Retrieve MTG Card
2021-11-19 - Number 215
2022-01-28 - Number 482
2021-11-19 - Number 53
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
Key Takeaways
- Retrieval spells provide card advantage and disrupt opponent strategies by recovering key cards.
- Instant-speed retrieval allows real-time responses to threats, adding depth to gameplay.
- Retrieve’s versatility and combo potential make it a resilient tool in various decks.
Text of card
Return up to one target creature card and up to one target noncreature permanent card from your graveyard to your hand. Exile Retrieve.
The roots preserved the armor for a hundred years, safeguarding it for a traveler in need.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Retrieval of MTG cards can determine the ebb and flow of the game by pulling pivotal cards from the graveyard back into your hand. This mechanism not only replenishes resources but also disrupts the opponent’s calculations of your potential moves.
Resource Acceleration: Many retrieval spells come with additional perks such as placing lands onto the battlefield or reducing the casting cost of the recovered card, thereby accelerating your resource availability and giving you an edge to outpace your adversary.
Instant Speed: The capacity to retrieve cards at instant speed adds a strategic layer of depth and surprise to gameplay. It enables responses to threats in real-time, which can be a game-changer by turning a well-timed card recovery into a powerful counteraction during critical moments.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Embarking on the quest to reclaim an MTG card often necessitates the discarding of another card from your hand. This stipulation can pose a significant setback, particularly in situations where your hand size is already dwindling, sacrificing precious resources that could be vital in upcoming turns.
Specific Mana Cost: The Retrieve card demands a precise arrangement of mana types to cast, traditionally locking it firmly within the confines of decks that can reliably generate the necessary colors. Players running a multicolored mana base may find this constraint restrictive and potentially disruptive to their game plan.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The necessity of allocating a substantial portion of mana to execute a Retrieve can impinge on your ability to manage other imperative actions within the same turn. While returning a card from the graveyard to your hand is undeniably useful, the investment must be weighed against other available options which may offer a more cost-effective solution or greater strategic flexibility.
Reasons to Include Retrieve in Your Collection
Versatility: Retrieve offers dual utility by allowing players to not only recoup vital creatures from their graveyard but also noncreature cards, making it a versatile pick for various deck archetypes.
Combo Potential: Within decks that churn through their library or self-mill, Retrieve can become a key piece to reaccess combo elements, ensuring your game plan’s resilience.
Meta-Relevance: Considering the shifting MTG landscape where graveyard interaction is often crucial, Retrieve ensures your deck adapts to recurring threats or important answers, keeping you competitive.
How to Beat
Retrieving your game plan against a card like Retrieve in MTG is all about foresight and disruption. Retrieve stands out as a recovery tool, allowing players to return two cards from their graveyard to their hand. Strategy wise, it’s akin to Regrowth, but Retrieve goes one step further in regaining card advantage with the potential to reclaim an additional card. It’s a cheaper alternative to cards like Eternal Witness in terms of mana cost efficiency, as it fetches not one but two targets.
However, the key to outmaneuvering Retrieve and similar graveyard retrieval effects lies in anticipation. Cards like Tormod’s Crypt provide excellent counterplay by exiling an opponent’s graveyard at no cost, thus rendering Retrieve moot. Additionally, proactive discard strategies employing cards like Thoughtseize can take Retrieve out of the equation before it’s even played, or remove pivotal targets it would aim to retrieve. Keeping a close eye on graveyard composition and making decisive moves to control it can effectively nullify the advantage Retrieve offers to your opponent.
Ultimately, beating Retrieve in MTG boils down to understanding its potential and employing the right measures at the right time. Prevention and graveyard management remain your best allies in ensuring Retrieval plans are thwarted, keeping you ahead in the game.
Cards like Retrieve
The strategic dynamics of Magic: The Gathering are elevated with cards like Retrieve. This enchantment brings a unique twist to the regeneration theme in the card pool. It draws a parallel with cards like Regrowth, offering players the ability to return a card from the graveyard to their hand. Where Retrieve stands out is through its ability to potentially return two cards at the cost of six mana, whereas Regrowth retrieves one for two mana.
Comparing Retrieve further, Eternal Witness comes into the picture. This creature card brings more than just retrieval—it adds a body to the board. While it comes with a higher mana cost and provides the return of one card like Regrowth, the versatility of a creature that can affect the board state gives it an edge. Moving along, there’s also Restoration Specialist, another creature that offers retrieval possibilities, specifically for artifact and enchantment cards, adding a layer of specialization in comparison to the wider net cast by Retrieve’s ability to target any cards.
When examining Retrieve amidst its counterparts, its higher mana requirement is balanced by the possibility of a greater return, presenting MTG players with a strategic option depending on their deck composition and play style.
Cards similar to Retrieve by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Retrieve // Retrieve MTG card by a specific set like Crimson Vow Art Series and Innistrad: Crimson Vow, 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 Retrieve // Retrieve and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Retrieve // Retrieve Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-11-19 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Alix Branwyn.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crimson Vow Art Series | AVOW | 53 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Alix Branwyn | ||
| 2 | 2021-11-19 | Innistrad: Crimson Vow | VOW | 215 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alix Branwyn | |
| 3 | 2022-01-28 | Innistrad: Double Feature | DBL | 482 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alix Branwyn |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Retrieve has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
