Bind the Monster MTG Card
2021-02-05 - Number 48
2021-02-05 - Number 11
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
Enchant creature When Bind the Monster enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature. It deals damage to you equal to its power. Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
Sarulf's snarl of rage shook the World Tree.
Cards like Bind the Monster
Bind the Monster is an intriguing control option for blue decks in Magic: The Gathering, much like the card Claustrophobia. Both enchantments neutralize a target creature, preventing it from attacking or blocking. Bind the Monster, however, has a distinctive feature in that it deals damage to its controller equal to that creature’s power. Claustrophobia skips the damage, simply keeping the creature tapped.
Analogous to Bind the Monster, there is also the Frost Breath spell. While Frost Breath lacks the permanence, as it doesn’t tap the creature indefinitely, it can target two creatures and prevents them from untapping during the next untap step. It can be a short-term fix, unlike Bind the Monster which commits to a single creature but with a longer-lasting effect.
When evaluating crowd control methods for your deck, Bind the Monster stands out for its low mana cost and the upside of immediate damage to your opponent. It holds its own against such similar spells due to this aggressive trade-off, even despite the splash of self-harm, making it a tactic worth considering for players favoring control-heavy blue decks.
Cards similar to Bind the Monster by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Bind the Monster. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mono-Blue Faeries | Pauper | Mono-Blue Faeries | Pauper Challenge 32 2024-01-06 |
| Mono U Faeries | Pauper | 3° Tappa - Season 6 - Road to Paupergeddon Winter edition 2024 @ Lega Pauper Martesana | |
| Rogue Decklists | Pauper | Mono-Blue | Nacional Pauper 2023 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Bind the Monster provides a strategic edge by removing a threat from your opponent’s board for as little as one blue mana. This efficient exchange retains more cards in your hand while reducing the opponent’s options.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing resource acceleration, Bind the Monster is exceptionally mana-efficient, freeing up your resources. This allows you to develop your board or hold up mana for other responses and threats during critical turns.
Instant Speed: Though Bind the Monster operates at sorcery speed, its low mana cost compensates by easily fitting into your curve, allowing for nimble play sequencing alongside other instant-speed interactions within your turn or just before your untap phase.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One significant drawback of Bind the Monster is that it requires you to discard a card as an additional effect. This can be especially detrimental in gameplay where maintaining card advantage is crucial. Discarding a valuable card might hinder your overall strategy and leave you at a disadvantage against your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: Bind the Monster necessitates a specific mana investment to cast. It requires blue mana, which means that it can only be played in decks that have access to blue mana sources. This can limit the card’s flexibility and the variety of decks it can be included in, potentially making it a less desirable choice for players who prefer a more diverse mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the initial cast cost of Bind the Monster may seem low, it inflicts damage to you equal to the enchanted creature’s power. This extra cost can be price substantial if you’re targeting a creature with high power. In such situations, other control options might provide more effective solutions without the added risk to your life total, which is crucial to retain throughout the match.
Reasons to Include Bind the Monster in Your Collection
Versatility: Bind the Monster is an affordable and efficient way to neutralize threats in blue-based control or tempo decks. Since it can target any creature, it’s a versatile inclusion in your sideboard or main deck to address a wide variety of opposing strategies.
Combo Potential: This card plays well with strategies that benefit from enchantments on the battlefield. In an enchantment-heavy deck, Bind the Monster can serve as a low-cost enabler for various synergies or constellation mechanics.
Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to lock down high-value creatures for just one blue mana, Bind the Monster shines in metas dominated by aggressive creature-based strategies. It’s a relevant card to help control the pace of the game and maintain board stability against faster decks.
How to beat
Bind the Monster is a blue enchantment aura that offers a strategic method of neutralizing your opponent’s creatures. When looking into tactics to surpass this card’s limiting grip, consider the ability to remove enchantments or countering them before they hit the battlefield. Disenchant effects, or enchantment removal cards like Naturalize or Return to Nature, can dismantle the aura and free your creature.
Counterspells such as Negate or Mystical Dispute provide a preemptive strike against Bind the Monster, keeping your creatures safe and your strategy intact. Additionally, being proactive about the types of threats you play can also make Bind the Monster less impactful. Deploying creatures with hexproof, or using cards like Lazotep Plating to grant your creature hexproof in response, can completely negate the effect of Bind the Monster.
It’s essential to remember that while Bind the Monster may seem to stifle your offense or defense temporarily, your ability to adapt and use your deck’s resources wisely can turn the tides. Ultimately, efficiency in handling such enchantments can ensure the continued flow of your gameplay, mitigating the potential setback Bind the Monster aims to create.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Bind the Monster MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim and Kaldheim Art Series, 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 Bind the Monster and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Bind the Monster Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2021-02-05. Illustrated by Tran Nguyen.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-02-05 | Kaldheim | KHM | 48 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tran Nguyen | |
| 2 | Kaldheim Art Series | AKHM | 11 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Tran Nguyen |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Bind the Monster has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Bind the Monster card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-02-05 | If Bind the Monster is no longer on the battlefield as the enters-the-battlefield ability resolves, use the power of the creature it was last enchanting to determine how much damage is dealt. Damage is dealt even if that creature is also not on the battlefield at that time. |
| 2021-02-05 | The enters-the-battlefield ability triggers even if the enchanted creature is already tapped. That creature will still deal damage to you. |
| 2021-02-05 | Use the power of the enchanted creature as the enters-the-battlefield ability resolves to determine how much damage is dealt. |