Karakas MTG Card


Karakas offers both tempo advantage and strategic instant speed plays by bouncing legendary creatures. Its versatility and combo potential make it a valuable addition to various decks and metagames. Karakas’s unique ability sets it apart from similar utility lands within MTG.
Card setsReleased in 10 setsSee all
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Land

Text of card

oc T: Add o W to your mana pool oc T: Return target legend to owner's hand; enchantments on target legend are destroyed.

"To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,/ One clover, and a bee,/ And revery." —Emily Dickinson


Cards like Karakas

Karakas stands out in Magic the Gathering as a potent land with a unique ability to return a legendary creature to its owner’s hand. As a comparison, we look at other notable lands like Eiganjo Castle, which also offers some protection to legendary creatures by preventing damage. However, Karakas does more than shield; it provides a reset button for these powerful entities, potentially disrupting opponent strategies.

Another parallel can be drawn with Minamo, School at Water’s Edge. While Minamo doesn’t bounce creatures back, it does provide an untap ability for a legendary permanent which could include creatures or lands, showing versatility in different game scenarios. On the note of utility, Kor Haven is another land card with a similar strategic defensive role, capable of negating damage from an attacking creature, much like Eiganjo Castle, but lacking the direct control over the board Karakas offers.

To sum it up, while other lands offer significant benefits and can certainly boast their own situational advantages, Karakas maintains its own unique position for its clever ability to interact with legendary creatures, shaping the ebb and flow of the gameplay substantially.

Eiganjo Castle - MTG Card versions
Minamo, School at Water's Edge - MTG Card versions
Kor Haven - MTG Card versions
Eiganjo Castle - MTG Card versions
Minamo, School at Water's Edge - MTG Card versions
Kor Haven - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Karakas by color, type and mana cost

Plains - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Plains - MTG Card versions
Ruins of Trokair - MTG Card versions
Karoo - MTG Card versions
Drifting Meadow - MTG Card versions
Nomad Stadium - MTG Card versions
Rustic Clachan - MTG Card versions
Emeria, the Sky Ruin - MTG Card versions
Vivid Meadow - MTG Card versions
Kabira Crossroads - MTG Card versions
Shefet Dunes - MTG Card versions
Makindi Stampede // Makindi Mesas - MTG Card versions
Emeria's Call // Emeria, Shattered Skyclave - MTG Card versions
Ondu Inversion // Ondu Skyruins - MTG Card versions
Eiganjo Castle - MTG Card versions
Secluded Steppe - MTG Card versions
Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire - MTG Card versions
Castle Ardenvale - MTG Card versions
Citadel Gate - MTG Card versions
Memorial to Glory - MTG Card versions
Plains - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Plains - MTG Card versions
Ruins of Trokair - MTG Card versions
Karoo - MTG Card versions
Drifting Meadow - MTG Card versions
Nomad Stadium - MTG Card versions
Rustic Clachan - MTG Card versions
Emeria, the Sky Ruin - MTG Card versions
Vivid Meadow - MTG Card versions
Kabira Crossroads - MTG Card versions
Shefet Dunes - MTG Card versions
Makindi Stampede // Makindi Mesas - MTG Card versions
Emeria's Call // Emeria, Shattered Skyclave - MTG Card versions
Ondu Inversion // Ondu Skyruins - MTG Card versions
Eiganjo Castle - MTG Card versions
Secluded Steppe - MTG Card versions
Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire - MTG Card versions
Castle Ardenvale - MTG Card versions
Citadel Gate - MTG Card versions
Memorial to Glory - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Karakas. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Selesnya DepthsSelesnya Depths LegacySelesnya DepthsLegacy League 2024-04-30
Orzhov StonebladeOrzhov Stoneblade LegacyOrzhov StonebladeLegacy League 2024-05-02
Naya TempoNaya Tempo VintageBlue TempoVintage Challenge 32 2024-05-02
Turbo VaultTurbo Vault VintageTurbo VaultVintage Challenge 32 2024-05-02
Mono-White InitiativeMono-White Initiative VintageMono-White InitiativeVintage Preliminary 2024-04-30
Prison ShopsPrison Shops VintagePrison ShopsVintage Challenge 32 2024-05-02
Naya DepthsNaya Depths LegacySelesnya DepthsLegacy League 2024-05-02
LandsLands LegacyLandsLegacy Challenge 32 2024-05-01
MaverickMaverick LegacyMaverickLegacy League 2024-04-30
Boros InitiativeBoros Initiative LegacyBoros InitiativeLegacy Preliminary 2024-05-01

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Karakas itself doesn’t directly allow you to draw additional cards, it contributes to a kind of “tempo advantage.” This is essential in MTG as it can effectively nullify your opponent’s turn by bouncing their legendary creatures back to their hands. Karakas’s ability to leverage the board state without costing a card from your hand can shift the game in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Karakas is an efficient land that taps for white mana, which is crucial for maintaining mana consistency and supports casting powerful spells sooner. Additionally, its legendary bounce ability can be used to save one of your legendary creatures from removal, effectively preserving your resources.

Instant Speed: The power to activate Karakas at instant speed cannot be overstated. It allows you to wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to return a legendary creature to their hand. This can disrupt your opponent’s strategy, wasting their mana and allowing you to untap with a clear advantage. The flexibility of instant speed activations for Karakas makes it a highly strategic and responsive card in any MTG game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Karakas has no direct discard requirement itself, it can indirectly force discards if used to bounce creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects that make the player discard upon re-entry. This can be a setback for the user if not strategically planned.

Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost of Karakas is purely colorless, which makes it versatile in any deck. However, its inclusion in a deck requires careful consideration of deck slots that could otherwise support more colorful mana bases or utility lands.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Karakas doesn’t have a mana cost to play initially, repeatedly using its ability does require a consistent investment of mana each turn. This can compete with a player’s available resources for other spells and actions, making it less favorable in fast-paced or highly aggressive formats.


Reasons to Include Karakas in Your Collection

Versatility: Karakas isn’t constrained to a single archetype, making it a versatile inclusion in many deck builds. Its ability to bounce legendary creatures can be utilized in both offensive and defensive strategies, protecting your own legendaries or disrupting your opponent’s plays.

Combo Potential: This card provides unique combo opportunities by pairing with cards that have enter-the-battlefield effects or with legendary creatures that have powerful activated abilities. The potential to re-use these effects every turn can lead to powerful and game-changing combos.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where legendary creatures are prevalent, Karakas shines by offering an answer that can be repeatedly used. It ensures that your deck can hold its ground against decks that are heavy on high-impact legendaries, maintaining its relevance across various competitive formats.


How to beat

Karakas is a legendary land card in Magic: The Gathering, revered for its ability to return legendary creatures to their owner’s hand. This can be particularly frustrating for opponents relying on legendary creatures for their strategy. The key to countering Karakas’s disruptive power lies in diversifying your threats. Instead of leaning heavily on legendary creatures, consider an assortment of non-legendary threats that remain unaffected by Karakas’s ability.

Another effective strategy entails deploying your creatures at a pace that Karakas cannot keep up with, essentially overloading the card’s ability by presenting multiple threats in succession. Additionally, direct answers like Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin can target and destroy Karakas, thereby neutralizing its influence on the game. Utilizing enchantment-based removal can also circumvent Karakas, as it usually does not interact with non-creature permanents.

Ultimately, though Karakas presents a formidable barrier, a well-rounded deck and strategic play can overcome its legendary creature bouncing ability, keeping your game plan intact and your creatures on the battlefield.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Karakas MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Magic Online Promos, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Karakas and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Karakas Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-06-01LegendsLEG 3031993NormalBlackNicola Leonard
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 435922003NormalBlackDrew Baker
32009-09-07Masters Edition IIIME3 2081997NormalBlackNicola Leonard
42010-11-08Magic Online Theme DecksTD0 B322003NormalBlackNicola Leonard
52011-01-02Legacy ChampionshipOLGC 2020A2015NormalBlackRob Alexander
62016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 2402015NormalBlackDrew Baker
72018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 2442015NormalBlackDrew Baker
82023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 3672015NormalBorderlessStephen Stark
92023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 3972015NormalBorderlessStephen Stark
102023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 397z2015NormalBorderlessStephen Stark

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Karakas has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderBanned
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelBanned
PredhBanned