The choice to use regular basic lands or long basic lands is a question more common than “What commander should I play?” In fact, reddit’s own r/magicTCG community has barred the topic from being posted due to a penchant for producing unhealthy debate; usually ending up as toxic comments that reduce into a sticky, coagulated goo of pure, seething hatred.
“It’s a pointless discussion when there is no right answer,” said one reddit user. “Debating subjective topics is about as productive as that lady who pretends to set MTG’s prices whenever her boss walks by, which is to say, not at all. Magic: The Gathering is, and has always been, divided into two distinct camps: regular basics and long basics. Some people, like me have been on team long lands, but go back to regular basics from time to time, changing with the seasons if you will. To debate it is like asking if chocolate or vanilla is better.”
However, not everyone is convinced it’s a debate that cannot be settled.
“Whoever uses long basics are self-centered fuck-wits,” said another reddit user. “There’s literally no point. They take up too much space, to the point of resting on my playmat when my opponent is using them. If anyone was wondering why people are setting up tiny fences around their playmats, it’s because of morons who like to use long basics. There are two kinds of people. Those who play Magic: The Gathering properly, and those who get off scooting my cards to the side whenever they tap their stupid long basics for mana.”
Several other redditors responded to the above comment by typing “This” until someone actually furthered the discussion.
“Long lands are a benefit to both players. Sometimes it’s difficult to see how much mana an opponent has open and long lands help with that. Some argue that LBs invade another player’s space, that is false. Long basics were designed to be the same size as a standard playmat. If an opponent’s cards are invading your space, it’s an issue with people playing them incorrectly, not the cards themselves. Also, the fact that you need specialized sleeves and decks in order to fit them means I have access to more accessories than someone playing only standard-length cards. I’m fairly certain it’s a win-win situation.”
With the success of long basics, players are reporting the use of new popup-style cards such as the new series of counterspells that give you the middle finger.