored symbols first, because only the right color pays them. Any mana that is left over pays the number.

  • A number in a cost is generic mana, and mana of any color can pay it. A colored symbol needs mana of that exact color.

    CR 107.4b, 107.4

Worked example: can these lands pay for Wrath of God?

  • Wrath of God, a white sorcery that destroys every creature on the battlefieldWrath of GodSorcery
  • Island, a basic land that taps to add one blue manaIslandBasic Land — Island
  • Forest, a basic land that taps to add one green manaForestBasic Land — Forest

Wrath of God, Commander Masters, illustrated by Willian Murai. Island, Marvel Super Heroes, illustrated by Raymond Bonilla. Forest, Marvel Super Heroes, illustrated by Domenico Cava. Card images from Scryfall. Magic: The Gathering is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast. Marvel and all related character names are trademarks of MARVEL. BinderLoot is unofficial Fan Content and is not approved or endorsed by Wizards or by Marvel.

  1. 1Wrath of God costs {2}: two white mana and two mana of any color.
  2. 2You control two Plains, an Island and a Forest. Four lands make four mana, so the total is enough.
  3. 3Pay the colored symbols first. The two Plains add .
  4. 4The Island adds and the Forest adds . Generic mana takes any color, so they pay the {2}.
  5. 5Every symbol is paid, so you can cast Wrath of God.

Your turn: pay for Savage Land Dinosaur

  • Savage Land Dinosaur, a green creature that is a 7/6 with trampleSavage Land DinosaurCreature — Dinosaur · 7/6

Savage Land Dinosaur, Marvel Super Heroes, illustrated by Josu Hernaiz. Card images from Scryfall. Magic: The Gathering is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast. Marvel and all related character names are trademarks of MARVEL. BinderLoot is unofficial Fan Content and is not approved or endorsed by Wizards or by Marvel.

Savage Land Dinosaur costs {4}.

1 / 2You control three Forests and three Islands. Can you cast it?
2 / 2You control two Forests and three Islands. Can you cast it?

Check yourself

1 / 3Your lands can add {G}{G}{U}. Which card can you cast?
2 / 3You tap a Forest in your first main phase and do not spend the {G}. Can you spend it in combat?
3 / 3It is the turn of your opponent. Can you play a land?
Next guideHow a turn runsFive phases, always in the same order. Each card type has its own phases.

Sources