There and Back Again MTG Card


Gameplay is enhanced through strategic creature returns, activating abilities, and maintaining card advantage. Ramping resources and strategic timing at instant speed dictate match tempo and challenge opponents. Despite its versatility and combo potential, the card has mana costs and discard requirements to consider.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment — Saga
Abilities Haste,Treasure

Text of card

(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.) I — Up to one target creature can't block for as long as you control There and Back Again. The Ring tempts you. II — Search your library for a Mountain card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle. III — Create Smaug, a legendary 6/6 red Dragon creature token with flying, haste, and "When this creature dies, create fourteen Treasure tokens."


Cards like There and Back Again

There and Back Again is an intriguing entry in Magic: The Gathering’s array of adventure and return spells. A notable parallel can be drawn to the card Once and Future. While Once and Future allows for the retrieval of cards directly back to hand, There and Back Again offers a shuffle into the library, thus differing in the approach to resource recovery. In terms of cost, both cards occupy the four-mana space, yet There and Back Again introduces a reusability aspect that Once and Future lacks, giving it a strategic edge in longer games.

Echoing similar mechanics, we encounter the spell Regrowth, which provides a cheaper alternative for recovering cards from the graveyard for just two mana. However, unlike There and Back Again, Regrowth lacks the scalability and repeated usage. This recurring theme is also seen in the card Bala Ged Recovery, part of the modal double-faced card family, adding flexibility in form of a land option, yet still falling short on the multiple-use advantage present in There and Back Again.

In examining the performance and utility across similar spells, There and Back Again’s potential for ongoing value within Magic: The Gathering emerges clear, making it an attractive option for players who favor long-term resource management.

Once and Future - MTG Card versions
Regrowth - MTG Card versions
Once and Future - MTG Card versions
Regrowth - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to There and Back Again by color, type and mana cost

Conquer - MTG Card versions
Curse of Marit Lage - MTG Card versions
Bulwark - MTG Card versions
Burning Sands - MTG Card versions
Unpredictable Cyclone - MTG Card versions
Court of Ire - MTG Card versions
Dictate of the Twin Gods - MTG Card versions
Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded - MTG Card versions
Double Vision - MTG Card versions
Aether Charge - MTG Card versions
Gratuitous Violence - MTG Card versions
Confusion in the Ranks - MTG Card versions
Yet Another Aether Vortex - MTG Card versions
Where Ancients Tread - MTG Card versions
Rumbling Aftershocks - MTG Card versions
Heretic's Punishment - MTG Card versions
Curse of Bloodletting - MTG Card versions
Pyroconvergence - MTG Card versions
Possibility Storm - MTG Card versions
Witch Hunt - MTG Card versions
Conquer - MTG Card versions
Curse of Marit Lage - MTG Card versions
Bulwark - MTG Card versions
Burning Sands - MTG Card versions
Unpredictable Cyclone - MTG Card versions
Court of Ire - MTG Card versions
Dictate of the Twin Gods - MTG Card versions
Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded - MTG Card versions
Double Vision - MTG Card versions
Aether Charge - MTG Card versions
Gratuitous Violence - MTG Card versions
Confusion in the Ranks - MTG Card versions
Yet Another Aether Vortex - MTG Card versions
Where Ancients Tread - MTG Card versions
Rumbling Aftershocks - MTG Card versions
Heretic's Punishment - MTG Card versions
Curse of Bloodletting - MTG Card versions
Pyroconvergence - MTG Card versions
Possibility Storm - MTG Card versions
Witch Hunt - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: There and Back Again offers a multi-faceted approach to achieving card advantage. By allowing you to return a creature you control to its owner’s hand and then play that creature again, you’re not only saving your valuable asset from potential removal but also activating any enter-the-battlefield effects it might have for an additional benefit. This recycling tactic keeps your hand loaded with actionable cards, key for outpacing opponents over the course of a match.

Resource Acceleration: Often in MTG, tempo and efficient use of resources determine the victor. There and Back Again plays a strategic role in ramping up your resources by interacting with permanents that trigger on casting spells or when creatures enter the battlefield. This could lead to creating extra mana, drawing cards, or producing tokens, giving you the necessary leap forward to deploy further threats against your adversaries.

Instant Speed: The ability to act at instant speed cannot be overstated in MTG. There and Back Again fits snugly into this highly prized category, offering you the flexibility to dictate the pace of play. React to your opponent’s moves by saving your creature from imminent destruction or simply optimize your turn by waiting for the last possible moment to make a move, keeping your adversaries on their toes and strategizing around your potential plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing There and Back Again requires the player to discard a card, which can be problematic when hand size is critical for maintaining strategic options.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands an exact combination of mana colors to cast, which could pose a challenge in decks that are not finely tuned to produce such a specific mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card’s casting cost is relatively steep when evaluated against other options, potentially slowing down your game plan in fast-paced matches.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: There and Back Again is a flexible card that can be included in various deck archetypes, providing strategic advantage and multiple utility options.

Combo Potential: This card’s unique abilities open up synergies with creatures and returning spells or actions that benefit from being replayed or that manipulate the graveyard.

Meta-Relevance: With the shifting landscape of the MTG environment, There and Back Again can adapt to suit the needs of a deck facing a variety of common strategies in the current meta.


How to Beat There and Back Again

There and Back Again is a multifaceted card that can pose quite the challenge in the right Magic: The Gathering deck. As a card that enables a player to retrieve two creatures from the graveyard, it has the potential to turn the tide of a game by bringing back key pieces that were previously thought to be out of commission.

Dealing with There and Back Again involves strategic considerations such as graveyard management. Cards with graveyard hate capabilities, such as Scavenging Ooze or Relic of Progenitus, are essential tools. They can remove potential targets for There and Back Again before your opponent gets the chance to utilize them. Moreover, counterspells like Cancel or Counterspell itself can nullify the spell before it ever takes effect, providing a preemptive approach to ensuring those creatures don’t make a reappearance.

Rapid board clears are another effective measure. Cards like Damnation or Wrath of God can wipe the board shortly after an opponent uses There and Back Again, rendering their efforts futile. The key is to understand the tempo of your opponent and disrupt their plans before they can gain the advantage from their resurrected creatures.


BurnMana Recommendations

MTG players understand the significance of flexibility and resourcefulness on the battlefield, and There and Back Again offers a tantalizing blend of both. Its capability to provide card advantage, resource acceleration, and the prized instant speed interaction make it a compelling choice for many decks. Despite the challenges it presents, such as a specific mana cost and a discard requirement, the benefits it could bring to your game by reusing impactful creatures or triggering enter-the-battlefield effects again are noteworthy. To further develop your gameplay strategies, delve into the nuanced world of nuanced card use and optimization with us. Discover how to integrate There and Back Again into your MTG collection, ensuring your deck remains a step ahead in the ever-evolving game meta.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase There and Back Again MTG card by a specific set like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, 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 There and Back Again and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The There and Back Again Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Jarel Threat.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 1512015SagaBlackJarel Threat
22023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 6022015SagaBlackJarel Threat
32023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth PromosPLTR 151s2015SagaBlackJarel Threat

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where There and Back Again has restrictions

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

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering There and Back Again card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2023-06-16 As the Ring tempts you, you get an emblem named The Ring if you don't have one. Then your emblem gains its next ability and you choose a creature you control to become (or remain) your Ring-bearer.
2023-06-16 Each player can have only one emblem named The Ring and only one Ring-bearer at a time.
2023-06-16 Each time the Ring tempts you, you must choose a creature if you control one.
2023-06-16 If the creature you choose as your Ring-bearer was already your Ring-bearer, that still counts as choosing that creature as your Ring-bearer for the purpose of abilities that trigger "whenever you choose a creature as your Ring-bearer" or abilities that care about which creature was chosen as your Ring-bearer.
2023-06-16 Some spells and abilities that cause the Ring to tempt you may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. The Ring won't tempt you.
2023-06-16 The Ring can tempt you even if you don't control a creature. In this case, abilities that trigger "whenever the Ring tempts you" will still trigger.
2023-06-16 The Ring gains its abilities in order from top to bottom. Once it gains an ability, it has that ability for the rest of the game.