One of the common questions that comes up in M14 limited (also occasionally in constructed) is with Into the Wilds, and whether it counts towards your land drops for the turn. There seems to be some added confusion due to the minor rules update regarding land plays that came with the M14 update (it was very minor, and in the vast majority of cases makes no noticeable difference).

To play a land means to put it onto the battlefield as a special action, and almost always from your hand (though a few effects allow this to happen from different zones, such as from the graveyard with Crucible of Worlds or from the library with Oracle of Mul-Daya). These effects use the word “play” specifically to indicate that it counts as playing a land.

Other effects can put a land card from some other zone “onto the battlefield.” These effects don’t count as “playing” a land, and don’t interfere with your normal land drop for the turn. So the same way Farseek or Terramorphic Expanse don’t stop you from playing a land normally, Into the Wilds simply puts a land onto the battlefield from your library, and you are still able to play a land from your hand that turn if you have one to play.

Also, don’t forget to draw for your turn after resolving Into the Wilds’ trigger. If that card was a land, it moves from the library to the battlefield during your upkeep, and you still go to your draw step right afterwards!

Today’s Rules tip written by Josh Stansfield