I've never understood why some Magic players
don't like basic lands. I know they're not as
flashy or exciting as dual lands or triple lands
or five color lands or lands that turn into
creatures, but even if you don't appreciate the
fact that they always get great art, you should
be glad that nobody would ever consider printing
a version of Wasteland that only targets basic
lands. It's not as though the effect is entirely
gone, either: Ghost Quarter and Encroaching
Wastes provide less efficient but still
potentially devastating versions, and From the
Ashes shows that designers still see some value
in having this kind of effect in settings like
Commander.
I happen to agree with Mike Turian that
Wasteland is an inherently fair card, if you
define fair as limited. It provides a valuable
tool to aggressive and tempo decks against
polychrome toolbox and control decks, and is
thus an agent of balance (even if you also
consider it overpowered. Something can have more
than one characteristic at a time). It also has
the distinction of being a competitive staple
that is often underwhelming in casual Magic: a
budget-conscious environment may lack targets
for it entirely, and even opponents with gaps in
their collection such that they fetch basic
lands with Wooded Foothills can turn it into a
dead card.
Like yesterday's card, Wasteland has
traditionally represented a spike in the history
of a certain effect's power level; in this case,
land destruction. The most salient feature here
is that, once again, this card can do its thing
as early as turn one. Compare to a more modern,
more "balanced" iteration, Tectonic Edge.
Wasteland's destruction ability costs no mana to
use and has no restriction to keep it from being
used as early as possible. But also consider
that if you play a Wasteland as your land drop
for the turn, and then use it to destroy an
opponent's land, you're trading one land for
another. Is that not a mutual disadvantage?
Normally, it is, but effects that allow multiple
land drops per turn and/or Crucible of Worlds
can break the symmetry and leave your opponent
mana starved and powerless to fight off your
eventual victory. WotC has since decided that's
not how a game of Magic is supposed to play out,
and they've brought the power of land
destruction down accordingly.
