Bound // Determined MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	7
Rarity	Rare
Type	Instant
Released	2006-05-05
Set symbol
Set name	Dissension
Set code	DIS
Number	149
Frame	2003
Layout	Split
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jim Nelson

Key Takeaways

Bound // Determined grants crucial card advantage and counterspell protection in one package.
Flexible, instant-speed traits allow players to adapt to dynamic game situations effectively.
Maneuvering through its limitations requires strategic hand and mana management skills.

Text of card

Other spells you control can't be countered by spells or abilities this turn. Draw a card.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bound // Determined lets players draw cards while also providing the option to prevent spells from being countered. This dual nature can be crucial for players looking to outpace their opponents in terms of available resources.

Resource Acceleration: Determined part of the card offers a strategic advantage by potentially speeding up your game plan. It can ensure that your key spells resolve, allowing you to accelerate your resources and maintain momentum during critical turns.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of both Bound and Determined provides flexibility, allowing you to react to your opponent’s moves or secure your own spells’ resolution at the most advantageous times without having to commit to a main phase action.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Bound // Determined comes with the stipulation that the caster must toss another card from their hand. This can potentially set you back, especially if your hand size is dwindling and every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: One part of the split card requires green and blue mana sources, necessitating a deck that can reliably provide both types. This may limit its inclusion to mainly Simic or multicolored decks that can accommodate the mana requisites.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Determined offers an undeniably useful effect by preventing your spells from being countered, the required two green and two blue mana can be steep, particularly when you’re trying to maintain tempo against low-cost control strategies. Other cards may provide similar or better protection at a lower cost.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Bound // Determined offers a unique flexibility in gameplay. It can be a safe card to hedge bets in counterspell match-ups or a game-changer when you need to draw into answers. This split card adapts to various situations, fitting seamlessly into control or combo decks.

Combo Potential: The Determined half of the card can be a key component in combos, safeguarding a pivotal play or securing a game-winning spell. When used in conjunction, Bound allows for a surprising swing in card advantage, potentially turning the tide in tight matches.

Meta-Relevance: Given its dual utility, Bound // Determined remains relevant in an ever-shifting meta. Whether it’s protecting your strategy from disruption or getting you out of a tight spot by returning critical spells from the graveyard, this card has a place in the current competitive scene.

How to Beat

Bound // Determined is a unique split card in MTG, offering flexibility and a blend of protection with an anticipation element. To outmaneuver this card, understanding its dual nature is key. Bound can interrupt graveyard strategies by returning a creature to its owner’s hand, often surprising an unprepared opponent. Conversely, Determined provides resilience against spells or abilities your opponent controls, ensuring your important spells can’t be countered.

To effectively beat Bound // Determined, timing is crucial. Go for actions when the opponent is tapped out or unable to pay the costs associated with Bound, minimizing their chances to salvage a creature. Avoid casting crucial spells into open mana that could indicate the presence of Determined. Instead, bait out the protection side early or overextend their resources, so they’re unable to capitalize on that assurance. Being aware of your opponent’s mana availability can dictate when it’s safe to challenge their plays or when it might be wiser to hold back and wait for a more opportune moment.

Disruption also plays a big role. Utilize discard effects to force Bound // Determined out of their hand before it can impact the board, or exercise graveyard removal to invalidate Bound’s recovery potential. Success against this card requires foresight, careful planning, and a willingness to adapt your strategy as the game evolves. With these tactics, you can turn the tide against the duality of Bound // Determined.

Cards like Bound // Determined

Bound // Determined is a unique card with a dual nature in Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with other split cards, offering multiple situational advantages. Take the card Research // Development, which also grants players a choice between two very different effects. However, Bound // Determined offers a defensive advantage by preventing spell casting and enabling a competitive edge through the card draws, a contrast to the token generation and library manipulation presented by Research // Development.

Additionally, we have another comparable card: Fire // Ice. This spell provides instant-speed flexibility, allowing players to choose between dealing damage or tapping a creature, in contrast to Bound // Determined’s creature rescue and draw strategy. It is key to note that Bound // Determined can potentially save multiple creatures from a board wipe and refill your hand simultaneously, whereas Fire // Ice is limited to targeted, single-instance effects.

While assessing cards with a dual nature, Bound // Determined holds a solid position. It offers a combination of protection and card advantage that is not commonly found in a single MTG card, making it a strategic choice for players valuing resilience and hand resourcefulness in their gameplay.

Research // Development - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bound // Determined MTG card by a specific set like Dissension, 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 Bound // Determined and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bound // Determined has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2006-05-01	After Determined resolves, any spells or abilities that would counter a spell you control that turn will still resolve. They just won’t counter that spell.
2006-05-01	Spells you control may be countered by spells or abilities while Determined is on the stack, waiting to resolve.
2006-05-01	The cards in the graveyard that you return as part of Bound’s effect aren’t targeted. They’re chosen when the spell resolves. The creature you sacrificed may be one of them.
2006-05-01	The creature is sacrificed when Bound resolves. It’s not an additional cost. It’s not optional. If you can’t sacrifice a creature or a colorless creature is sacrificed, no cards are returned.