<h2>You can't pick a double-faced card that is a land only on the back</h2>

<p>Double-faced cards only count as their front face while not on the battlefield. From <a href="https://blogs.magicjudges.org/rules/cr711/#4a" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the rules on double-faced cards</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>711.4a</strong> While a double-faced card is outside the game, in a zone other than the battlefield, or on the battlefield with its front face up, it has only the characteristics of its front face.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>You cannot choose Gold-Forge Garrison as your land, as its front face is not a land.</p>

<p>I think you're getting DFC rules mixed up with <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=is%3Asplit" rel="nofollow noreferrer">split cards</a>, which <a href="https://blogs.magicjudges.org/rules/cr708/#4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">do have the attributes of both halves</a> while they're not being cast:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>708.4</strong> In every zone except the stack, the characteristics of a split card are those of its two halves combined. This is a change from previous rules.</p>
</blockquote>

<h2>A double-faced card you chose would enter front face up</h2>

<p>A double-faced card always enters with its front face up <em>unless</em> it enters “transformed”. If you choose a double-faced card that is a land on its front face, like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bWestvale%20Abbey%5d">Westvale Abbey</a>, Golos would not put it onto the battlefield transformed, so you would get the front face.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>711.8</strong> A double-faced card enters the battlefield with its front face up by default. If a spell or ability puts it onto the battlefield “transformed,” it enters the battlefield with its back face up.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-20T18:16:25.023Z
Ah quite right, I was thinking of the Split/Fuse cards.  That's a shame, I was really excited about having Golos pull all the Ixalan lands right onto the field :(
David Robie
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-20T17:41:53.400Z
2020-02-21T13:10:37.337Z
2020-02-21T13:10:37.337Z
doppelgreener
<p>The Ixalan double faced cards are not treated as lands unless they are on the battlefield and transformed.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>711.4a While a double-faced card is outside the game, in a zone other than the battlefield, or on the battlefield with its front face up, it has only the characteristics of its front face.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-20T17:41:12.633Z
2020-02-20T17:48:18.907Z
2020-02-20T17:48:18.907Z
Yeet_Girl
<p>From the Ixalan set, we received double faced cards with lands on the back.  I believe they count as all types on both sides while not on the field.  Therefore:</p>

<p>When <a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=466980" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Golos, Tireless Pilgrim</a> activates his ETB and I pick <a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=439843" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Gold-Forge Garrison</a> as my land, which side does it enter as?</p>

<magic-the-gathering><mtg-double-faced-cards>
How does Golos, Tireless Pilgrim interact with double-faced cards?
David Robie
# How does Golos, Tireless Pilgrim interact with double-faced cards?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-02-20)

From the Ixalan set, we received double faced cards with lands on the back. I believe they count as all types on both sides while not on the field. Therefore:

When [Golos, Tireless Pilgrim](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=466980) activates his ETB and I pick [Gold-Forge Garrison](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=439843) as my land, which side does it enter as?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering, mtg-double-faced-cards


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-02-20. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

## You can't pick a double-faced card that is a land only on the back

Double-faced cards only count as their front face while not on the battlefield. From [the rules on double-faced cards](https://blogs.magicjudges.org/rules/cr711/#4a):

> **711.4a** While a double-faced card is outside the game, in a zone other than the battlefield, or on the battlefield with its front face up, it has only the characteristics of its front face.

You cannot choose Gold-Forge Garrison as your land, as its front face is not a land.

I think you're getting DFC rules mixed up with [split cards](https://scryfall.com/search?q=is%3Asplit), which [do have the attributes of both halves](https://blogs.magicjudges.org/rules/cr708/#4) while they're not being cast:

> **708.4** In every zone except the stack, the characteristics of a split card are those of its two halves combined. This is a change from previous rules.

## A double-faced card you chose would enter front face up

A double-faced card always enters with its front face up *unless* it enters “transformed”. If you choose a double-faced card that is a land on its front face, like [Westvale Abbey](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bWestvale%20Abbey%5d), Golos would not put it onto the battlefield transformed, so you would get the front face.

> **711.8** A double-faced card enters the battlefield with its front face up by default. If a spell or ability puts it onto the battlefield “transformed,” it enters the battlefield with its back face up.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Ah quite right, I was thinking of the Split/Fuse cards.  That's a shame, I was really excited about having Golos pull all the Ixalan lands right onto the field :(  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2020-02-20. Score: 2

The Ixalan double faced cards are not treated as lands unless they are on the battlefield and transformed.

> 711.4a While a double-faced card is outside the game, in a zone other than the battlefield, or on the battlefield with its front face up, it has only the characteristics of its front face.


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