Cave
| Cave | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Land Type | |
| (Subtype for land cards) | |
| Introduced | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan |
| Last used | Modern Horizons 3 |
| Scryfall Statistics | |
Cave is a nonbasic land type used for cards that depict deep caves and caverns. It was introduced in The Lost Caverns of Ixalan.[1]
Description
Much like the Deserts in Hour of Devastation, Caves are utility lands. They don't have a unique mechanical identity but are referenced by other cards. To differentiate from Deserts, the cards that refer to it scale up rather than use a binary; the fact that a portion of these lands is put in a large set land slot rather than as commons in a small set changes the math slightly.
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan featured a cycle of common Caves that can exist in the land slot. These Caves enable descending and represent a spell in the late game. Two other mana-fixing caves occur in the same slot: Captivating Cave and Promising Vein.
| Cycle name | 
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caves | Hidden Courtyard | Hidden Cataract | Hidden Necropolis | Hidden Volcano | Hidden Nursery |
| Five common nonbasic Cave lands that enter tapped. Each land can sacrifice itself to discover 4. | |||||
Other Caves in the set are:
- Captivating Cave
- Cavernous Maw
- Echoing Deeps
- Forgotten Monument
- Geode Grotto (Transformed)
- Mycoid Maze (Transformed)
- Pit of Offerings
- Promising Vein
- Shadow's Lair (Transformed)
- Sunken Citadel
- Tecutlan, the Searing Rift (Transformed Legendary)
- The Tomb of Aclazotz (Transformed Legendary)
- Volatile Fault
Modern Horizons 3 and MH3 Commander added:
- Urza's Cave
- Sunken Palace
- Planar Nexus (every non-basic land type)
Caring about Caves
Several cards from The Lost Caverns of Ixalan interact with Caves. Many also refer to them in the graveyard as well, given the graveyard theming of the set.
Storyline
Caves are present on many worlds, and can range from simple indentations in a mountainside to extensive underground systems. Many caves are not necessarily named in lore, but serve as simple shelter and hideouts for those who need it.
Caves of Dominaria
Jamuraa
Terisiare
Unknown location
- Dromar's Cavern
- Gemstone Caverns
Caves of Innistrad
Caves of Ixalan
- Atzal, Cave of Eternity
- Tecutlan
- The Tomb of Aclazotz
Caves of Kamigawa
- Toshi's cave
Caves of Mercadia
Caves of Rath
Caves of Shandalar
Caves of Zendikar
Trivia
- Cave once was a proposed basic land type that would have been associated with Purple.[2][3]
- There are currently no plans to errata older cards that are flavored as caves (e.g. Bloodfell Caves, Gemstone Caverns, Cave of Temptation, Caves of Koilos, Cavern of Souls)[4][5]
- Cave People is an obsolete creature type.
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 24, 2023). "Given the set name, why caves and not caverns?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 31, 2014). "What would the basic land for purple be?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 8, 2021). "27 Things You Might Have Not Known About Time Spiral Block". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 24, 2023). "Will any lands be getting errata to make them retroactively caves?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 29, 2023). "Why is Cavern of Souls not a cave?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
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