Hidden Volcano is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
This land enters tapped.: Add
.
Complete guide
Hidden Volcano is a versatile utility land from the Cave subtype that provides both mana and late-game card advantage. While it enters the battlefield tapped, its ability to Discover 4 allows you to dig through your library for a powerful spell when your hand is empty.
What It Does
Hidden Volcano is a red-producing land that offers a powerful activated ability. By paying five mana and sacrificing the land, you perform the 'Discover' action. This keyword allows you to exile cards from the top of your library until you find a nonland card with a mana value of 4 or less, which you can then cast for free or put into your hand.
How it Resolves Step by Step
First, you must activate the ability during your main phase when the stack is empty, as it is restricted to sorcery speed. You pay the mana, tap Hidden Volcano, and sacrifice it as a cost. As the ability resolves, you exile cards face up from the top of your library. The moment you hit a nonland card with mana value 4 or less, the exiling stops. You then decide whether to cast that card immediately without paying its mana cost or simply put it into your hand. Finally, all other cards exiled this way are shuffled and placed on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake involves timing; you cannot use the Discover ability in response to an opponent's spell or at the end of their turn. Another error involves cost modifiers: when checking if a card is eligible for Discover 4, you only look at the printed mana cost, ignoring any tax effects or cost reductions. If you choose to cast the spell, you cannot pay alternative costs (like Overload), but you must pay mandatory additional costs if they exist.
When to Play It
Hidden Volcano is ideal for mid-range and control decks that may experience 'mana flood.' Since it is a land, it doesn't take up a spell slot, but it acts as a 'spell in the mana base' once you have enough resources. It is best used when you have five open mana and need to find a threat or an answer to the current board state.
Interaction examples
Command TowerIn a Commander game, you can tap Command Tower and four other lands to pay the activation cost of Hidden Volcano. Because Hidden Volcano is sacrificed as part of the cost, it will be in the graveyard before you even begin the Discover process.
Exotic OrchardIf your opponent controls a Mountain, you can use Exotic Orchard to produce the Red mana required for Hidden Volcano's ability. If you Discover a card with a specific targeting requirement and no legal targets exist, the rules state you must put that card into your hand instead of casting it.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Hidden Volcano
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
A spell's mana value is determined only by its mana cost. Ignore any alternative costs, additional costs, cost increases, or cost reductions.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
When you discover, you must exile cards. The only optional part of the ability is whether you cast the exiled card or put it into your hand.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You exile the cards face up. All players will be able to see them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a spell "without paying its mana cost", you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If the discovered card has
in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If you can't cast the discovered card (perhaps because there are no legal targets for the spell), you'll put it into your hand.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Some spells and abilities that cause you to discover may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve and you won't discover.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
The mana value of a split card is determined by the combined mana cost of its two halves. If discover allows you to cast a split card, you may cast either half (as long as its mana value is less than or equal to the effect's discover value) but not both halves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
If you discover an adventurer card, split card, or modal double-faced card, you might be able to cast that card with either set of characteristics depending on the effect's discover value. For example, if you discover 4 and reveal Galvanic Giant (an adventurer card from Wilds of Eldraine with a mana value of 4), you could cast Galvanic Giant, but not Storm Reading (its Adventure, which has a mana value of 7). If you discover 7 and reveal Galvanic Giant, you could cast either Galvanic Giant or Storm Reading.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Hidden Volcano
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.