Brushland

Brushland was originally printed in the 1995 expansion set Ice Age as a source of colorless or allied-color mana. It emerged during an era when Wizards of the Coast was expanding the color identity mechanics of Magic: The Gathering, introducing pain lands that required players to sacrifice life to access specific mana colors. This particular version, appearing as part of The List in the Brother's War expansion, serves as a reprint that maintains the card's original mechanical function while introducing it to a new generation of players within the modern game ecosystem.

The artistic direction for Brushland has historically leaned into the harsh, desolate landscapes of the Ice Age setting, emphasizing the ruggedness of the terrain. The design was intended to balance the powerful utility of flexible mana against the cost of incremental life loss, a fundamental design philosophy that has kept the card relevant in various formats for decades. The inclusion of this card in The List—a curated selection of cards from throughout the game's history—highlights its status as a staple utility land that has remained both functional and evocative since its debut.