Return to the Ranks

Sorcery

Convoke (You may tap your creatures as you cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for {1} or one mana of that creature's colour.)

Return X target creature cards with converted mana cost/mana value 2 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Historic Brawl	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Modern Beyond Horizons	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (51)

Squee_Spirit_Guide on Soul Bats

7 months ago

Thanks, seshiro_of_the_orochi! I love the look of Dusk / Dawn! I had completely forgotten it existed, but I think it works really well as a sweeper and for recursion. I feel like, if nothing else, it's a nice upgrade for Return to the Ranks in the sideboard. Thanks for the suggestion!

PuritanPuree on Amalia the Explorer

1 year ago

BioProfDude Thanks for checking out the deck!

I was actually just checking out the results of a big pioneer tournament that happened this past weekend to check how Amalia combo decks did and to compare lists. It actually did really well, taking 3rd and 4th, and it had a winning record against the winning deck, Izzet Phoenix. It was interesting to see that the most successful versions didn't even use Fiend Artisan at all (though a couple that made top 32 did), which was a bit surprising to me. Their sideboards also had a much more varied sideboard toolbox of 1-off creatures, which didn't surprise me too much, but I'm bad at sideboards, so I let other people figures those out, haha.

As for the suggestions, Selfless Savior actually did show up in basically all of the lists, usually as a 1-off. I was using Tamiyo's Safekeeping as a similar effect, but I'll happily trade them out for a good boy if that's the move. Selfless Spirit is a bit too tricky to play with in this deck since accidentally giving Wildgrowth Walker indestructible while trying to protect the combo while it's going off will draw the game, which is obviously not ideal. All of the top decks were also running Return to the Ranks, which I also found mildly surprising since I just assumed it'd find more use in a self-mill variant of the deck, which I'm not using, but they for sure know better than me. I'm assuming that Rally the Ancestors doesn't see any play both because of the sac clause, and because Return only costs 3 if I only need to get back 1 thing.

Thanks again for checking the deck out! I'll likely be editing the deck to reflect some of the changes from the tournament results shortly.

BioProfDude on Amalia the Explorer

1 year ago

I think you want a couple of Selfless Saviors or Selfless Spirits to give your creatures indestructible for when Amalia reaches the 20 power, or to help against board wipes so you don't have to rebuild as much.

I also think the Return to the Ranks are pretty good, but I'd also offer Rally the Ancestors because you could get back cards on your opponent's end step (or your end step when someone uses their mana at the end of your end step) to assemble the combo if the cards are in your graveyard, particularly if you can get Dina + Amalia + Wildgrowth as that can kill at instant speed.

Cool deck! +1 from me!

BioProfDude on Mono White Vigilance

1 year ago

I think if you have the budget, you need to at least upgrade the mana. Include 2x Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire, 1x or maybe 2x Castle Ardenvale, 1x Shefet Dunes (you'd be surprised at how effective that +1/+1 thing can be at istant speed!), and maybe 1x Cave of the Frost Dragon as a place to sink mana for attacking if you get wrathed.

Guardian of Faith also nicely fits your theme and is an underrated card that can be extremely useful. I get that you're trying to stick with humans, but I think there's already a really, really good humans deck, so I would exploit the vigiliance and worry less about the humans aspect (see below).

On that note, Reidane, God of the Worthy  ^Flip would be a solid addition, if at least for the sideboard.

While it doesn't have vigilance when activated, maybe Smuggler's Copter? Ha! I know, we're jamming it in every deck to see if it will work, but in this type of aggro deck it just might and it provides you a nice way to draw some cards.

Last suggestions for the main are Brave the Elements and maybe something like Temporary Lockdown or Ossification in the main board. I get that you have humans, but I think these are just better than Sanctuary Lockdown or Collective Effort. Even Get Lost would be a great addition, or possibly Declaration in Stone in the sideboard.

Your sideboard should probably include Rest in Peace to deal with Izzet Phoenix and Amalia Combo, and probably should have Damping Sphere to deal with Lotus Combo. Containment Priest is also another solid sideboard consideration.

Oh, a fun card that might be cool would be Rally the Ancestors (or Return to the Ranks, maybe). For surprise blocking? Just a thought.

Cool deck idea! +1 from me!

Darb_the_Bard on A fistful of Myr [Urtet, Remnant of Memnarch]

2 years ago

My favorite part of Urtet is untapping all the Myrs and finding ways to take advantage of that. To that end, I think Improvise is a great mechanic in this deck (Kappa Cannoneer and Organic Extinction are great examples already in the decklist). Since the artifacts are also creatures, Convoke can be similarly powerful. Both are even more powerful in your list since you are also running cards like Drumbellower and Unwinding Clock.

I mentioned some good Improvise cards in a previous comment, but here are some more fun possibilities:

• Whir of Invention - 3 blue pips is tough, but perhaps worth it if leaning into blue and you like tutors
• Saheeli's Directive - 3 red pips this time, but perhaps the upside is worth it?
• Battle at the Bridge - likely just one black mana to get rid of a creature, even if it has indestructible

And here are some possible Convoke cards:

• Obelisk of Urd - often "free" while pumping all your Myrs, which can still untap after the Convoke and attack with the pump that same turn thanks to Urtet
• Return to the Ranks - get back a bunch of 2-mana creatures (I would likely want to pack a few more in the deck to make it worth it, but something to consider)
• Endless Obedience - recursion from anyone's graveyard
• Unmake the Graves - more recursion
• Ephemeral Shields - protection for Urtet
• Overwhelm - the creatures you tap for the Convoke will get the buff and can still attack thanks to Urtet
• Lethal Scheme - destroy a creature or planeswalker while improving your hand with Connive
• Mob - cheap creature removal
• Sundering Vitae - cheap artifact/enchantment removal
• Sprouting Renewal - more cheap artifact/enchantment removal (maybe you want the token sometimes?)
• Venerated Loxodon - a 4/4 body that gives a +1/+1 counter to every creature that Convokes it; seems especially decent since you are also running cards like Hardened Scales and Doubling Season

ZenYoLife on Myr Tokens Budget

3 years ago

IHATENAMES, Forsaken Monument would work better in a Myrtron deck that isn't white in my opinion. Tempered Steel is cheaper and can stack as it is not Legendary.

Myr Reservoir and Myr Retriever do what Return to the Ranks can and are artifacts. I think the goal LeechBoy is doing is sticking with somewhat mainly Myr and artifact creatures as the base of creatures which capitalizes on Tempered Steel.

The Antiquities War Would probably work better with an Esper or Azorius control deck as you can have tons more of noncreature artifacts in that type of deck.

With White Tempered artifact decks, you want to go massive pump so the bots can teabag with their big nuts and bolts.

IHATENAMES on Myr Tokens Budget

3 years ago

Just realized the inf combo but it is difficult at best to pull off. Even if you do untapping a ton won't win the game a few more ideas. Some better then others.

Forsaken Monument might be a better tempered steel price allowing.

Eldrazi Displacera cook card not sure it fits here

Return to the Ranks mana sink +can win the long game.

The Antiquities War budget beef up artifacts. You only need a few blue sources as you can play the blue myr

Blacksmith's Skill protection +buff

zapyourtumor on Soylent Black is PEOPLE!!!

3 years ago

Village Rites > Altar's Reap

Eaten Alive > Spark Harvest/Bone Splinters

Konrad seems too slow and doesn't have much impact for a 5 drop.

One thing you badly need here is an instant-speed reusable sac outlet. which can be used to sac your tap creatures for untapped tokens to surprise block, or just sac anything that is targeted with exile removal, or get instant speed card draw/drain. The only good one in pioneer thats a human is Cartel Aristocrat, and it might be worth splashing white just for that. White would also let you run Cruel Celebrant (not a vampire unfortunately), and maybe Return to the Ranks.