Why Are Fetchlands So Good In Magic: The Gathering?

Be sure to check out my review of the new GameGenic Cards' Lair 400+ Deck Box here: https://youtu.be/rX9aQ_T7vn4

Man I can't believe fetches are still going for [inset price here], it's ridiculous

A minor but unmentioned benefit to fetchlands is that they also reduce the total land count in your remaining library, making you more likely to draw nonland cards and keeping you from stalling out in grindier matches. So many little advantages to those obnoxiously expensive little buggers.

I once asked a friend that question: "I dont understand why those are so expensiv, with evolving wilds I can search for all basics and dont pay life" he answered:" but with it you can fetch the original duals and shocklands, and it doesnt tap. life is a resource - its about speed" that short discussion instantly made me a better player.

I remember when we were first starting Magic, my buddy cracked his first ever booster pack and the rare slot was an Arid Mesa. We were both like, "da fuq is this?! An Evolving Wilds you have to pay life for?!" He immediately traded into the LGS for $13 and we were both still bewildered as to why it would be worth so much.

There is also the benefit of the whole "sacrifice" factor. Korvold and other "when you sacrifice a permanent" cards love fetches because its extra triggers at no extra cost and no losses (minus the 1 life).

Huge downside: having to shuffle a 100 card commander deck

I don't usually comment on the prof's videos but this one really struck a chord. Brilliantly explained with concise information and stellar editing. Thanks a lot Prof!

It triggers Revolt nicely. Fetch for a swamp and then cast Fatal Push for that one swamp, activating revolt, and kill a CMC 4 creature

Proff, those card animations and transitions are extra 𝓼𝓷𝓪𝔃𝔃𝔂.

I remember opening a booster pack from a fetch land way back during Zendikar. At first I thought it was a scam that a rare slot was taken up by a dumb land when I had 10 "Terramorphic Expanse" common cards. I was such a noob back then lol

Also, by fetching a land from your deck, you reduce the numbers of lands in the deck, an thus you have a higher chance of drawing non-lands cards later in the game

Probably should've mentioned that if you don't need to use the mana right away, you can crack it just before your next upkeep on your opponents endstep. That way you don't need to shock yourself as the land will untap during your untap step (he actually does briefly mention this, and it's a good habit to get into). In green decks, you can also choose to use it during an opponent's combat phase as you move to blocks to fetch up a Dryad Arbor and block in specific situations. In commander games you could even sacrifice that Dryad Arbor to a Phyrexian Alter (assuming you had one in play) to produce any color mana. Honestly, lots of powerful effects require you to sacrifice creatures, so situationally this type of play can be really good (Consider using Natural Order on a Dryad Arbor). Not to mention they functionally "thin out" your deck, increasing the probability that you'll draw a non-land card which is usually always good.

Fetch lands are good cause it actually fetches something when I ask, unlike my dog.

1) Retrieving a land with a basic subtype and putting it on the battlefield untapped is great, incredible when its a dual land. 2) Shuffling your library is good. 3) Populating the graveyard with a land is good. 4) Multiple land drops from a single land is good. 5) Sacrificing a land can be good. 6) Paying a life can be good. All of these things being text ON A LAND is straight bonkers.

Threshold, interaction with Sensei's Divining Top, interaction with Muldrotha, losing a life in a Death's Shadow deck, triggers Gravestorm ability

I think another aspect of fetch lands (and evolving wilds for that matter) is the thinning out of your deck. If you play three fetchlands in your first three turns and crack them, you get rid of six land cards in your deck, making it less likely to draw lands later on in the game, where they could end up as "dead draws"

I remember selling my first fetch, a nearly torn Windswept for $10, and as a bonus, the guy explained why fetches were so good.

Don't forget about the subtle but statistically significant benefit of Thinning Your Deck! Less cards in your deck means a better chance to draw some real gas!

A very minor interaction, but an important one when it comes up: the triggered ability of cracking the fetch allows you to retain priority during an opponent's turn. Say your opponent is on Storm and has just cast Past in Flames and your hand is counterspell and surgical extraction. If you counter the past in flames while they have enough mana to fire it again, they will get priority back and still kill you. A fetch land allows you to crack your fetch while holding priority and cast your counterspell, resolve the counter, and then with your fetch trigger still on the stack, cast surgical targeting PiF. Definitely a niche case, but an important type of interaction nonetheless