Pain land
Pain lands is the term that typically refer to the land cycles first printed in Ice Age and Apocalypse. However the term can be applied to every land, which deal "pain" damage to you every time you tap it for colored mana.
Original pain lands
The lands providing allied colors were printed originally in Ice Age, those providing enemy colors in Apocalypse. These lands were first referred to as pain lands, even though City of Brass was printed earlier. The former were reprinted in 5th Edition, 6th Edition, and 7th Edition, the latter in Magic 2015 and Magic Origins. The complete cycle of ten lands were reprinted in 9th Edition and 10th Edition.
They provide two different colors of mana for 1 damage, but can also be tapped for colorless mana without taking damage.
Allied colored
- Adarkar Wastes (/)
- Underground River (/)
- Sulfurous Springs (/)
- Karplusan Forest (/)
- Brushland (/)
Enemy colored
- Caves of Koilos (/)
- Shivan Reef (/)
- Llanowar Wastes (/)
- Battlefield Forge (/)
- Yavimaya Coast (/)
Pain taplands
There is a cycle of five lesser-known pain lands from Tempest. They work exactly like the original pain lands, but are also taplands.[1]
- Salt Flats (/)
- Caldera Lake (/)
- Pine Barrens (/)
- Scabland (/)
- Skyshroud Forest (/)
In addition there exists the Grand Coliseum, which can tap for mana of any color.
Pain talismans
In Mirrodin, five artifacts were printed that resemble the original pain lands from Ice Age.
- Talisman of Progress (/)
- Talisman of Dominance (/)
- Talisman of Indulgence (/)
- Talisman of Impulse (/)
- Talisman of Unity (/)
Threshold pain lands
Odyssey had a cycle of mono-colored pain lands with a threshold ability. They cannot produce colorless mana, but can be sacrificed for their threshold effect.
- Nomad Stadium ()
- Cephalid Coliseum ()
- Cabal Pit ()
- Barbarian Ring ()
- Centaur Garden ()
Spell Deserts
Hour of Devastation has a cycle of mono-colored Deserts. They can produce colorless mana and can be sacrified for their ability.
- Shefet Dunes ()
- Ipnu Rivulet ()
- Ifnir Deadlands ()
- Ramunap Ruins ()
- Hashep Oasis ()
Other pain lands
- Ancient Tomb can only be tapped for for 2 damage.
- City of Brass can't tap for colorless, but can produce any color for 1 damage.
- Tarnished Citadel can produce any color for 3 damage, but can also be tapped for .
- Murmuring Bosk (/) has the basic land type Forest. It can be tapped for (instead of ) without taking damage.
Pay life
Most pain lands deal damage to you when activating. This damage is a separate effect and can be prevented without losing the mana. However some pain lands require you to pay the life, before getting the mana.
- Mana Confluence can't tap for colorless, but can produce any color for paying 1 life.
- Horizon Canopy (/) for paying 1 life, can't tap for colorless, instead it can be sacrificed to draw a card.
- Corrupted Crossroads can produce any color for paying 1 life, which can only be spend to cast Devoid spells.