Sunpetal Grove 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 unless you control a Forest or a Plains.: Add
or
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Complete guide
Sunpetal Grove is a staple dual land that provides flexibility for decks utilizing Green and White mana. Part of the 'check land' cycle, it rewards players for building a solid mana base with proper land types. Understanding how it interacts with your existing board state is key to ensuring your mana remains fast and efficient.
How the Check Works
Sunpetal Grove has a static ability that creates a replacement effect as it enters the battlefield. It looks at the permanents you already control to see if any of them possess the Forest or Plains land type. If you do control at least one, it enters untapped; otherwise, it must enter the battlefield tapped, and you will have to wait until your next turn to use its mana.
Subtypes vs. Names
A common point of confusion is whether the card looks for a land specifically named 'Forest' or 'Plains'. The rule is that it checks for the land type (subtype), not the name. While basic lands have these types, many non-basic lands like Shock Lands or Triomes also carry these subtypes and will satisfy the requirement for Sunpetal Grove to enter untapped.
Timing and Simultaneous Entry
Sunpetal Grove checks the battlefield the moment it is about to enter. It only sees lands that are already there. If an effect causes Sunpetal Grove and a Forest to enter the battlefield at the exact same time, Sunpetal Grove will not 'see' that Forest and will enter the battlefield tapped.
Strategic Implementation
Because this land relies on other specific land types, it is usually best played on turn two or later. Playing it as your very first land will always result in it entering tapped, as you do not yet control any other lands to satisfy its condition.
Interaction examples
Command TowerIf your only land on the battlefield is Command Tower, and you play Sunpetal Grove, it will enter the battlefield tapped. This happens because Command Tower does not have the Forest or Plains land type, even though it can produce mana of those colors.
Exotic OrchardYou control an Exotic Orchard and your opponent controls a Forest. Even though Exotic Orchard can produce Green mana because of your opponent's land, it does not have the Forest land type itself. If you play Sunpetal Grove now, it will enter the battlefield tapped.
If you control a basic Plains and play Sunpetal Grove, the game checks your board, identifies the Plains subtype, and allows Sunpetal Grove to enter the battlefield untapped and ready to be used for mana immediately.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Sunpetal Grove
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
This checks for lands you control with the land type Forest or Plains, not for lands named Forest or Plains. The lands it checks for don't have to be basic lands. For example, if you control Hallowed Fountain (a nonbasic land with the land types Plains and Island), Sunpetal Grove will enter untapped.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
As this is entering, it checks for lands that are already on the battlefield. It won't see lands that are entering at the same time (due to Warp World, for example).
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Sunpetal Grove
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.