"Oran-Rief, the Vastwood" is one of the many nonbasic lands printed for the Magic the Gathering expansion set known as "Zendikar." This is one of the five special nonbasic lands printed as a rare for the Zendikar expansion set. Like the rest of the rare nonbasic lands in Zendikar, Oran-Rief, the Vastwood has its own special ability for the most part. In this respect, one would want to use Oran-Rief, the Vastwood in a green aggressive deck with plenty of creatures. To get the most out of Oran-Rief, the Vastwood, you would want plenty of green creatures.

Like the other lands, Oran-Rief does not require a casting cost. Unfortunately, Oran-Rief is like most of the nonbasic lands. You cannot really use those nonbasic lands as soon as you bring them into the battlefield. Oran-Rief, the Vastwood is not an exception. When you play Oran-Rief, the Vastwood, it enters onto the battlefield tapped. It means you cannot use Oran-Rief, the Vastwood until your next turn.

What does Oran-Rief, the Vastwood do in the first place?

As soon as you can use Oran-Rief, the Vastwood, you can tap it for one green mana. A land that can tap for mana is pretty good. Nonbasic lands usually tap for one color of mana and have some sort of ability. Other nonbasic lands allow you to tap for two or three different colors of mana. While Oran-Rief, the Vastwood can only be tapped for one green mana, it does have an interesting ability which is good provided you have green creatures.

Basically, the main ability of Oran-Rief, the Vastwood is not to be tapped for green mana. The main ability allows you to tap Oran-Rief, the Vastwood to put a +1/+1 counter on green creatures that have just entered the battlefield. I have found this ability quite interesting because it gives a somewhat of an additional boost for the time being.

In an aggressive green and red deck a friend let me use a few times, I had found Oran-Rief, the Vastwood to be pretty handy. I found the beauty of Oran-Rief, the Vastwood is not a legendary land. In this respect, it is not subject to the "legendary rule." Luckily, it is not a "lair land" either. When you play Oran-Rief, the Vastwood, you do not have to bounce a land you control back to your hand.

When I used my friend's standard deck with Alara, "Magic 2010," and Zendikar block cards, I found much use for Oran-Rief, the Vastwood. I was able to play cards like "Scute Mob" and give them +1/+1 counters with Oran-Rief, the Vastwood before certain abilities kicked in.

Since Oran-Rief, the Vastwood comes into play tapped, I found much use for planeswalker "Garruk Wildspeaker."

Overall, Oran-Rief, the Vastwood is a pretty handy card to have if you are playing an aggressive deck filled with green creatures. Should you be playing such a deck, have a few of these cards. Make sure you have Garruk Wildespeaker to help out.

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