Location! Location! Location: Lands we want in MTG’s Forgotten Realms

Adventures in the FORGOTTEN REALMS is just around the corner and we could not be more stoked for a MTG set. Being old school D&D players and, especially, cutting our roleplaying teeth in Faerun aka The Forgotten Realms, we are the prime target for this type of product. One of the things that sets this adventure world apart is the settings that you play in. The many amazing backdrops makes the game exciting and different from any other world you can play.

And, with this leaked land card, it opens up a world of possibilities. I really hope this card is real. I love the layout of the card. It makes it unique in all of MTG. It also gives the gang at the Magic Tavern hope that some of our predictions can come true. Although, my only fear is that they will go with the more old school adventures and not some we talk about later on.

But, let’s look at a few of the ‘want list’ we have in our predictions of lands coming in Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. But, before that, we need to look at lands that have been actually spoiled by Wotc.

SO, when they dropped the basic lands during the mini-spoilers earlier in the year, we were eager to see what they would do beyond these. I already got an adventurer’s vibe from the flavor text on each and every one of them. They made me feel like I was back Dming the team through the great adventures we had back in the nineties and fueled my excitement for how Wotc would deal with so many things there.

The truth is that, more than many other settings, Forgotten Realms have some of the greatest backdrops in ttrpg history. It’s one of the things that allows it to stand as one of the most iconic, long-lived settings ever. So, being so nostalgic for this setting, we began to talk and speculate how we do here in The Magic Tavern about the many locations that could make an appearance as an actual MTG land card in the upcoming set.

BALDUR’S GATE

Made popular by the long running video game of the same name, Baldur’s Gate should definitely make an appearance if not for the reason of Wotc cross marketing. We’ve been playing the third and most recent version of this popular game. Got to say, it has old school, ‘sitting at the table, playing D&D feels. Can’t wait for them to get everything fleshed out, because we are so up for another run on and off stream. Being the largest metropolis on the west coast and touting a powerful peacekeeping force, it would make a great white mana token generator. It could also be the boros land card for the set.

Also called simply, THE GATE, this setting made it’s game debut back in 1998 and it’s stood the test of time. This city is a part of a wider setting that should totally get a mention aka The Sword Coast. A setting that has gotten its own book in 5E, it’s cemented itself in the new lore. This area is full of great lore and locations that could get a nod via Wotc in this set.

CANDLEKEEP

AND seeing as it got its own book earlier in the year, CANDLEKEEP, which resides on the Sword Coast, would definitely be a front runner for the MTG set. Being the largest library on Faerun, it held the most concentrated bit of lore on this world. A land card for this place would probably have a blue mana vibe with a draw mechanic.

WATERDEEP

A discussion of the celebrated locations of Forgotten Realms would be incomplete without mentioning the City of Splendor’s itself, Waterdeep. Also situated in the afore mentioned Sword Coast, it is touted as the greatest city on this world. The Dragon Heist adventure was set here and all ships lead here as do adventures.

ICEWIND DALE

Another setting that has gotten a lot of play recently is Icewind Dale. Debuting as a video game back in 2000, this setting has recently gotten its own adventure book, Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden. This book was of particular interest as BDC has been researching the links between the Frostmaiden herself, Auril, and the Queen of AIr and Darkness. But this setting has its own flavor and dangers. Taking us from the safety of the great walled cities and dragging us out into the frozen tundra where a cold, icy death is imminent and survival is key. As a card, it could totally have strong blue and white mana vibes with, maybe, a freeze mechanic that will tap your opponent’s creatures. Heck, it could even have a connection to an actual Auril creature/god card.

NEVERWINTER

Ironically, we go from a land of forever winter to a city called NEVERWINTER. Once a city that rivaled the legendary Waterdeep, the city of NEVERWINTER was rocked by an erupting volcano nearly erasing it from history. But it’s on the rise despite the dark fey and undead that stalk its forests and the giants that descend the mountains . With all of this danger, it makes a great adventure setting. With the volcano still rumbling in the backdrop, it brings red/black mana vibes and could aid giant and fey creatures alike.

THE SUNLESS CITADEL

Past the marketing needs for Wotc, the list is as vast as the adventures each of us had in the Forgotten Realms. There are so many individual settings that it is totally impossible for us to list them all. And the importance of each setting is, as I stated before, tainted by our individual experience. But there are a few of these we reminisce about and would totally love to see get a land card or any mention whatsoever out of this set. The first classic adventure we remember is The Sunless Citadel.

This adventure has always been a great entry point for first level characters. Sporting the keep as the pic on this land, it brings black/green mana vibes mainly because of the Gulthias Tree that looms in the pic to the right. Spawning twig blight tokens would be a flavorful mechanic.

THE FORGE OF FURY

Now this is probably just nostalgia for our adventuring party, but it was a great follow up to the above-mentioned The Sunless Citadel entry level adventure which the tome writers for D&D back in the day confirmed it as a part of the ‘Sunless Citadel adventure path’. I remember we introduced my middle-son’s iconic deep gnome character who you will hear from in the future. But this one was touted as a classic 3rd level dungeon crawl and it did not disappoint. It was reprinted in 5E as was the Citadel in Wotc’s Tales from the Yawning Portal.

And, while we’re mentioning it, The YAWNING PORTAL, located in Waterdeep, was the main route leading to the Undermountain. I think a card showcasing the classic Tavern where adventurer’s of all kind come to seek glory and gold should happen. It’s also another old-school nod to nostalgia that will be greatly appreciated by many generations of Forgotten Realms travelers.

MENZOBERRANZAN

Another near lock for this set is the hometown of a certain renegade Drow, Drizzt Do’Urden. Seeing that all of this happens during the ‘Summer of Drizzt’ and Wotc is pushing the hero ranger to the moon, there is no way we don’t get, at least, a mention of MENZOBERRANZAN. It honestly has been a long standing staple of the underdark of Faerun and deserves its shot at MTG history.

We’ve already seen the planeswalker, Lolth card, so it’s not too much of a jump that we get a land card of her religious center touted as THE CITY OF SPIDERS. It’s, obviously, got an all black mana vibe just like Lolth’s card and should definitely be a powerful card for evil elf/drow tribal.

SKULLPORT

And speaking of amazing underdark locations, one of the personal favorites of The Magic Tavern has always been the Port of Shadows, Skullport! It hasn’t received much love recently, but such a hive of scum and villainy that would put Mos Eisley to the test and challenge Totuga and their riotous pirates should definitely get a nod.

Oh, man, there are SO many settings that could get nods from this set as either land cards or, even, sorceries, enchantments and instants. From the Red Wizards of Thay to wilderness of the Spine of the World, there are an infinite of possibilities and they would vary from person to person since the Forgotten Realms setting is so vast and flavorful. I hit the high points and some of our wants. What settings do you guys want to see on an Adventure in the Forgotten Realms card? Let us know in the comments or hit us up on our social media!