<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Y5f76.png" alt="Mountain"></p>

<p>Take a look at the old mountains, they had written on them "<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Z2eaE.png" alt="{T}">: Add <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/RblrF.gif" alt="{R}"> to your mana pool" from 6th edition on they stopped printing that on the card itself, but the rules still include that all lands with the type Mountain tap for <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/RblrF.gif" alt="{R}">, that's all the land does is add red mana when tapped. Lands produce mana, they aren't actually mana themselves. This is covered in the <a href="https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Land" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Comprehensive Rules</a>(emphasis mine):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>305.6</strong> The basic land types are Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. If an object uses the words "basic land type," it's referring to one of these subtypes. <strong>A land with a basic land type has the intrinsic ability "<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Z2eaE.png" alt="{T}">: Add [mana symbol]," even if the text box doesn't actually contain that text or the object has no text box.</strong> For Plains, [mana symbol] is <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/X6h3y.gif" alt="{W}">; for Islands, <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/GCKpg.gif" alt="{U}">; for Swamps, <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/tmNHI.gif" alt="{B}">; for Mountains, <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/RblrF.gif" alt="{R}">; and for Forests, <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Zf0Ef.gif" alt="{G}">. See rule 107.4a. See also rule 605, "Mana Abilities."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>That's also why the ability to add mana is in brackets on the more recent printings of typed duals like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSacred%20Foundry%5d">Sacred Foundry</a> because being a mountain and a plains means it can tap for red or for white, it doesn't need to be explicit on the card, anything in brackets is just there as a reminder.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T14:31:58.063Z
I didn't realize this held true for non-basic lands with basic land types. Have they ever left out the explicit text for nonbasic lands that still have a basic land type?
JollyJoker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T14:39:37.800Z
@JollyJoker Yes, the textboxes of the expedition shock lands didn't even have reminder text, only "As ~ enters the battlefield, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, ~ enters the battlefield tapped." Take a look at [Temple Garden](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=405112&type=card)
Andrew
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T14:43:19.307Z
@JollyJoker It's also why [Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=457144) works, because adding the type swamp to a nonbasic land makes it able to tap for black.
Andrew
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T14:55:02.283Z
Good point on Urborg. I just haven't noticed those shock lands
JollyJoker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T02:12:39.250Z
2020-02-11T17:09:17.833Z
2020-02-11T17:09:17.833Z
Andrew
<p>You are confusing Lands with Mana, a common beginners' mistake.</p>

<p>Mana is a resource that you use to cast spells; it is not represented by cards; you can not physically see it. When you tap a land, such as a Mountain, you add a red mana to your mana pool, which means you now have 1 red mana to spend.</p>

<p>When you tap a <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bStone%20Quarry%5d">Stone Quarry</a>, you choose to either add a red mana to your mana pool, or to add a white mana to your mana pool. Either way you end up with 1 mana in your mana pool. You do not get any land cards from your library or your hand. </p>

<p>Note that tapping a Stone Quarry is very similar to tapping a Mountain. When you tap a Mountain, you are activating an ability that says ""{T}:Add {R}." This ability is just not printed on the card for basic lands; it is instead within the rulebook for all basic lands.</p>

<p>An effect that has you put a land card from your hand or library onto the battlefield would specifically say so:</p>

<p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bArid%20Mesa%5d">Arid Mesa</a>'s ability says:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Search your library for a Mountain or Plains card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>and <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bTerrain%20Generator%5d">Terrain Generator</a>'s ability says</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>You may put a basic land card from your hand onto the battlefield tapped.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Note that Arid Mesa can't even produce mana, even though it is a land. Lands commonly produce mana, but not all of them do.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T09:30:55.547Z
Good answer, but could use [Arid Mesa](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=177584) and [Terrain Generator](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=393873) as examples of wording for playing lands from library or hand.
JollyJoker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T14:03:16.977Z
Just to avoid confusion about number of land drops, you might want to change:
"An effect that has you *get (play) a land* card from your hand or library would specifically say so:"
to: "An effect that has you put a land card from your hand or library onto the battlefield would specifically say so:"
Malco
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-19T22:06:49.167Z
2019-03-20T14:30:39.497Z
2019-03-20T14:30:39.497Z
GendoIkari
<p>I have a land card, for example <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bStone%20Quarry%5d">Stone Quarry</a> which reads "{T}: Add {R} or {W}." Do I take the mana from my library or my hand?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-19T23:28:47.550Z
Related: [How do dual lands and their mana work?](https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/q/32365/5573)
doppelgreener
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T08:28:26.153Z
Also: Compare Stone Quarry with [Arid Mesa](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=177584) to see how the other effect is worded.
Zulan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T09:28:21.233Z
@Zulan found [Terrain Generator](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=393873) as an example of "from your hand"
JollyJoker
<magic-the-gathering>
Do I have to take mana from my deck or hand when tapping a dual land?
user26844
# Do I have to take mana from my deck or hand when tapping a dual land?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-03-19)

I have a land card, for example [Stone Quarry](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bStone%20Quarry%5d) which reads "{T}: Add {R} or {W}." Do I take the mana from my library or my hand?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Related: [How do dual lands and their mana work?](https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/q/32365/5573)  
> **username_2**: Also: Compare Stone Quarry with [Arid Mesa](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=177584) to see how the other effect is worded.  
> **username_3**: @username_2 found [Terrain Generator](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=393873) as an example of "from your hand"  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2019-03-19. Score: 36 | Accepted answer

You are confusing Lands with Mana, a common beginners' mistake.

Mana is a resource that you use to cast spells; it is not represented by cards; you can not physically see it. When you tap a land, such as a Mountain, you add a red mana to your mana pool, which means you now have 1 red mana to spend.

When you tap a [Stone Quarry](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bStone%20Quarry%5d), you choose to either add a red mana to your mana pool, or to add a white mana to your mana pool. Either way you end up with 1 mana in your mana pool. You do not get any land cards from your library or your hand.

Note that tapping a Stone Quarry is very similar to tapping a Mountain. When you tap a Mountain, you are activating an ability that says ""{T}:Add {R}." This ability is just not printed on the card for basic lands; it is instead within the rulebook for all basic lands.

An effect that has you put a land card from your hand or library onto the battlefield would specifically say so:

[Arid Mesa](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bArid%20Mesa%5d)'s ability says:

> Search your library for a Mountain or Plains card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.

and [Terrain Generator](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bTerrain%20Generator%5d)'s ability says

> You may put a basic land card from your hand onto the battlefield tapped.

Note that Arid Mesa can't even produce mana, even though it is a land. Lands commonly produce mana, but not all of them do.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Good answer, but could use [Arid Mesa](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=177584) and [Terrain Generator](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=393873) as examples of wording for playing lands from library or hand.  
> **username_6**: Just to avoid confusion about number of land drops, you might want to change: "An effect that has you *get (play) a land* card from your hand or library would specifically say so:" to: "An effect that has you put a land card from your hand or library onto the battlefield would specifically say so:"  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-03-20. Score: 16

![Mountain](https://i.sstatic.net/Y5f76.png)

Take a look at the old mountains, they had written on them "![{T}](https://i.sstatic.net/Z2eaE.png): Add ![{R}](https://i.sstatic.net/RblrF.gif) to your mana pool" from 6th edition on they stopped printing that on the card itself, but the rules still include that all lands with the type Mountain tap for ![{R}](https://i.sstatic.net/RblrF.gif), that's all the land does is add red mana when tapped. Lands produce mana, they aren't actually mana themselves. This is covered in the [Comprehensive Rules](https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Land)(emphasis mine):

> **305.6** The basic land types are Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. If an object uses the words "basic land type," it's referring to one of these subtypes. **A land with a basic land type has the intrinsic ability "![{T}](https://i.sstatic.net/Z2eaE.png): Add [mana symbol]," even if the text box doesn't actually contain that text or the object has no text box.** For Plains, [mana symbol] is ![{W}](https://i.sstatic.net/X6h3y.gif); for Islands, ![{U}](https://i.sstatic.net/GCKpg.gif); for Swamps, ![{B}](https://i.sstatic.net/tmNHI.gif); for Mountains, ![{R}](https://i.sstatic.net/RblrF.gif); and for Forests, ![{G}](https://i.sstatic.net/Zf0Ef.gif). See rule 107.4a. See also rule 605, "Mana Abilities."

That's also why the ability to add mana is in brackets on the more recent printings of typed duals like [Sacred Foundry](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSacred%20Foundry%5d) because being a mountain and a plains means it can tap for red or for white, it doesn't need to be explicit on the card, anything in brackets is just there as a reminder.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I didn't realize this held true for non-basic lands with basic land types. Have they ever left out the explicit text for nonbasic lands that still have a basic land type?  
> **username_4**: @username_3 Yes, the textboxes of the expedition shock lands didn't even have reminder text, only "As ~ enters the battlefield, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, ~ enters the battlefield tapped." Take a look at [Temple Garden](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=405112&type=card)  
> **username_4**: @username_3 It's also why [Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=457144) works, because adding the type swamp to a nonbasic land makes it able to tap for black.  
> **username_3**: Good point on Urborg. I just haven't noticed those shock lands  

---

