Landfall MTG is one of the most explosive and satisfying archetypes in the Commander format. By leveraging every land drop into a cascade of value—be it tokens, damage, or card advantage—landfall decks generate tempo and board presence that scales dramatically over the course of the game. Whether you’re aiming to swarm the board or combo off, Landfall Commander strategies offer unmatched synergy, versatility, and power.
Let’s break down how this archetype works, the best landfall cards, budget strategies, key combos, format relevance, and why so many players opt for proxies from trusted providers like Abyss Proxy Shop.
📚 Understanding Landfall MTG: Card Breakdown
What Is Landfall?
Landfall is a keyword ability that triggers whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control. It debuted in Zendikar and returned in Zendikar Rising. These triggers stack, and can come from basic lands, fetchlands, or cards that cheat lands into play.
Popular Landfall Cards
- Avenger of Zendikar – Creates a token army and buffs them each landfall.
- Lotus Cobra – Adds mana whenever a land enters.
- Omnath, Locus of Creation – Provides life, mana, and damage on multiple land drops.
- Scute Swarm – Doubles itself exponentially with each land.
- Rampaging Baloths – Spits out 4/4s with every land.
➡️ Check all landfall options at Scryfall Landfall Search
➡️ See current landfall card prices on MTGGoldfish
🧠 Competitive Analysis: Landfall in Commander and Beyond
Where Landfall Dominates
- Commander (EDH): The natural home for landfall strategies. Decks like Omnath, Locus of Rage and Tatyova, Benthic Druid are consistent top-tier picks.
- Modern: Tier 2–3 presence in ramp/value decks.
- Pioneer/Standard: Lower impact but saw play during Zendikar Rising era.
- Cube: Landfall packages exist in green-based ramp or midrange archetypes.
Landfall Commanders to Know
- Omnath, Locus of Rage: Red-green powerhouse that turns landfall into damage.
- Tatyova, Benthic Druid: Draw engine and lifegain machine.
- Lord Windgrace: Brings a land-graveyard synergy twist.
- Azusa, Lost but Seeking: Gives multiple land drops a turn.
- Phylath, World Sculptor: Budget alternative to Avenger of Zendikar.
Archetype Strengths
- Synergizes naturally with ramp spells and mana dorks.
- Abuses fetchlands, bounce lands, and land recursion.
- Scales throughout the game, rewarding consistency and board development.
🔁 Key Interactions and Combos
Landfall Combos
- Scute Swarm + Parallel Lives – Token explosion.
- Retreat to Coralhelm + Walking Atlas + Azusa – Infinite landfall combo.
- Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle + Dryad of the Ilysian Grove – Turn lands into burn.
- Crucible of Worlds + Fetchlands – Infinite value engine.
Budget Replacements
- Sakura-Tribe Scout over Oracle of Mul Daya.
- Cultivate / Kodama’s Reach as affordable ramp.
- Sporemound over Rampaging Baloths.
- Zendikar’s Roil instead of Avenger of Zendikar.
Want the look and feel of premium staples without the price tag? Abyss Proxy Shop offers high-quality Landfall proxies of cards like Omnath, Avenger of Zendikar, and Lotus Cobra, ideal for testing or budget-conscious Commander play.
🛒 Check out the Landfall Proxy Collection at Abyss Proxy Shop.
💰 Price Trends and Proxy Considerations
Price Movements
- Avenger of Zendikar – ~$10–$15
- Crucible of Worlds – ~$40+
- Oracle of Mul Daya – ~$30+
- Lotus Cobra (foil) – ~$25
- Omnath, Locus of Creation – $20–$45
➡️ Track historical and current pricing on mtggoldfish.com.
Why Proxies Make Sense
- Affordability: Real versions of staple cards are rising in cost.
- Availability: Many key Landfall cards have limited reprints.
- Practice: Playtest combos before committing financially.
- Casual Legal: Great for cube, kitchen table, and EDH pods that allow them.
Abyss Proxy Shop ensures cardstock match, clarity, and color fidelity for a seamless gameplay experience. Landfall decks often require multiple expensive cards; proxying a few staples can save $100+ per build.
🌐 Format Legality and Meta Snapshot
- Commander: 100% legal and one of the most loved archetypes.
- Modern: Pieces legal but Landfall rarely competitive.
- Pioneer: Weaker due to lack of key cards.
- Legacy/Vintage: Not competitive, but landfall synergies exist in janky combos.
Countering Landfall Decks
- Mass land destruction (Armageddon, Strip Mine loops)
- Stax effects: Root Maze, Winter Orb
- Graveyard hate (stops land recursion loops)
- Bounce effects (reset lands and tokens)
✍️ FAQs
How many landfall triggers can happen per turn?
As many as you have land entries—basic, fetchlands, bounce, tokens all count.
Are landfall triggers stackable?
Yes. Multiple instances of landfall on the same card (e.g., Omnath) or multiple creatures with landfall stack.
Can I proxy fetchlands and still play landfall decks?
Absolutely. Abyss Proxy Shop offers realistic proxies for Polluted Delta, Wooded Foothills, and more to support multi-land turns without breaking the bank.