Long Road Home MTG Card


Instant-speed play allows reactive strategies and maximizes creature abilities with a +1/+1 counter. The card’s white mana requirement may limit its use in multicolored decks. Long Road Home’s flicker effect can be pivotal for combos and protecting creatures.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

Text of card

Exile target creature. At the beginning of the next end step, return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.

The person who finishes a journey is rarely the same as the one who starts it.


Cards like Long Road Home

Long Road Home is an intriguing instant found in the world of Magic: The Gathering. It’s often weighed against other creature protection spells such as Cloudshift. While both cards offer the ability to exile a creature and return it to the battlefield, Long Road Home also provides the benefit of adding a +1/+1 counter upon the creature’s return, giving it an edge in terms of bolstering a creature’s presence.

Another counterpart to consider is Justiciar’s Portal. This card shares the instant speed and exile-return mechanics but also allows a creature to dodge an enemy’s spell or ability with greater utility by giving it First Strike until the end of the turn. However, it lacks the permanent power boost that Long Road Home grants. Ondu Inversion is also a member of this category, though it acts on a larger scale, targeting all creatures, artifacts, and enchantments, but as a sorcery, it’s not as flexible during gameplay as the instant speed of Long Road Home.

After examining the different qualities and potential strategic uses of these spells, Long Road Home offers a unique blend of protection and long-term creature enhancement, distinguishing it as a valuable inclusion in decks looking to capitalize on favorable creature interactions.

Cloudshift - MTG Card versions
Justiciar's Portal - MTG Card versions
Cloudshift - MTG Card versions
Justiciar's Portal - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Long Road Home by color, type and mana cost

Disenchant - MTG Card versions
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Bathe in Light - MTG Card versions
Dawn Charm - MTG Card versions
Graceful Reprieve - MTG Card versions
Disenchant - MTG Card versions
Divine Offering - MTG Card versions
Lightning Blow - MTG Card versions
Sacred Boon - MTG Card versions
Alabaster Potion - MTG Card versions
Invulnerability - MTG Card versions
Remedy - MTG Card versions
Rhystic Shield - MTG Card versions
Samite Ministration - MTG Card versions
Shield Wall - MTG Card versions
Life Burst - MTG Card versions
Shelter - MTG Card versions
Equal Treatment - MTG Card versions
Aura Extraction - MTG Card versions
Raise the Alarm - MTG Card versions
Test of Faith - MTG Card versions
Echoing Calm - MTG Card versions
Bathe in Light - MTG Card versions
Dawn Charm - MTG Card versions
Graceful Reprieve - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Long Road Home shines by tucking a creature away and then bringing it back with a +1/+1 counter, effectively reusing enter-the-battlefield effects for additional value.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly increasing your mana pool, this card’s ability to reset your creatures can ramp up your board presence and power, essential for resource acceleration.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of this card is remarkable; it operates at instant speed, allowing for strategic plays by responding to threats or optimizing your creature’s impact during your opponent’s end phase.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Long Road Home doesn’t directly require discarding cards, it does mandate that the creature you’re targeting returns to the battlefield at the beginning of the next end step. This conditional nature means you need to carefully plan when to cast it, which can be tricky if you’re trying to manage your hand efficiently and maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Long Road Home requires one white mana. This specification could pose a challenge in multicolored decks that may not always have the necessary white mana available when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana and considering it’s a flicker effect, some players might find it less appealing compared to other options. Other cards with similar effects come at a lower cost or offer additional benefits, making Long Road Home a less favorable choice in certain decks that prioritize speed and efficiency.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Long Road Home brings a unique flexibility to your deck by offering both protection and interaction. It can save key creatures from board wipes or targeted removal, and strategically remove an opponent’s threat temporarily.

Combo Potential: This card can act as a pivotal piece in combos, resetting creatures with powerful enter-the-battlefield effects or liberating them from unfavorable enchantments or conditions, making it a smart asset for combo-centric strategies.

Meta-Relevance: With ever-shifting player strategies, Long Road Home retains relevance by providing a reactive tool against various popular deck types, thus keeping control decks in check and maintaining its place in the competitive scene.


How to beat

Long Road Home is a unique card within Magic: The Gathering that offers players the ability to exile a target creature, only to return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control at the beginning of the next end step. This white instant can be used both defensively and offensively, offering utility in a variety of situations. Defeating an opponent using Long Road Home involves understanding its key strengths and timing.

To play around Long Road Home, consider holding onto instant-speed removal or counterspells that can intervene after the creature is exiled, disrupting its return. Moreover, strategic use of sacrifice effects or targeted abilities that force a player to exile creatures they control can undermine Long Road Home’s potential to save or rebuff creatures. Another effective approach is to apply pressure on your opponent’s resources, rendering the card less useful as they’ll have fewer opportunities to gain advantage from the temporary exile and return mechanic.

Successfully countering this card’s impact requires foresight and patience. Anticipate its activation and remain adaptable with your strategies, ensuring that you can neutralize Long Road Home’s effect and maintain control of the game’s pace and board state.


BurnMana Recommendations

Long Road Home is a strategic gem offering both creature protection and enhancement. Its value in MTG lies in its ability to utilize creature abilities to their fullest and adapt to the demands of any match. Whether you’re pushing for a win or thwarting an opponent’s plan, this card could tip the scales in your favor. We at BurnMana encourage you to add Long Road Home to your collection for its versatile application in various deck strategies. Eager to maximize your deck’s potential and navigate through the game’s intricacies with finesse? Discover more strategic insights and recommendations at our detailed guide.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Long Road Home MTG card by a specific set like Eldritch Moon and Battlebond, 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 Long Road Home and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Long Road Home Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-07-22 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Sidharth Chaturvedi.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-07-22Eldritch MoonEMN 342015NormalBlackSidharth Chaturvedi
22018-06-08BattlebondBBD 962015NormalBlackSidharth Chaturvedi
32020-07-17JumpstartJMP 1202015NormalBlackSidharth Chaturvedi

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Long Road Home has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2016-07-13 At the time the creature is exiled, Auras attached to it will be put into their owners’ graveyards. Any Equipment will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on it at that time will cease to exist.
2016-07-13 If a creature token is exiled this way, it will cease to exist and won’t return to the battlefield.
2016-07-13 If a double-faced card is exiled this way, it’ll return with its front face up. It gets a +1/+1 counter even if it isn’t a creature.
2016-07-13 If a melded permanent is exiled this way, the two cards will both return with their front faces up. Each gets a +1/+1 counter.
2016-07-13 If that creature is exiled during an end step, it won’t come back until the next turn’s end step.