Retreat to Emeria is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Landfall — Whenever a land you control enters, choose one — • Create a 1/1 white Kor Ally creature token. • Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
Complete guide
Retreat to Emeria is a versatile white enchantment that rewards you for simply playing the game. Whether you need to build a defensive wall of tokens or launch a powerful finishing strike, this Landfall card adapts to your needs every time a land enters the battlefield under your control.
Understanding Landfall
The Landfall ability triggers whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control. This includes lands you play as your normal action for the turn, as well as lands put into play by spells or other abilities. Note that a permanent already on the battlefield becoming a land will not trigger this ability.
The Step-by-Step Resolution
When a land enters, the ability goes on the stack and you must choose one of the two modes. If you choose the first mode, you create a 1/1 white Kor Ally creature token when the ability resolves. If you choose the second mode, all creatures you currently control get +1/+1 until the end of the turn. If multiple lands enter at once, the ability triggers once for each land, allowing you to choose different modes for each instance.
Timing and Strategy
A common mistake is forgetting that the +1/+1 bonus only applies to creatures you control at the moment the ability resolves. If you want a new Kor Ally token to receive the buff, you must trigger Landfall twice, ensuring the token-creation ability resolves before the +1/+1 ability resolves.
Maximizing Your Board State
Retreat to Emeria is best used in decks that can consistently drop lands or blink them. Because it produces Ally tokens, it also synergizes with other Ally-themed cards, providing both the bodies and the power boosts needed to overwhelm your opponent.
Interaction examples
Kor AllyYou play a Plains while Retreat to Emeria is on the battlefield. You choose the first mode. The ability resolves, and you place a 1/1 white Kor Ally creature token onto the battlefield. This provides you with an additional blocker or attacker for no extra mana cost.
Ghostly PrisonYour opponent is forced to pay mana due to Ghostly Prison to attack you. On your turn, you play a land and choose the second mode of Retreat to Emeria. All your creatures get +1/+1. This makes your defensive line even more formidable, forcing the opponent to spend resources just to interact with a strengthened board.
If an effect puts two lands onto the battlefield simultaneously, Retreat to Emeria triggers twice. You can choose the first mode for the first trigger to create a Kor Ally, and then the second mode for the second trigger. By putting the +1/+1 mode on the stack first and the token mode on the stack second, the token will be created first and then receive the +1/+1 bonus.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Retreat to Emeria
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
A landfall ability triggers whenever a land you control enters for any reason. It triggers whenever you play a land, as well as whenever a spell or ability puts a land onto the battlefield under your control.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
A landfall ability doesn't trigger if a permanent already on the battlefield becomes a land.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Whenever a land you control enters, each landfall ability of the permanents you control will trigger. You can put them on the stack in any order. The last ability you put on the stack will be the first one to resolve (As a result, you can have those abilities resolve in the order of your choosing.).
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Retreat to Emeria + Haru, Hidden Talent + Zuran Orb
- 1Play a land.
- 2When the land enters, Retreat to Emeria triggers, creating a 1/1 Kor Ally creature token.
- 3When the Kor Ally enters, Haru triggers, earthbending the land that entered.
- 4Activate Zuran Orb by sacrificing the earthbended land.
- 5Haru triggers, returning the land from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped.
- 6When the land enters, Retreat to Emeria triggers, creating a 1/1 Kor Ally creature token.
- 7When the Kor Ally enters, Haru triggers, earthbending the land that entered.
- 8Resolve the Zuran Orb ability from step 4.
Kodama of the East Tree + Selesnya Sanctuary + Retreat to Emeria
- 1Play Selesnya Sanctuary.
- 2When Selesnya Sanctuary enters the battlefield, it, Retreat to Emeria, and Kodama of the East Tree trigger.
- 3Resolve the Kodama of the East Tree trigger, choosing not to put anything from your hand onto the battlefield.
- 4Resolve the Selesnya Sanctuary trigger, returning it from the battlefield to your hand.
- 5Resolve the Retreat to Emeria trigger, creating a token.
- 6When the token enters the battlefield, Kodama triggers, putting Selesnya Sanctuary from your hand onto the battlefield.
- 7When Selesnya Sanctuary enters the battlefield, it and Retreat to Emeria trigger.
- 8Repeat from step 4.
Retreat to Emeria + Haru, Hidden Talent + Sylvan Safekeeper
- 1Play a land.
- 2When the land enters, Retreat to Emeria triggers, creating a 1/1 Kor Ally creature token.
- 3When the Kor Ally enters, Haru triggers, earthbending the land that entered.
- 4Activate Sylvan Safekeeper by sacrificing the earthbended land.
- 5Haru triggers, returning the land from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped.
- 6When the land enters, Retreat to Emeria triggers, creating a 1/1 Kor Ally creature token.
- 7When the Kor Ally enters, Haru triggers, earthbending the land that entered.
- 8Repeat from step 4.
Retreat to Emeria + Haru, Hidden Talent + Cabaretti Courtyard
- 1Play Cabaretti Courtyard.
- 2When Cabaretti Courtyard enters, it and Retreat to Emeria trigger.
- 3Resolve the Retreat to Emeria trigger, creating a 1/1 Kor Ally creature token.
- 4When the Kor Ally enters, Haru triggers, earthbending Cabaretti Courtyard.
- 5Resolve the Cabaretti Courtyard trigger from step 2, causing you to sacrifice it, search your library for an applicable land and put it onto the battlefield tapped, and gain 1 life.
- 6Haru triggers, returning Cabaretti Courtyard from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 7Repeat from step 2.
Kodama of the East Tree + Gruul Turf + Retreat to Emeria
- 1Play Gruul Turf.
- 2When Gruul Turf enters the battlefield, it, Retreat to Emeria, and Kodama of the East Tree trigger.
- 3Resolve the Kodama of the East Tree trigger, choosing not to put anything from your hand onto the battlefield.
- 4Resolve the Gruul Turf trigger, returning it from the battlefield to your hand.
- 5Resolve the Retreat to Emeria trigger, creating a token.
- 6When the token enters the battlefield, Kodama triggers, putting Gruul Turf from your hand onto the battlefield.
- 7When Gruul Turf enters the battlefield, it and Retreat to Emeria trigger.
- 8Repeat from step 4.
Retreat to Emeria + Haru, Hidden Talent + Brokers Hideout
- 1Play Brokers Hideout.
- 2When Brokers Hideout enters, it and Retreat to Emeria trigger.
- 3Resolve the Retreat to Emeria trigger, creating a 1/1 Kor Ally creature token.
- 4When the Kor Ally enters, Haru triggers, earthbending Brokers Hideout.
- 5Resolve the Brokers Hideout trigger from step 2, causing you to sacrifice it, search your library for an applicable land and put it onto the battlefield tapped, and gain 1 life.
- 6Haru triggers, returning Brokers Hideout from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 7Repeat from step 2.
Kodama of the East Tree + Retreat to Emeria + Boros Garrison
- 1Play Boros Garrison.
- 2When Boros Garrison enters the battlefield, it, Retreat to Emeria, and Kodama of the East Tree trigger.
- 3Resolve the Kodama of the East Tree trigger, choosing not to put anything from your hand onto the battlefield.
- 4Resolve the Boros Garrison trigger, returning it from the battlefield to your hand.
- 5Resolve the Retreat to Emeria trigger, creating a token.
- 6When the token enters the battlefield, Kodama triggers, putting Boros Garrison from your hand onto the battlefield.
- 7When Boros Garrison enters the battlefield, it and Retreat to Emeria trigger.
- 8Repeat from step 4.
Kodama of the East Tree + Simic Growth Chamber + Retreat to Emeria
- 1Play Simic Growth Chamber.
- 2When Simic Growth Chamber enters the battlefield, it, Retreat to Emeria, and Kodama of the East Tree trigger.
- 3Resolve the Kodama of the East Tree trigger, choosing not to put anything from your hand onto the battlefield.
- 4Resolve the Simic Growth Chamber trigger, returning it from the battlefield to your hand.
- 5Resolve the Retreat to Emeria trigger, creating a token.
- 6When the token enters the battlefield, Kodama triggers, putting Simic Growth Chamber from your hand onto the battlefield.
- 7When Simic Growth Chamber enters the battlefield, it and Retreat to Emeria trigger.
- 8Repeat from step 4.
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Meta decks with Retreat to Emeria
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