Tier list: Lands

[Morganator 2.0]

Everyone likes arguing over tier lists right? For the next week or so I'm going to periodically post my take on a different category of cards in commander and place them in a tier list of my own making. If you think that something is misplaced on the list, or I've forgotten something that should be ranked, or you think there should be more/less tiers, comment on it below.


With that out of the way, I'm going to start with lands. All decks need lands and the more colours you have, the more you have to worry about colour fixing. Do you agree with this ranking?

A Tier
Lands that enter untapped, give any colour of mana, and have few conditions.

Command Tower, Exotic Orchard, Forbidden Orchard, Mana Confluence.

B Tier
Lands that give 2 colours, with light/no conditions.

OG duals, fetch lands, shock lands, bond lands, pain lands.

C Tier
Lands that give 2 colours, with moderate conditions.

Check lands, filter lands, horizon lands, slow lands.

D Tier
Lands that give 2 colours, with strict conditions.

Pathways, fast lands, reveal lands, tango lands.

E Tier
Lands that unconditionally enter tapped.

Gain lands, guildgates, tri-colour taplands, bounce lands, temples.

Other lands and their positions
Ancient Tomb: A
Gaea's Cradle: A
Boseiju, Who Endures: B
Cabal Coffers: B
Gemstone Caverns: B
Grove of the Burnwillows: B
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx: B
Reflecting Pool: B
Spire of Industry: B
Gemstone Mine: C
Hall of the Bandit Lord: C
Nimbus Maze: C
Path of Ancestry: C
Prismatic Vista: C
Tainted Lands: C
Fabled Passage: D
Triomes: D
Evolving Wilds: E
Myriad Landscape: E
Reliquary Tower: E
River of Tears: E
Temple of the False God: F
Rupture Spire: F


Next tier list: mana ramp

[WWolfe]

Good list. I really don't see much to argue with. It's probably a different discussion but I will just add I think the Battlebond lands could have been the perfect lands for Commander if they included the land type so they were fetchable.

I have a feeling the ramp one could get interesting.

[ApothecaryGeist]

I would argue that the filter lands should be Tier B.  They don't enter tapped.  They make two colors.  Certainly the Lorwyn block filters are superior to the Odyssey filters.  But that seems more like a Talisman vs Guild Signet kind of thing.


I liked that you put some lands in Tier F, without ever defining Tier F.  Sneaky way to say "failure".   


I would also argue that Temple of the False God should be a higher tier than F.  It does not enter tapped.  It makes multiple mana.  You just have to be aware when it's in your opening hand that it is just like Gilded Lotus.  If this card said "you can't play this land unless you have four or more other lands on the battlefield" instead of the limit on the activation, I don't think it would garner the hate that it has.


Why are the Triomes in tier D?  Rather than tier E?  They always enter tapped.

[Morganator 2.0]

Why are the Triomes in tier D?  Rather than tier E?  They always enter tapped.

The Triomes I went back-and-forth on for a while. The only credit to their name is that they are the only lands that are three-mana and fetchable (besides Murmuring Bosk). So when you have a fetchland and you need the mana immediately, you grab a shock land or something. If you can wait on the mana, you fetch a triome on the end step before your turn.

But without a fetchland, yeah, the triomes are pretty awful. It felt wrong to give them the same rating as a bounce land though.

[Landale]

I feel like the E rank should probably be split between those that still do something, like Temple of Enlightenment, or have niche applications, like Azorius Guildgate or Razortide Bridge, and those that do quite literally nothing, like Coastal Tower. The first sort especially can at least be seen as something with a forced "1: Do thing" which can be valuable.
So basically E "Lands that enter unconditionally tapped, but do something or have niche uses" and F "Lands that enter unconditionally tapped, and do nothing.", otherwise I don't see much to argue about with this listing.

Also, where would you put Maze of Ith? Just because that one is a really weird land.

[ApothecaryGeist]

Also, where would you put Maze of Ith? Just because that one is a really weird land.

Easy.  Maze of Ith is not really a land.  It does not make mana.  It's an artifact in disguise.  The cost is "this thing eats a land drop."


It should not be counted in your land count for purposes of measuring your mana base.


Same with Dark Depths.

[Morganator 2.0]

Also, where would you put Maze of Ith? Just because that one is a really weird land.

I would never include Maze of Ith or the manaless lands as part of my land count. I would judge Maze of Ith as protection and that's all.

[WWolfe]

I never count Maze of Ith or any other land that can't produce mana on its own (Cabal Coffers for instance) in my land count. They go under some other category.

[UrizenII]

We all know basic Forests are A+ tier.  Wizards pls ban.

Why are the Triomes in tier D?  Rather than tier E?  They always enter tapped.

The Triomes I went back-and-forth on for a while. The only credit to their name is that they are the only lands that are three-mana and fetchable (besides Murmuring Bosk). So when you have a fetchland and you need the mana immediately, you grab a shock land or something. If you can wait on the mana, you fetch a triome on the end step before your turn.

The key is that they have basic types.  Are they objectively good?  Not really, but Domain sure loves them, especially in five-color decks.  Slimefoot's Survey for two triomes and you suddenly have full Domain... problem is there are very few domain cards that are any good outside of Collective Restraint.

Since we're talking about utility lands, wow would you classify them in this tier system?  Is this intended only for color-producing lands and there is a separate list for utility lands?  Most of them only tap for colorless, but that's almost never why you play them.  I run Tectonic Edge and Ghost Quarter (would be Wasteland and Strip Mine if I was willing to spend the money) in almost every deck I can afford to because it's invaluable to be able to blow up a well-used Reliquary Tower or a Gaea's Cradle/Itlimoc or Cabal Coffers.  Arcane Lighthouse is one I almost always run too provided I have a respectable amount of targeted removal/interaction.

[EMaxxi]

Why are the Triomes in tier D?  Rather than tier E?  They always enter tapped.

The Triomes I went back-and-forth on for a while. The only credit to their name is that they are the only lands that are three-mana and fetchable (besides Murmuring Bosk). So when you have a fetchland and you need the mana immediately, you grab a shock land or something. If you can wait on the mana, you fetch a triome on the end step before your turn.

But without a fetchland, yeah, the triomes are pretty awful. It felt wrong to give them the same rating as a bounce land though.

I think Triomes deserve a bump a C tier, too. Fetchability is a big plus compared to the og Alara/KTK trilands.

[AlltheTokens]

I would be tempted to put reflecting pool and the OG duels in A tier.

[Aetherium Slinky]

I would be tempted to put reflecting pool and the OG duels in A tier.

That's a bit deck dependent. Reflecting Poo cannot fix colours so it's not very good in that sense. It can help double-pip if your deck runs stuff like Thoracle Consultation (double blue). OG duals are good... but in a weird spot. There already exist lands that can produce more colours for similar downsides so while they're extremely good as standalone cards they're not the best lands you can have. Combine them with fetches and the story is a little different as that is definitely an A-tier "combo".