MTG Shock Lands — Complete Guide
Shock lands are the most important dual land cycle for competitive Magic. They have basic land types, which means fetch lands can find them, and they give you the choice between 2 life for an untapped land or entering tapped for free. In aggressive decks, we almost always pay the life. In control, we take them tapped early. Every Pioneer, Modern, and Commander mana base starts with shock lands.
All 10 Shock Lands
| Card | Colors |
|---|---|
| Hallowed Fountain | White/Blue (Azorius) |
| Godless Shrine | White/Black (Orzhov) |
| Sacred Foundry | White/Red (Boros) |
| Temple Garden | White/Green (Selesnya) |
| Watery Grave | Blue/Black (Dimir) |
| Steam Vents | Blue/Red (Izzet) |
| Breeding Pool | Blue/Green (Simic) |
| Blood Crypt | Black/Red (Rakdos) |
| Overgrown Tomb | Black/Green (Golgari) |
| Stomping Ground | Red/Green (Gruul) |
Key Details
- Tier: Premium (1/3)
- Entry: Choice: pay 2 life for untapped, or enter tapped for free.
- Fetchable: Yes (has basic land types)
- Life cost: 2 per use
- Cards in cycle: 10
Format Legality
| Standard | Pioneer | Modern | Legacy | Commander |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
Strategy
Run 4 copies of your on-color shock lands in Modern and Pioneer. In Commander, run every shock land in your color identity. The 2 life is worth the flexibility. Shock lands are the first dual land cycle you should buy for any collection because they are legal in Pioneer, Modern, and Commander simultaneously.
Related Cycles
- Fetch Lands — Pay 1 life, sac: search for a land with basic land type.
- Allied Fetch Lands — Pay 1 life, sac: search for a land with basic land type. Onslaught allied pairs.
- Original Dual Lands — No drawback. Two basic land types. Reserved List.
- Fast Lands — ETB untapped if you control 2 or fewer lands.
- Fast Lands (Enemy) — ETB untapped if you control 2 or fewer lands.
Build Your Mana Base
Use our Mana Base Calculator to find the right mix of Shock Lands and other duals for your deck. Paste a Moxfield or Archidekt link and get Monte Carlo-simulated land counts. See all 48 dual land cycles in our complete Dual Land Cycles Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are shock lands legal in Standard?
Yes. All 10 Ravnica shock lands are currently Standard legal thanks to their reprint in Lorwyn Eclipsed (January 2026). They are also legal in Pioneer, Modern, Legacy, Vintage, and Commander.
Should I always pay 2 life for shock lands?
In aggressive and tempo decks, yes. Being a turn ahead in tempo is worth 2 life. In control decks, you can afford to take them tapped on turns 1-2 when you are holding up interaction anyway. In Commander, the 2 life matters less because you start at 40.
Why are shock lands so good?
Shock lands have basic land types (Plains, Island, etc.), which means fetch lands can search for them. A single Flooded Strand can find Hallowed Fountain (WU), Godless Shrine (WB), or Sacred Foundry (WR). This makes shock lands the most flexible color fixers in Modern.