Simic Growth Chamber — ruling 1

If this land enters the battlefield and you control no other lands, its ability will force you to return it to your hand.

Simic Growth Chamber : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Simic Growth Chamber 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. When this land enters, return a land you control to its owner's hand. : Add .

Complete guide

Simic Growth Chamber is a classic staple for mana fixing and utility, serving as a pillar for decks that need both Green and Blue mana. While it provides two mana from a single land slot, it requires careful timing to navigate its unique entry requirement. Understanding the bounce mechanic is key to maximizing your turn's efficiency.

What It Does

Simic Growth Chamber is a nonbasic land that enters the battlefield tapped. Its primary function is providing two mana—one Green and one Blue—simultaneously when tapped. However, it features a triggered ability that occurs as it enters, requiring you to return a land you control to its owner's hand.

How It Resolves Step by Step

First, you play Simic Growth Chamber as your land for the turn; it enters the battlefield tapped. Immediately, its triggered ability goes on the stack. When this ability resolves, you must choose one land you currently control—which can be the Simic Growth Chamber itself—and return it to your hand. You do not choose the target until the ability is resolving, meaning if you have multiple lands, you decide which one to bounce at that moment.

Common Mistakes

The most frequent error is playing Simic Growth Chamber as your very first land. Because the ability is not optional, if you control no other lands, you must return the Simic Growth Chamber to your hand, essentially wasting your land play for the turn. Additionally, remember that you cannot tap the Chamber for mana in response to its own bounce trigger, as it enters the battlefield tapped.

When to Play It

This land is best played on turn two or later, once you have already established a mana base. It is particularly powerful when you want to reuse 'enters-the-battlefield' effects from other lands or if you have already tapped a land for mana and want to pick it back up to play it again next turn for a fresh activation.

Interaction examples

Basic Mana Fixing

Command Tower

You have a Command Tower on the battlefield. You play Simic Growth Chamber, which enters tapped. The trigger goes on the stack. You choose to return Command Tower to your hand. On your next turn, you can play the Command Tower again, effectively having three mana available from two land cards.

The First Turn Trap

If you play Simic Growth Chamber on turn one with no other lands in play, its triggered ability still triggers. Since it is the only land you control, you are forced to return it to your hand, leaving your battlefield empty.

Optimizing Land Taps

Exotic Orchard

You tap Exotic Orchard for mana to cast a spell. You then play Simic Growth Chamber as your land for the turn. When the Chamber's trigger resolves, you return the already-tapped Exotic Orchard to your hand. This allows you to play the Orchard again on a future turn to get more mana, rather than bouncing an untapped land.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Simic Growth Chamber

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1April 15, 2013· Wizards of the Coast
If this land enters the battlefield and you control no other lands, its ability will force you to return it to your hand.
No other card is named in this ruling.