Ash Barrens vs. Evolving Wilds/Terramorphic Expanse

General forum

Posted on Nov. 12, 2017, 5:27 p.m. by Snips500

I was wondering why Ash barnes was so expensive for a common (at roughly $3.00 a piece) and came across a few articles about how Ash Barrens was so much better than Evolving Wilds/Terramorphic Expanse. I started thinking about this and thought that with both cards you get the mana on the same turn either way.

so...

For Ash Barrens

You are on the play

-Turn 1 You play a basic land and tap to cycle Ash Barrens. You fetch up another land and end your turn.

-Turn 2 You play the land you fetched up. Land count: 2

and for Evolving Wilds/Terramorphic Expanse

You are on the play

-Turn 1 You play Evolving Wilds/Terramorphic Expanse and pass. On their end step you crack Evolving Wilds/Terramorphic Expanse and get the basic in tapped.

-Turn 2 You untap and maybe play another land. Land count: 1-2

Pro Evolving Wilds/Terramorphic Expanse

  1. You don't need another land turn 1 to fetch the land

  2. In the case of Daze and cards similar to it you have the right land type to bounce to your hand.

Con Evolving Wilds/Terramorphic Expanse

  1. Doesn't tap for mana like Ash Barrens

  2. You don't have a guaranteed second land turn 2

Pro Ash Barrens

  1. You have a guaranteed second land turn 2

  2. Taps for colorless mana if you decide to play it

Con Ash Barrens

  1. Land goes to your hand so Landfall doesn't get the double trigger and you might not have the right land type to bounce for cards like Daze.

  2. You need another mana source turn 1 to pay the cycle cost.

Overall I think Ash Barrens is the better card but Evolving Wilds/Terramorphic Expanse can be better in certain situations. I hope you found this helpful and if I made a mistake or would like to suggest another Pro/Con for either of them feel free.

Epochalyptik says... #2

This thread was moved to a more appropriate forum (auto-generated comment)

November 12, 2017 5:39 p.m.

MollyMab says... #3

Ash is also only in commander sets, which is gonna inflate that.

November 12, 2017 5:49 p.m.

Snips500 says... #4

LeaPlath Ya that makes sense.

November 12, 2017 6 p.m.

Razulghul says... #5

Honestly I would never put evolving/terramorphic in a deck over Ash Barrens unless landfall triggers mattered. Barrens can fix early and top decking it turn 3+ isnt terrible since it doesnt hurt tempo when just played like the others. Drawing into evolving/terramorphic when you really need a land, any land, is just painful.

November 12, 2017 8:18 p.m.

drmezmo says... #6

Most decks prefer the Barrens, but I found a single Evolving Wilds preferable to Ash Barrens in my Orzhov lifelink deck, where most of the spells can't use the colorless mana anyway, and I want to get something in a graveyard quickly so I can use Beckon Apparition at instant speed to get two surprise flying blockers with Nightsky Mimic.

September 8, 2018 5:56 p.m.

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