Clearwater Pathway // Murkwater Pathway (Clearwater Pathway)

Price$4.12 – $5.50

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Clearwater Pathway // Murkwater Pathway

Land // Land

LegalRank #753

{T} : Add {U} .

{T} : Add {B} .

Why is this card good?

Why it's good: Pathway lands solve the most basic problem in two-color decks: hitting your colors on time. Unlike a tapland, either side enters untapped, so you never lose tempo — the only cost is that you pick one color when it enters and can't switch later. In practice that's a minor downside, especially in the early turns when you know what you need. Who wants it: Any Dimir (UB) deck — control, mill, reanimator, theft, aristocrats with a black/blue lean. It's pure mana fixing with no real drawback, so it's an easy include in essentially every two-color UB list and in some Grixis/Sultai/Esper builds that want clean early fixing. When NOT to play it: If your deck cares about land types (fetchlands, Urborg, domain, landfall synergies that want basics or duals), a Pathway whiffs — it has no Island/Swamp typing. Also skip it in heavy three-plus-color decks where you'd rather run true duals or fetchable lands for flexibility.

Related cards

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UB dual that enters untapped with an Island or Swamp.

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UB shock land, untapped fixing for blue/black.

Darkslick Shores

UB fastland untapped early for two-color fixing.

Choked Estuary

UB check/reveal land for blue-black mana.

Underground Sea

Premier UB dual with both basic land types.

Morphic Pool

UB battlebond dual untapped with two-plus opponents.

River of Tears

Flexible UB land producing either color based on land drops.

Sunken Hollow

UB tango land untapped with two basics.

Printings (5)

sluSecret Lair: Ultimate Edition · #15R$9.34Buy

plstThe List · #ZNR-260R$5.50Buy

pznrZendikar Rising Promos · #260sR$5.28Buy

znrZendikar Rising · #286R$4.12Buy

znrZendikar Rising · #260R$4.23Buy

Played by these commanders

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Rulings (9)

2020-09-25
There is a single triangle icon in the top left corner of the front face. There is a double triangle icon in the top left corner of the back face.
2020-09-25
To determine whether it is legal to play a modal double-faced card, consider only the characteristics of the face you’re playing and ignore the other face’s characteristics.
2020-09-25
If an effect allows you to play a specific modal double-faced card, you may cast it as a spell or play it as a land, as determined by which face you choose to play. If an effect allows you to cast (rather than “play”) a specific modal double-faced card, you can’t play it as a land.
2020-09-25
If an effect allows you to play a land or cast a spell from among a group of cards, you may play or cast a modal double-faced card with any face that fits the criteria of that effect.
2020-09-25
The mana value of a modal double-faced card is based on the characteristics of the face that’s being considered. On the stack and battlefield, consider whichever face is up. In all other zones, consider only the front face. This is different than how the mana value of a transforming double-faced card is determined.
2020-09-25
A modal double-faced card can’t be transformed or be put onto the battlefield transformed. Ignore any instruction to transform a modal double-faced card or to put one onto the battlefield transformed.
2020-09-25
If an effect puts a double-faced card onto the battlefield, it enters with its front face up. If that front face can’t be put onto the battlefield, it doesn’t enter the battlefield.
2020-09-25
If an effect instructs a player to choose a card name, the name of either face may be chosen. If that effect or a linked ability refers to a spell with the chosen name being cast and/or a land with the chosen name being played, it considers only the chosen name, not the other face’s name.
2020-09-25
In the Commander variant, a double-faced card’s color identity is determined by the mana costs and mana symbols in the rules text of both faces combined. If either face has a color indicator or basic land type, those are also considered.

Discussion (0)

Why is this card good?

Rulings (9)

2020-09-25

There is a single triangle icon in the top left corner of the front face. There is a double triangle icon in the top left corner of the back face.

2020-09-25

To determine whether it is legal to play a modal double-faced card, consider only the characteristics of the face you’re playing and ignore the other face’s characteristics.

2020-09-25

If an effect allows you to play a specific modal double-faced card, you may cast it as a spell or play it as a land, as determined by which face you choose to play. If an effect allows you to cast (rather than “play”) a specific modal double-faced card, you can’t play it as a land.

2020-09-25

If an effect allows you to play a land or cast a spell from among a group of cards, you may play or cast a modal double-faced card with any face that fits the criteria of that effect.

2020-09-25

The mana value of a modal double-faced card is based on the characteristics of the face that’s being considered. On the stack and battlefield, consider whichever face is up. In all other zones, consider only the front face. This is different than how the mana value of a transforming double-faced card is determined.

2020-09-25

A modal double-faced card can’t be transformed or be put onto the battlefield transformed. Ignore any instruction to transform a modal double-faced card or to put one onto the battlefield transformed.

2020-09-25

If an effect puts a double-faced card onto the battlefield, it enters with its front face up. If that front face can’t be put onto the battlefield, it doesn’t enter the battlefield.

2020-09-25

If an effect instructs a player to choose a card name, the name of either face may be chosen. If that effect or a linked ability refers to a spell with the chosen name being cast and/or a land with the chosen name being played, it considers only the chosen name, not the other face’s name.

2020-09-25

In the Commander variant, a double-faced card’s color identity is determined by the mana costs and mana symbols in the rules text of both faces combined. If either face has a color indicator or basic land type, those are also considered.