Golgari Rot Farm + Kodama of the East Tree + Scute Swarm
Overview
When you put Golgari Rot Farm onto the battlefield (you play it as your land for the turn — a special action) , , three triggered abilities will trigger: Golgari Rot Farm’s own “when this land enters” ability, Scute Swarm’s landfall ability, and Kodama of the East Tree’s “Whenever another permanent you control enters” ability. Those triggers are created after the land enters and are put on the stack in the appropriate order . Resolving the return-land trigger can return the Rot Farm to your hand if you choose; doing so does not stop the already-triggered Scute Swarm or Kodama abilities from resolving later. Scute Swarm’s landfall will still create its token(s) because the land entering event already occurred (landfall triggers on any land entering) [Ruling 2024-11-08], and if Scute’s token is to be a copy and Scute leaves before that trigger resolves the token still becomes a copy using Scute’s last known information [Ruling 2020-09-25]. If Rot Farm is the entering permanent used to set Kodama’s trigger, Kodama’s trigger can later put a permanent card from your hand with equal or lesser mana value onto the battlefield (the trigger still resolves even if the original entering permanent left before resolution).
Step 1
Active player takes the special action to play Golgari Rot Farm as their land for the turn; the land is put onto the battlefield (this is not a spell) , .
Step 2
As a result of the land entering the battlefield, three triggered abilities trigger and are put waiting to be put on the stack: Golgari Rot Farm’s ETB (When this land enters, return a land you control to its owner's hand), Scute Swarm’s landfall trigger (Whenever a land you control enters, create the token), and Kodama’s 'Whenever another permanent you control enters' trigger , [Ruling 2024-11-08].
Step 3
When triggered abilities are put on the stack, the active player (if they control all those triggers) orders them as they choose. State-based actions are checked before triggers are placed and after they resolve as normal .
Step 4
When the Farm’s ETB trigger resolves, you must return a land you control to its owner’s hand; you may choose to return Rot Farm itself (in a corner case where you controlled no other lands, this is forced) [Ruling 2013-04-15].
Step 5
Even if Rot Farm is returned to your hand before the other triggers resolve, the Scute Swarm and Kodama triggers remain on the stack and will resolve when their time comes .
Step 6
When Scute Swarm’s landfall trigger resolves it creates the token(s) (creating a copy instead if you controlled six or more lands at the time the token is created); the fact that the land has since left does not cancel the already-triggered landfall trigger [Ruling 2024-11-08], and if Scute would no longer be on the battlefield when its landfall resolves a copy token still becomes a copy using Scute’s last known information [Ruling 2020-09-25].
Step 7
When Kodama’s trigger resolves you may put a permanent card with equal or lesser mana value from your hand onto the battlefield (the trigger was created by the earlier land entering event and still resolves even if that entering permanent has left).
Resolution
Play Rot Farm as your land for the turn (special action) , . When it enters, Farm’s ETB, Scute Swarm’s landfall, and Kodama’s "another permanent enters" trigger all trigger and are put on the stack . You may return a land (including Rot Farm) to your hand when the Farm trigger resolves; returning the land after the triggers were created does not undo those triggers. Scute Swarm’s landfall will produce its token(s) when its trigger resolves because the land entry already happened [Ruling 2024-11-08], and if Scute is supposed to create a copy but Scute leaves before that resolves, the copy still uses Scute’s last known information [Ruling 2020-09-25].
