Scavenger Grounds 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
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Complete guide
Scavenger Grounds is a powerful utility land that serves as a constant threat to any strategy relying on the graveyard. As a Desert, it provides colorless mana while standing ready to wipe away resources from all players simultaneously.
What It Does
Scavenger Grounds provides two distinct functions. First, it taps for colorless mana, helping you build your mana base without color requirements. Second, it features a activated ability that costs two generic mana, tapping the land, and sacrificing a Desert to exile every card in every player's graveyard.
How It Resolves
When you activate the second ability, you must pay two mana, tap Scavenger Grounds, and sacrifice a Desert as the cost. Note that Scavenger Grounds itself has the Desert subtype, so you can sacrifice it to trigger its own ability. Once the ability resolves, all cards currently in all graveyards are moved to the exile zone.
Common Mistakes
A frequent misconception is that the sacrificed Desert escapes exile. Because sacrificing the land is part of the cost, that card is already in the graveyard when the ability begins to resolve. Consequently, the sacrificed Desert will be exiled along with everything else. Also, remember that this effect is symmetrical; it clears your graveyard just as effectively as your opponents'.
When to Play It
This card is best utilized as a reactive measure against reanimation spells or cards with Flashback. Since it is a land, it is difficult for most decks to counter, making it a reliable 'panic button' when an opponent attempts to bring a creature back from the dead or cast a massive spell from their discard pile.
Interaction examples
Command TowerOn your turn, you play Scavenger Grounds as your land for turn. You can immediately tap it to produce one colorless mana. If you also have Command Tower, you now have access to two mana to cast your spells, though Scavenger Grounds specifically provides colorless energy.
Exotic OrchardYour opponent has a graveyard full of creatures. You have Exotic Orchard and Scavenger Grounds on the battlefield. You tap Exotic Orchard and another land for two mana, then tap and sacrifice Scavenger Grounds. The ability goes on the stack. Upon resolution, all graveyards, including the Scavenger Grounds you just sacrificed, are moved to exile.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Scavenger Grounds
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a Desert has an ability with a cost of "Sacrifice a Desert," you can sacrifice that Desert to pay the cost for its own ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The sacrificed Desert will be in your graveyard to be exiled by the last ability of Scavenger Grounds.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Desert is a land subtype with no special meaning. It doesn't grant the land an intrinsic mana ability. Other cards may care about which lands are Deserts.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Scavenger Grounds
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.