Creature Bond MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 55
1993-10-04 - Number 56
1993-12-01 - Number 56
1993-12-10 - Number 56
1993-12-10 - Number 56
1994-04-01 - Number 55
1994-04-01 - Number 55
1994-06-21 - Number 55
1995-04-01 - Number 66
1995-04-01 - Number 66
2022-11-28 - Number 55
2022-11-28 - Number 352
| Card sets | Released in 12 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
If target creature is destroyed, Creature Bond does an amount of damage equal to creature's toughness to creature's controller.
Cards like Creature Bond
Creature Bond is a unique enchantment within the pantheon of Magic: The Gathering cards. Its closest relatives are probably the likes of Lifelink and Spirit Link, enchantments that also forge a dynamic between creature outcome and player advantage. However, Creature Bond has the distinctive trigger of granting its controller life when the enchanted creature deals damage, which is unlike Lifelink and Spirit Link that rely on the creature’s health changes.
Examining other enchantments, we have Curiosity, which offers a different benefit: drawing a card when the enchanted creature deals damage to an opponent. While it doesn’t affect your life total, the advantage of card draw can be crucial in many games. Similarly, Keen Sense follows this notion but limits the card draw to when the creature deals damage to a player, providing a narrower yet still valuable effect.
An evaluation of Creature Bond and its counterparts shows that it has a distinct place within Magic: The Gathering’s array of enchantments. It emphasizes a strategic choice between life gain and other utility benefits, such as card draw or damage control, making it a versatile option depending on the deck’s overall build and the player’s style.
Cards similar to Creature Bond by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Creature Bond is advantageous in the sense that it keeps your opponents vigilant. Its effect kicks in upon the enchanted creature’s demise, signaling a potential shift in the table’s balance and making it a subtle form of card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While not a direct source of mana or resource acceleration, Creature Bond can influence board decisions that potentially lead to resource gains indirectly. Opponents may hesitate to remove the enchanted creature, allowing you to capitalize on other strategies uninterrupted.
Instant Speed: Although Creature Bond is an aura that requires sorcery speed for casting, it pairs well with creatures that can be flashed in. This combo allows for strategic plays that respect the instant speed dynamics of the game, keeping opponents guessing and your plans flexible.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Creature Bond mandates the sacrifice of the bonded creature upon its death to draw a card, removing vital board presence.
Specific Mana Cost: With its casting cost requiring blue mana, this card naturally fits only into blue or multicolored decks, potentially limiting its versatility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Investing two mana might seem steep considering other options could provide more impactful board presence or card advantage for a similar cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Creature Bond offers a unique interaction with creatures in your deck that can serve across various playstyles. This enchantment becomes useful in decks that focus on creature strategies and can turn any creature into a potential source of card draw upon its demise.
Combo Potential: This card pairs excellently with effects that require you to sacrifice creatures, by turning an otherwise detrimental event into an opportunity for card draw, thus enhancing your strategy and keeping your hand filled with options.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where creatures often face removal or are used as blockers, Creature Bond ensures that their departure from the battlefield is not in vain, maintaining card advantage which is crucial in many meta environments.
How to beat
Creature Bond is a unique enchantment from the vintage roster of Magic: The Gathering cards. It showcases an ability that can be both a boon and a bane, depending on which side of the battlefield you’re on. When placed upon a creature, it has the duality of strengthening one’s army while also presenting a risk if the enchanted creature were to be destroyed.
To effectively neutralize Creature Bond, a strategy involving targeted removal spells or abilities that bypass the destruction of the creature is key. Instead of directly destroying the creature, one could leverage exile effects or cards that return the creature to its owner’s hand or shuffle it into their library, thus preventing Creature Bond from triggering its damaging effect. Cards like Unsummon or Path to Exile can be valuable tools in this scenario, offering clean solutions without incurring additional damage from the enchantment’s ability.
Overall, understanding the nuances of Creature Bond and employing the right removal techniques can ensure you outmaneuver your opponent, mitigating the risks and turning the enchantment’s potential drawback into an advantage for yourself in the game of Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Creature Bond MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Creature Bond and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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 Creature Bond Magic the Gathering card was released in 11 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by Anson Maddocks.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 55 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 56 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 56 | 1993 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 56 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 56 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 55 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 55 | 1993 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 55 | 1993 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 66 | 1993 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 66 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 11 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 55 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 12 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 352 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Creature Bond has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |