Contested War Zone
Land
Whenever a creature deals combat damage to you, that creature's controller gains control of this land.
: Add 
.
, : Attacking creatures get +1/+0 until end of turn.
- CMC
- 0
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- C
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Mirrodin Besieged
- Price
- $0.23
- EDHREC rank
- #14559
Contested War Zone steals control of a land from any player whose creatures just dealt combat damage to you — a punisher effect that flips aggro's momentum into your mana base. The cost is real: tapping for colorless and painting a target on your back means you run it for the steal, not the mana.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Zidane, Tantalus Thief
Zidane, Tantalus Thief rewards attacking and connecting, and Contested War Zone extends that same combat-damage trigger into land theft — every swing that tags an opponent potentially strips their mana while fueling your own board.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Contested War Zone is a political grenade: it punishes the player who swings at you, which deters attacks and occasionally steals a premium land from the table's fastest mana base. Legacy and Vintage have it legal but rarely want it — those formats move too fast for a land that requires you to eat damage first. Modern is where it sees occasional fringe play in prison or land-disruption shells, though it's never been a staple. Oathbreaker mirrors Commander's verdict: niche but functional in aggressive or theft-themed builds.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.23 bulk tier
At $0.23, Contested War Zone is firmly bulk — a pickup that costs you nothing to try. Bulk land singletons with narrow applications rarely climb, so don't expect the price to move.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.