Different types of mana cards

[Kingma106]

There are some mana cards that com into play tapped unless you pay 2 life what is the upside to that they seem useless?

[InfinitiveDivinity]

They are called Shocklands, due to the fact that they can {Shock} you. The upside is that they are literal dual lands. Let's use {Overgrown Tomb} for an example. Besides the fact that it can tap for both {B} and {G} mana, it is literally a {Swamp} and a {Forest}. Also, the Innistrad duals and M10-13 lands such as {Woodland Cemetery}, {Sunpetal Grove} and {Isolated Chapel} check for specific land types when entering the battlefield to allow it to come in freely untapped. Shocklands also satisfy these needs. They are all also fetchable through {Farseek} and Fetchlands such as {Arid Mesa} and {Verdant Catacombs}.

[InfinitiveDivinity]

The real benefit comes to multicolored decks though. If you have a mono-colored, or single colored deck, Shocklands aren't necessary. But they are very nice to have in multicolored decks due to the fact that they allow you to add both colors. The {Shock} that it gives you is optional also. If you really need the mana, it's there for a little bit of life, otherwise it can just come in tapped.

[Kingma106]

Thats awesome so just to clarify say it was my first turb i draw  {Temple Garden} and  {Voice of Resurgence} then i pay the two life for the land i could then tap it and play voice of resurgence first turn?

[Boomer17]

No, actually it taps for one color or the other not both.

[Wackaman9001]

No, it taps for one or tghe other, not both. If you had a {temple garden} and a {sunpetal grove} you could play the garden then next turn the grove and the grove would come in untapped

[Harmon74]

The best thing, in my opinion, about the shock lands is being able to search for them with spells and effects that search for a certain type of land......for instance; you can  {Farseek} for a multi colored land to set up you're mana base.  You can't  {Farseek} for a  {Sunpetal Grove}, because its type is "land" whereas you can {farseek} for a {temple garden} because its type is "forest-plains". Also you can use {liliana, of the dark realm} to search out a {watery grave} and give access to multiple colors.

[Harmon74]

It's all about being able to get the colors you need, when you need them.

[Kingma106]

Im quite new at this ands didnt see the point becauseofs cuestones but ive been playing wrong... Oops i didntknow it costed 3 to cast thoughtit was like anorma mana :O

[Monrodesign]

Shock lands also give you the option to bite to 2 life if nessesary so you aren't a turn behind in your creature drops or spells.

[Kingma106]

Thanks alot guys im just dumb

[Harmon74]

Not dumb, just new.  Ask questions, get answers, learn more, and have fun.