Clifftop Retreat MTG Card

Provides consistency and resource acceleration in Boros decks, aiding in both card advantage and tempo. Demands specific land types to enter untapped, restricting it to certain deck builds and strategies. Strengthens deck versatility and meta-relevance, making it a staple in red-white MTG strategies.
Card setsReleased in 14 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeLand

Text of card

Clifftop Retreat enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a Mountain or a Plains. : Add or to your mana pool.

Where cathars learn to fight not only demons and vampires, but ignorance as well.

Cards like Clifftop Retreat

Clifftop Retreat is a land card that stands out for mana-fixing abilities in Magic: The Gathering, serving as a powerful base for red and white decks. It finds its closest relatives in the cycle of “check lands” like Glacial Fortress, which also requires you to control a land of a specific type to come in untapped. Unlike a straightforward dual land that always enters the battlefield tapped, Clifftop Retreat offers the possibility for immediate use if the conditions are met, providing a significant advantage in the pace of your game.

Similarly, Sunpetal Grove operates under the same mechanics for green and white mana, and Rootbound Crag does the same for red and green decks. These lands are all part of the same cycle, invaluable for multicolored decks needing reliable mana sources without sacrificing tempo. Although they share the same functionality, Clifftop Retreat is unique to its specific color combination and thus vital in the Boros archetype’s strategy.

A thorough analysis reveals that within the scope of mana-producing lands, Clifftop Retreat is a versatile option in fast-paced matches, making it an attractive choice for players looking to optimize their mana curve and overall deck performance.

Glacial Fortress - MTG Card versions
Sunpetal Grove - MTG Card versions
Rootbound Crag - MTG Card versions
Glacial Fortress - MTG Card versions
Sunpetal Grove - MTG Card versions
Rootbound Crag - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Clifftop Retreat by color, type and mana cost

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Slayers' Stronghold - MTG Card versions
Spectator Seating - MTG Card versions
Alpine Meadow - MTG Card versions
Plateau - MTG Card versions
Scabland - MTG Card versions
Needleverge Pathway // Pillarverge Pathway - MTG Card versions
Sundown Pass - MTG Card versions
Boros Garrison - MTG Card versions
Sacred Foundry - MTG Card versions
Temple of Triumph - MTG Card versions
Furycalm Snarl - MTG Card versions
Battlefield Forge - MTG Card versions
Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion - MTG Card versions
Rugged Prairie - MTG Card versions
Boros Guildgate - MTG Card versions
Wind-Scarred Crag - MTG Card versions
Needle Spires - MTG Card versions
Inspiring Vantage - MTG Card versions
Stone Quarry - MTG Card versions
Sunbaked Canyon - MTG Card versions
Slayers' Stronghold - MTG Card versions
Spectator Seating - MTG Card versions
Alpine Meadow - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Clifftop Retreat. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Jeskai Indomitable CreativityJeskai Indomitable Creativity PioneerJeskai Indomitable CreativityPioneer League 2024-04-04
Niv to LightNiv to Light PioneerNiv to LightPioneer Challenge 32 2024-04-29
4c Indomitable Creativity4c Indomitable Creativity Pioneer4c Indomitable CreativityPioneer League 2024-04-18
Jeskai CreativityJeskai Creativity ExplorerThe Pizza Box Open: Explorer
Jeskai ControlJeskai Control PioneerJeskai ControlReCQ - Pioneer - SCG CON Atlanta - Sunday - 12:30 pm (Bronze)
Boros AggroBoros Aggro GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 14 2024
Boros TokensBoros Tokens GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 15 2024
Mardu HumansMardu Humans GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 15 2024
Naya MidrangeNaya Midrange GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 15 2024

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Clifftop Retreat doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it contributes to card advantage by ensuring your land drops are consistent. This means you’re less likely to miss crucial plays, keeping you on par or ahead of your opponent’s game state.

Resource Acceleration: Clifftop Retreat provides a boost in resource acceleration as it taps for both red and white mana. This dual land capability is essential for casting multi-colored spells sooner and more efficiently, which can lead to a stronger board presence earlier in the match.

Instant Speed: While Clifftop Retreat enters the battlefield untapped under the right conditions, the true benefit in terms of instant speed comes from its ability to immediately be used for mana the turn it’s played. This can be crucial when you need to respond to an opponent’s moves or when you want to capitalize on a window of opportunity with your own instant-speed actions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Clifftop Retreat demands that you have a Mountain or Plains already in play to enter the battlefield untapped. This can disrupt your gameplay if you lack the required land types in your opening hand or draws, forcing you to possibly discard for hand size or deterring optimal plays.

Specific Mana Cost: While flexible for red or white mana, this dual land does necessitate a deck that is tailored to these two colors. Players who are not building a Boros deck—meaning a combination of red and white—may find Clifftop Retreat less useful compared to more color-flexible land options available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Clifftop Retreat does not have a direct mana cost for playing it, the potential cost comes in the form of having it enter play tapped if you cannot meet its conditions. This can be a significant setback, especially in the early game where mana efficiency is crucial for establishing board presence and tempo.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Clifftop Retreat offers an adaptable land choice for decks harnessing both red and white mana. Its flexibility in mana fixing makes it a reliable choice for multicolored strategies, ensuring smooth gameplay from start to finish.

Combo Potential: This card shines in synergy with cards that benefit from having many types of lands, or those that trigger upon land entry. It can easily be incorporated into setups aiming to utilize landfall abilities or enhance land count reliant spells.

Meta-Relevance: With the shifting landscape of competitive play, Clifftop Retreat remains a constant for Red-White (Boros) archetype players. It stands strong against a variety of deck formats, maintaining its place as a meta-relevant option in both tournament scenes and casual play circles.

How to Beat

Clifftop Retreat is a dependable land card known for its mana-fixing abilities in the MTG realm. It enables decks that run red and white colors to deploy their threats and answers efficiently. To outmaneuver players using Clifftop Retreat, it’s crucial to minimize their advantage. Cards that destroy or alter lands, like Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin, can disrupt their mana base and slow them down. Strategies that involve land animation and targeted removal can also turn Clifftop Retreat against its controller.

Another method is encouraging resource depletion. Leveraging discard mechanics or applying pressure with aggressive creatures forces players to use their mana and possibly reduce the land’s impact. Countering key spells that they aim to cast with red or white mana can leave them behind, struggling to catch up. Though Clifftop Retreat doesn’t have intrinsic protection, keeping the user off balance by interfering with land utility can be a powerful path to victory.

In essence, staying one step ahead of your opponent’s mana strategy, especially when they rely on a card like Clifftop Retreat for stability, can be the key to maintaining control of the game and eventually securing the win.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Clifftop Retreat MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Dominaria Promos, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Clifftop Retreat and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Clifftop Retreat Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by 5 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-09-30InnistradISD 2382003NormalBlackJohn Avon
22018-04-27Dominaria PromosPDOM 239p2015NormalBlackChristine Choi
32018-04-27DominariaDOM 2392015NormalBlackChristine Choi
42018-04-27Dominaria PromosPDOM 239s2015NormalBlackChristine Choi
52020-09-26The ListPLST DOM-2392015NormalBlackChristine Choi
62023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 2412015NormalBlackChristine Choi
72023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 3931997NormalBlackChristine Choi
82023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 3002015NormalBlackWei Guan
92023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 3242015NormalBlackConstantin Marin
102024-03-08FalloutPIP 4912015NormalBlackSamuele Bandini
112024-03-08FalloutPIP 10192015NormalBlackSamuele Bandini
122024-03-08FalloutPIP 2582015NormalBlackSamuele Bandini
132024-03-08FalloutPIP 7862015NormalBlackSamuele Bandini
142024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder Junction CommanderOTC 2782015NormalBlackChristine Choi

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Clifftop Retreat has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal