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Unlocking the Power of Red Blue Lands in Magic: The Gathering

In the vast and intricate world of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the strategic management of mana is paramount to success. Among the diverse color combinations and deck archetypes, the synergy between red and blue mana, often referred to as Izzet, offers a unique blend of aggressive spells and control elements. Central to any successful Izzet deck is the construction of a mana base that reliably produces both red and blue mana. This article will delve into the intricacies of building an effective mana base featuring red blue lands, exploring the various options available, and offering insights into optimizing your mana production for competitive play.

Understanding the Red-Blue (Izzet) Archetype

Before diving into specific land choices, it’s crucial to understand the core strengths and weaknesses of the red-blue archetype. Izzet decks typically revolve around casting instants and sorceries, leveraging card advantage and burn spells to control the board and eventually close out the game. Common strategies include:

Control: Disrupting opponents’ plans with counterspells and removal, then deploying powerful threats.
Tempo: Maintaining a board presence while disrupting the opponent’s strategy, using efficient spells to gain an advantage.
Combo: Assembling specific card combinations to generate a game-winning effect.
Aggro/Burn: Using direct damage spells to quickly reduce the opponent’s life total.

The specific needs of your Izzet deck will heavily influence your land choices. For example, a control-oriented deck might prioritize lands that enter the battlefield untapped to ensure early interaction, while a combo deck might value lands that offer card selection or mana fixing later in the game. A deck featuring a lot of fetchlands might want more basic lands to fetch.

Essential Red Blue Lands for Your Mana Base

Building a reliable mana base for a dual-color deck requires careful consideration of several factors, including the number of colored mana symbols in your spells (color density), the speed of your deck, and your budget. Here are some of the most important red blue lands to consider:

Dual Lands

These lands can tap for either red or blue mana, providing essential color fixing. They are the cornerstone of any dual-color mana base. Some examples include:

Steam Vents: A shock land from the Ravnica sets, Steam Vents enters the battlefield tapped unless you pay 2 life. This drawback is often worth it for the flexibility it provides, especially in faster formats. [See also: Shock Lands MTG]
Sulfur Falls: A check land from the Innistrad block, Sulfur Falls enters the battlefield tapped unless you control an Island or a Mountain. This makes it a solid choice for decks that run a decent number of basic lands.
Spirebluff Canal: A fast land from the Kaladesh block, Spirebluff Canal enters the battlefield untapped if you have two or fewer other lands. It provides a burst of early mana but loses its advantage as the game progresses.
Izzet Guildgate: A common land that always enters the battlefield tapped, Izzet Guildgate is a budget-friendly option for casual play.
Training Center: From the Commander Legends set, Training Center taps for colorless mana, or adds one red or blue mana if you control a commander.
Riverglide Pathway // Lavaglide Pathway: A modal double-faced card that can enter the battlefield as either a red or blue land, providing flexibility.

Fetch Lands

Fetch lands allow you to search your library for a specific land type and put it onto the battlefield. While they don’t directly produce red or blue mana, they enable you to find the dual lands you need. Popular options include:

Scalding Tarn: Fetches Islands or Mountains.
Misty Rainforest: Fetches Islands or Forests (can be used to find Breeding Pool which taps for Blue).
Arid Mesa: Fetches Mountains or Plains (can be used to find Sacred Foundry which taps for Red).

Fetch lands also thin your deck, slightly increasing the chances of drawing spells later in the game. However, they can be expensive and slow down gameplay due to the shuffling required. They are especially useful in three color decks where fixing is paramount.

Utility Lands

These lands offer additional benefits beyond simply producing mana. They can provide card advantage, removal, or other useful effects. Consider these options:

Mystic Sanctuary: When it enters the battlefield, you can put an instant or sorcery card from your graveyard on top of your library. Useful in decks with lots of instants and sorceries.
Otawara, Soaring City: Can be tapped to return target artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker to its owner’s hand.
Minamo, School at Water’s Edge: Can untap a legendary creature.

Basic Lands

While dual lands and fetch lands are important, don’t underestimate the importance of basic Islands and Mountains. They are immune to land destruction effects and can be fetched with basic land fetchers. Include a sufficient number of each to support your deck’s color requirements. Basic lands are also important for mitigating the life loss associated with shock lands.

Optimizing Your Red Blue Lands Mana Base

Building an effective mana base is not just about including the right lands; it’s also about optimizing the number of each type of land and ensuring a smooth mana curve. Here are some tips:

Calculate your color requirements: Analyze your decklist and determine how many red and blue mana symbols appear in your spells. This will help you determine the appropriate ratio of Islands and Mountains.
Consider your mana curve: If your deck relies on casting early spells, prioritize lands that enter the battlefield untapped. If your deck is slower, you can afford to include more lands that enter tapped.
Balance speed and consistency: Fast lands like Spirebluff Canal offer early mana but lose their advantage later. Check lands like Sulfur Falls are more consistent but require you to control basic lands. Find the right balance for your deck.
Test, test, test: The best way to optimize your mana base is to playtest your deck extensively and track your mana consistency. Pay attention to how often you are mana screwed or mana flooded, and adjust your land counts accordingly.
Use mana calculators: Several online tools can help you calculate the optimal number of lands and color ratios for your deck. These tools take into account factors such as the number of colored mana symbols in your spells and the speed of your deck.

Budget Considerations for Red Blue Lands

The cost of red blue lands can vary significantly depending on their rarity and demand. Fetch lands and shock lands are generally the most expensive, while basic lands and common dual lands like Izzet Guildgate are much more affordable. If you’re on a budget, consider these strategies:

Prioritize check lands: Sulfur Falls and similar check lands offer a good balance of consistency and affordability.
Use budget dual lands: Izzet Guildgate and similar common dual lands can provide color fixing on a budget.
Trade or borrow: If you have friends who play Magic, consider trading or borrowing lands from them.
Gradually upgrade: Start with a budget mana base and gradually upgrade to more expensive lands as your budget allows.

Examples of Red Blue Lands Mana Base Construction

Let’s look at some example mana bases for different types of Izzet decks:

Izzet Control (Standard)

4 Steam Vents
4 Sulfur Falls
2 Spirebluff Canal
6 Islands

6 Mountains

Izzet Tempo (Modern)

4 Scalding Tarn
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Arid Mesa
2 Steam Vents
2 Sulfur Falls
1 Spirebluff Canal
2 Islands
1 Mountain

Izzet Budget (Commander)

1 Command Tower
1 Training Center
10 Islands
10 Mountains
1 Izzet Guildgate
Other budget dual lands

Conclusion

Building a solid mana base with the right red blue lands is essential for success with Izzet decks in Magic: The Gathering. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the archetype, carefully considering your land choices, and optimizing your mana curve, you can ensure that you have the mana you need to cast your spells and dominate your opponents. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a casual player, mastering the art of mana base construction is a skill that will serve you well in the world of MTG. Remember to test your mana base extensively and adjust it based on your experiences. Good luck, and may your mana always be plentiful!