Emeria, the Sky Ruin MTG Card


Emeria provides ongoing card advantage by reviving creatures every upkeep without additional cost. Encourages mono-white decks for consistent mana base and fulfillment of the Plains condition. Though powerful, Emeria requires careful deck construction to overcome its mana demands.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeLand

Text of card

Emeria, the Sky Ruin enters the battlefield tapped. At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control seven or more Plains, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. : Add to your mana pool.


Cards like Emeria, the Sky Ruin

Emeria, the Sky Ruin embarks on a unique mechanism within the realm of land cards in MTG, offering a powerful late-game advantage by reanimating creatures directly from the graveyard to the battlefield. Its closest peers include Mortuary Mire, which also brings back creatures from the graveyard, but it can only target one creature and it places that creature on top of the library instead of onto the battlefield immediately.

Another card in this comparison is Volrath’s Stronghold, which shares the function of reanimation. Yet, despite its resilience and versatility, the Stronghold still falls short in terms of the impactful board presence that Emeria, the Sky Ruin provides by reviving multiple creatures at the upkeep. Sanctuary of the Lost is rarely mentioned, yet it stands as highly situational with its effect that works only if a Cleric card is used for payment.

Given these aspects, Emeria, the Sky Ruin distinctly shines in decks with the heavy creature base and long game strategy, setting the stage for dramatic turnarounds and is a testament to its standalone value in certain MTG deck archetypes focused on endurance and recovery.

Mortuary Mire - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Stronghold - MTG Card versions
Mortuary Mire - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Stronghold - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Emeria, the Sky Ruin by color, type and mana cost

Plains - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Plains - MTG Card versions
Ruins of Trokair - MTG Card versions
Karoo - MTG Card versions
Drifting Meadow - MTG Card versions
Nomad Stadium - MTG Card versions
Rustic Clachan - MTG Card versions
Vivid Meadow - MTG Card versions
Kabira Crossroads - MTG Card versions
Shefet Dunes - MTG Card versions
Makindi Stampede // Makindi Mesas - MTG Card versions
Emeria's Call // Emeria, Shattered Skyclave - MTG Card versions
Ondu Inversion // Ondu Skyruins - MTG Card versions
Eiganjo Castle - MTG Card versions
Mistveil Plains - MTG Card versions
Secluded Steppe - MTG Card versions
Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire - MTG Card versions
Castle Ardenvale - MTG Card versions
Citadel Gate - MTG Card versions
Memorial to Glory - MTG Card versions
Plains - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Plains - MTG Card versions
Ruins of Trokair - MTG Card versions
Karoo - MTG Card versions
Drifting Meadow - MTG Card versions
Nomad Stadium - MTG Card versions
Rustic Clachan - MTG Card versions
Vivid Meadow - MTG Card versions
Kabira Crossroads - MTG Card versions
Shefet Dunes - MTG Card versions
Makindi Stampede // Makindi Mesas - MTG Card versions
Emeria's Call // Emeria, Shattered Skyclave - MTG Card versions
Ondu Inversion // Ondu Skyruins - MTG Card versions
Eiganjo Castle - MTG Card versions
Mistveil Plains - MTG Card versions
Secluded Steppe - MTG Card versions
Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire - MTG Card versions
Castle Ardenvale - MTG Card versions
Citadel Gate - MTG Card versions
Memorial to Glory - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-White MidrangeMono-White Midrange ModernMono-White MidrangeModern Challenge 64 2024-04-21 (1)
Azorius MidrangeAzorius Midrange ModernAzorius MidrangeModern Showcase Challenge 2024-05-11
Boros MidrangeBoros Midrange ModernBoros MidrangeModern Challenge 64 2024-04-21
WW ModernModern Challenge 32 2024-05-02
Bant MidrangeBant Midrange ModernBant MidrangeModern Challenge 64 2024-04-28
WURWUR ModernModern Challenge 32 2024-04-25

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Emeria, the Sky Ruin provides continual card advantage once its condition is fulfilled, bringing creatures back from the graveyard to the battlefield every turn. This advantage can easily turn the tide of any match by repopulating your side without expending additional cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly serving as resource acceleration, Emeria, the Sky Ruin encourages building your deck with plentiful Plains. This strategy inherently improves the consistency of your mana base, allowing for more precise planning and execution of your strategy.

Instant Speed: The power of Emeria doesn’t lie in instant speed interactions; rather, its strength is in the inevitability it provides. By triggering at the beginning of your upkeep, it sets the stage for the turn ahead, giving you the upper hand with additional resources summoned back from the graveyard without needing to tap any further lands or spend any mana.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Emeria, the Sky Ruin doesn’t require a card to be discarded, it necessitates having seven or more Plains on the battlefield, which can be demanding in a multicolor deck.

Specific Mana Cost: Emeria has a demanding mana requirement, needing white mana specifically to be effective. This requirement might restrict deck-building flexibility and slow down a player’s ability to meet the condition to activate its potent effect.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost that includes three generic and one white mana, not only is the initial investment steep, but its primary ability also doesn’t trigger until you’ve met the substantial requirement of seven Plains. This can be inefficient compared to other land cards that provide immediate value or have lower activation thresholds.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Emeria, the Sky Ruin shines in decks that can leverage its potent land ability. Its capacity to return creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield each turn makes it a strong addition in control and midrange strategies, fitting seamlessly into white-based decks that favor resilience and long-term advantage.

Combo Potential: Frequent flyers in MTG combos, Emeria, the Sky Ruin boosts decks designed around graveyard synergies. By enabling recurrent creature play, it sets the stage for various powerful interactions, particularly with cards that have beneficial enter-the-battlefield or dies effects, amplifying strategies built on looping creatures or sacrificing for value.

Meta-Relevance: As the meta ebbs and flows, Emeria, the Sky Ruin maintains relevance by countering decks that rely on creature removal to control the game. This land’s presence ensures a continuous threat, outpacing single-target removal and resetting the board state repeatedly, proving to be an enduring asset against many prevalent deck archetypes.


How to beat

Emeria, the Sky Ruin holds a revered place in Magic: The Gathering as a powerful land that can turn the tide of battle by reanimating creatures during the late game. However, even the mightiest structures have their weak points. Dealing with Emeria often revolves around disrupting the land count of the opposing player. Since the card’s ability only triggers if you have seven or more plains, aggressively using land destruction or land bounce spells can efficiently neutralize this advantage. Cards like Ghost Quarter and Field of Ruin can be particularly effective, letting you target Emeria directly to ensure it doesn’t reach its full potential.

Additionally, graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace or Relic of Progenitus offer another strategic avenue. By exiling the cards from the graveyard, you ensure there are no targets for Emeria’s ability, undercutting its utility and leaving your opponent without their key creatures. Addressing Emeria’s threat requires a mix of foresight and timely interaction. Properly executed, your strategies can ensure that Emeria, the Sky Ruin remains a silent monument, rather than an active bastion of revival in your opponent’s game plan.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Emeria, the Sky Ruin MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Commander 2014, 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 Emeria, the Sky Ruin and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Emeria, the Sky Ruin Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-10-02ZendikarZEN 2132003NormalBlackJaime Jones
22014-11-07Commander 2014C14 2932015NormalBlackJaime Jones
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 12912015NormalBlackAlayna Danner
42020-09-26The ListPLST ZEN-2132003NormalBlackJaime Jones

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Emeria, the Sky Ruin has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2009-10-01 Emeria, the Sky Ruin’s triggered ability has an “intervening ‘if’ clause.” That means (1) the ability won’t trigger at all unless you control seven or more Plains as your upkeep starts, and (2) the ability will do nothing if you control fewer than seven Plains by the time it resolves.