Retrace
Retrace is a keyword ability that allows the player to cast the card from their graveyard for its mana cost plus the additional cost of discarding a land. All spells with the native ability Retrace are instants or sorceries.
From the Comprehensive Rules (November 8, 2024—Edge of Eternities)
- 702.81. Retrace
- 702.81a Retrace is a static ability that functions while the card with retrace is in a player’s graveyard. “Retrace” means “You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card as an additional cost to cast it.” Casting a spell using its retrace ability follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.
History
Retrace was introduced in Eventide.[2] Maro has deemed it a 7 on the Storm Scale due to the repetition of play and developmental issues.[3] While not necessarily related in origin, Jump-start corrects some of these issues by only letting it “flash back” once, allowing for a higher impact spells.
Much later, it reappeared on the planeswalker card Wrenn and Six and the sorcery card Throes of Chaos in Modern Horizons.[4]
Deeproot Historian from The Lost Caverns of Ixalan/Commander decks grants Retrace, for the first time, to permanents. Specifically, it grants it to Druid and Merfolk spells, which means it also captures some kindred spells.
Retrace in practice
Retrace is another recursion source for you to bring back an already used spell or milled spell from graveyard with an additional cost of discarding a Land.
