Some mechanics are just plain satisfying. They tap into natural game actions, taking something every player does and turning it into something extraordinary. That's exactly what the mechanic Landfall does. You play lands, you get value. Simple and clean.

And while it's yet another mechanic that would appear to be rather straightforward on the surface, the depth and creativity Landfall brings to the table over its lifetime actually make it one of Magic's most beloved mechanics.

So, in today's Mechanics Overview Segment, let's talk a bit about Landfall: how it works, why it's so exciting and fun, and how you can get the most out of this "lands matter" mechanic.

What is Landfall?

"Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control..."

Landfall is an ability word tied to triggered effects that activate when a land enters the battlefield under your control...

And, that's pretty much it! Every time you drop a land, whether it's a basic Plains or a fancy Fetch Land, you're unlocking a little (or sometimes, big) bonus from all your Landfall cards. Some boost your creatures, others generate tokens, draw cards, and even deal damage. Whatever the payoff, the message is abundantly clear: play more lands, get more value.

The History of Landfall

Landfall first appeared in 2009 with the Zendikar set, which was quite literally all about the idea of "lands matter." And even as its first appearance, the mechanic instantly became one of the standout mechanics of the block, making cards like Bloodghast, Hedron Crab, and Lotus Cobra fan favorites (these 3 Landfall cards, in particular, still see play today across multiple formats!).

Of course, over time, Magic has since expanded Landfall's possibilities:

• Zendikar (2009): Truly, the start of something magical.
• Battle for Zendikar (2015): The thing I found most interesting about this set was the fact that the "Retreat" cycle was what saw the most amount of experimentation. Yes, we had an Omnath in the background, but not even Standard players at the time could resist testing out new modal Landfall Enchantments.
• Zendikar Rising (2020): MDFC lands (Modal Double-Faced Cards) are good, and I hope we get even more in the future.
• Beyond Zendikar: In 2022, Landfall was promoted to deciduous status, meaning it could show up in any set where it fits.

Landfall Strategy

Play Lands, Get Value

Landfall decks turn your lands into a constant stream of value. Even the ever-so-humble Evolving Wilds can suddenly look great when paired with creatures like:

• Tireless Tracker (make two clues for absolutely no reason).
• Bristly Bill, Spine Sower (two FREE +1/+1 Counters to double up later).
• Omnath, Locus of Creation (life gain, mana, and damage all in one package).
• Rampaging Baloths (this one goes out to all the Timmys and Precon enthusiasts out there).
• Nissa, Resurgent Animist (This Nissa was so efficient at what she did that a whole deck was practically built around her, and she took Standard by storm for like 3 months until pieces of the deck rotated).

But you know, I'm just out here naming a few good Landfall cards (psst psst, there's a whole lot more out there).

Lands Are Always Relevant

One of the worst feelings in MTG is top-decking a land when you're out of gas. But in a Landfall deck, lands are never dead draws. Every land drop keeps the momentum going, whether it's powering up your creatures, creating tokens, or triggering other effects.

Synergy Still Matters

Even though the mechanic revolves around just lands, Landfall still thrives on that constant notion of synergy when deck-building. Simply utilize the best ramp spells like Exploration and Three Visits, or even the old-school Cultivate with some Fetch Lands or token generators, and you can create huge turns where multiple Landfall triggers stack up all at once!

The Future of Landfall

As I briefly mentioned earlier, with Landfall's promotion to a deciduous mechanic, the future of this mechanic is looking brighter than ever. Remember, we're talking about a mechanic that rewards players for doing what they were already going to do, playing lands, and turning it into something actually relevant in terms of gameplay.

Here's my quick take on where Landfall might be headed and how it could potentially evolve in future MTG sets:

Scaling Landfall Effects

More cards like Omnath, Locus of Creation, and Nissa, Resurgent Animist, where the reward increases based on the number of lands you've played that turn, similar to the "second spell cast" mechanics seen in some sets.

Now, would this be broken? Not necessarily. All I could see this doing is making more dedicated Landfall lists appear. And I think that's a good thing for both us players as well as WoTC (please feel free to ignore my brief rant about Nissa, Resurgent Animist, earlier).

Landfall with Alternate Costs

Abilities that trigger Landfall but require additional mana to activate their full effects, allowing players to choose when to invest resources.

I think this would be a pretty neat concept to see. After all, Landfall decks are already focused on getting as many lands out in the shortest amount of time. Why not use the mana that's just laying around to further commit to a "lands-matter" plan?

Multiplayer Landfall

Cards designed specifically to interact with other players' lands entering the battlefield, potentially adding even more political or cooperative dynamics in formats like Commander.

Can you hear it already? "Don't do it, Tom! PLEASE don't crack your Fetch Land! Jimmy only needs one more Landfall trigger until he can ping my face for 10! NOOOOOO!"

Now, doesn't that just sound like fun for the whole table?

And with all that said, here's to the future of Landfall and the downfall of Jimmy, who definitely shouldn't have first-blooded Tom in a game of Commander. As always; happy brewing, and may the next time you drop a land bring you all the value. Until next time!