Spreading Seas MTG Card


Draws a card upon casting, offering immediate card advantage and potentially disrupting opponent’s mana base. Transforms any land into an Island, enabling islandwalk and combo potential with certain creatures. Its strategic value shines in its versatility, affecting gameplay and sideboard decisions in diverse metas.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Text of card

Enchant land When Spreading Seas enters the battlefield, draw a card. Enchanted land is an Island.

Most inhabitants of Zendikar have given up on the idea of an accurate map.


Cards like Spreading Seas

Spreading Seas has a unique place in Magic: The Gathering, transforming any land into an Island, disrupting enemy mana bases while offering card draw. This ability closely parallels that of Sea’s Claim which also turns a target land into an Island, though at a cheaper cost and without the card draw benefit. Sea’s Claim is a direct attempt at land modification while Spreading Seas adds value with its additional draw.

Comparatively, Aquitect’s Will shares a similar objective; it marks a land as an Island too. However, instead of outright transforming the targeted land, it can coexist with the land’s original types, slightly lowering its disruption potential but keeping its card draw mechanic through its “Merfolk” synergy trigger. On the flip side, Convincing Mirage offers a broader option for land transformation, allowing the choice of any basic land type, yet omitting the card draw feature, which reduces the overall utility compared to the comprehensive design of Spreading Seas.

Analyzing these counterparts, it becomes evident that Spreading Seas offers a balanced combination of mana disruption and card advantage, situating it as a strategic choice within land altering cards in Magic: The Gathering, especially in formats where disrupting the opponent’s mana is crucial.

Sea's Claim - MTG Card versions
Aquitect's Will - MTG Card versions
Convincing Mirage - MTG Card versions
Sea's Claim - MTG Card versions
Aquitect's Will - MTG Card versions
Convincing Mirage - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Spreading Seas by color, type and mana cost

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Invisibility - MTG Card versions
Power Leak - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Terrain - MTG Card versions
Stasis - MTG Card versions
Creature Bond - MTG Card versions
Lifetap - MTG Card versions
Power Artifact - MTG Card versions
Psychic Venom - MTG Card versions
Venarian Gold - MTG Card versions
Soar - MTG Card versions
Flooded Shoreline - MTG Card versions
Dance of Many - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Veil - MTG Card versions
Legacy's Allure - MTG Card versions
Chill - MTG Card versions
Buoyancy - MTG Card versions
Mana Maze - MTG Card versions
Psionic Gift - MTG Card versions
Immobilizing Ink - MTG Card versions
Stupefying Touch - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Lurrus SagaLurrus Saga VintageLurrus SagaVintage Challenge 32 2024-05-10
Dimir TinkerDimir Tinker VintageBlue TinkerVintage League 2024-05-13
Beanstalk ControlBeanstalk Control LegacyBeanstalk ControlLegacy Preliminary 2024-05-13 (1)
Sultai MidrangeSultai Midrange VintageSultai MidrangeVintage Challenge 32 2024-05-12
DoomsdayDoomsday VintageDoomsdayVintage Challenge 32 2024-05-12 (1)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you play Spreading Seas, you immediately draw a card, offsetting the cost of casting it. This keeps your hand replenished and can disrupt your opponent’s strategy by transforming their land into an Island, often creating a significant setback.

Resource Acceleration: While Spreading Seas doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, it can serve as a form of mana denial, slowing down your opponent’s development. This indirect resource acceleration can create a window where you’re able to cast spells with less pressure from the other side of the table.

Instant Speed: Spreading Seas is a sorcery; however, the impact of its land conversion is immediate and enduring. It changes the flow of the game, making it more challenging for your opponent to cast non-blue spells, and can be used tactically before they have the opportunity to utilize the affected land.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Spreading Seas doesn’t directly require you to discard a card, it can potentially force a discard by filling up your hand if you draw into it with a full grip of cards.

Specific Mana Cost: Spreading Seas needs one blue and one generic mana to cast, which makes it exclusive to decks that run blue mana, potentially limiting its overall versatility in multi-colored decks that have a tighter mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although two mana can be considered reasonable in many situations, there are decks that prefer to use their mana for more impactful board presence. In fast-paced games, dedicating two mana to temporarily disrupt a land may not always be the most efficient use of resources.


Reasons to Include Spreading Seas in Your Collection

Versatility: Spreading Seas has a flexible role in many deck builds. It turns any land into an Island, which not only can disrupt your opponent’s mana base but also helps you to enable islandwalk or meet card requirements that depend on the number of Islands in play.

Combo Potential: This enchantment pairs well with creatures that can’t be blocked as long as the opponent controls an Island. Additionally, it’s part of the mana denial strategy, working to shut down lands with powerful abilities or lock opponents out of specific colors of mana.

Meta-Relevance: Against multi-color decks or those reliant on non-basic lands, Spreading Seas can significantly impact the game. Its utility in altering the mana landscape makes it a consistent choice for sideboards or main decks in ever-changing meta environments.


How to beat

Spreading Seas is a versatile blue enchantment card in Magic: The Gathering that can turn the tides of gameplay by transforming any land into an Island. This not only disrupts non-blue decks by potentially depriving them of necessary mana colors but also can enable islandwalk abilities, making creatures unblockable.

To counteract Spreading Seas, players should have enchantment removal cards on hand, such as Disenchant or Naturalize, allowing them to swiftly remove the enchantment and restore their land’s original form. Additionally, utilizing land cards with basic land types or having the ability to search your library for specific land cards can mitigate the effect of Spreading Seas, ensuring access to the colors of mana needed for your deck’s strategy. Artifacts like Chromatic Lantern can provide mana fixing to bypass the constraint imposed by Spreading Seas altogether.

It’s essential for players to anticipate potential mana disruption strategies like Spreading Seas and prepare their decks accordingly. A well-thought-out combination of enchantment removal, land type diversification, and mana-fixing artifacts can make Spreading Seas a manageable obstacle instead of a game-ending threat.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the dual nature of Spreading Seas as both a strategic play and potential game-changer is vital for MTG players. Its ability to redraw and convert any land into an Island presents an opportunity to disrupt and dominate. As you assimilate the intricacies of this unique card, consider how it fits into your overall deck strategy, especially when facing multicolored setups or decks with significant land synergy. If Spreading Seas aligns with your game plan, it’s worthwhile to explore further, integrate it into your collection, and learn to leverage its full potential. Master the art of mana manipulation and ensure your matches lean in your favor by uncovering more insights with us.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spreading Seas MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales, 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 Spreading Seas and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Spreading Seas Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2023-09-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-10-02ZendikarZEN 702003NormalBlackJung Park
22023-09-08Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting TalesWOT 262015NormalBorderlessLander Strijbol

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Spreading Seas has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricBanned
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Spreading Seas card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2009-10-01 The enchanted land loses its existing land types and any abilities printed on it. It now has the land type Island and has the ability to tap to add to its controller’s mana pool. Spreading Seas doesn’t change the enchanted land’s name or whether it’s legendary, basic, or snow.