Temple of MaladyHow it works & interactions with other cards

Tapped Entry and Mana Production

Temple of Malady has a replacement effect that causes it to enter the battlefield tapped. This means you cannot use it for mana the turn you play it under normal circumstances. Once untapped, it can be tapped to add either one Black mana ({B}) or one Green mana ({G}) to your mana pool. It does not have the Basic Land types Swamp or Forest, so cards that search for those specific types cannot find this land.

The Scry Trigger

When Temple of Malady enters the battlefield, its triggered ability goes on the stack. You Scry 1, which allows you to look at the top card of your library. You then decide whether to leave that card on top or put it on the bottom of your library. This happens after the land is already on the battlefield, so players can respond to the trigger before you actually look at the card.

Strategic Timing

A common mistake is playing Temple of Malady when you desperately need an untapped mana source to cast a spell. Because it always enters tapped, it is best played on turns where you don't need to use every single mana available. Using the Scry 1 effectively can help you find a missing land drop for the next turn or filter away a card that isn't useful in the current board state.

Interaction examples

Fixing Your Colors

Command Tower

If you are playing a multi-color Commander deck, having Temple of Malady alongside Command Tower ensures you have access to Black and Green mana early. While Command Tower provides immediate mana, Temple of Malady helps you plan your future turns by letting you scry for other necessary combo pieces or answers.

Responding to Opponents

Exotic Orchard

If an opponent controls Temple of Malady, your Exotic Orchard can tap for either Black or Green mana, even if the opponent's land is currently tapped. Note that the 'tapped' status of Temple of Malady affects your ability to use it for mana, but it does not prevent Exotic Orchard from seeing what colors it *could* produce.