Elemental Bond MTG Card


Elemental Bond enables card draw whenever a creature with power 3 or greater is played. Access to more creatures means higher chances to utilize their abilities at opportune times. Draws are possible on both your and your opponent’s turns, offering strategic flexibility.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment

Text of card

Whenever a creature with power 3 or greater enters the battlefield under your control, draw a card.

"I want to help Zendikar. Show me the way." —Nissa Revane


Cards like Elemental Bond

Elemental Bond adds a unique angle to the suite of creature-driven draw effects in MTG. It sits alongside cards like Beast Whisperer, which also allows players to draw a card when they cast a creature spell with a certain power. However, Elemental Bond offers a broader trigger, activating on creature entry to the battlefield, not just casting, and also has a lower converted mana cost than Beast Whisperer.

Colossal Majesty is another spell that treads close to Elemental Bond’s territory. It draws you a card during your upkeep if you control a creature with power 4 or greater, which is a more passive approach compared to Elemental Bond’s active trigger on creature plays. Garruk’s Packleader is a bit more similar, giving the card draw engine a consistent spin by focusing on creatures with power 3 or greater entering the battlefield.

In essence, while comparing similar enchantments and their mechanics, Elemental Bond shines due to its ease of integration in creature-heavy decks and its immediate effect, providing card advantage the moment a sizable creature hits the field, thus reinforcing its position as a preferred enchantment in decks favoring big creatures.

Beast Whisperer - MTG Card versions
Colossal Majesty - MTG Card versions
Garruk's Packleader - MTG Card versions
Beast Whisperer - MTG Card versions
Colossal Majesty - MTG Card versions
Garruk's Packleader - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Elemental Bond by color, type and mana cost

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Wanderlust - MTG Card versions
Thelon's Chant - MTG Card versions
Maddening Wind - MTG Card versions
Cycle of Life - MTG Card versions
Dense Foliage - MTG Card versions
Hall of Gemstone - MTG Card versions
Momentum - MTG Card versions
Ancestral Mask - MTG Card versions
Broken Fall - MTG Card versions
Lure - MTG Card versions
Food Chain - MTG Card versions
Howling Moon - MTG Card versions
The Dragon-Kami Reborn // Dragon-Kami's Egg - MTG Card versions
Squirrel Nest - MTG Card versions
Alpha Status - MTG Card versions
Lifegift - MTG Card versions
Blanchwood Armor - MTG Card versions
Rites of Flourishing - MTG Card versions
Raking Canopy - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Elemental Bond grants a steady flow of card advantage by drawing you a card whenever a creature with power 3 or greater enters the battlefield under your control. This streamlines your draws and helps keep your hand replenished throughout the duel.

Resource Acceleration: While Elemental Bond doesn’t directly produce mana like some ramp spells, this enchantment accelerates your resources indirectly. By drawing more creatures into your hand, you’re more likely to play additional creatures and tap into their potential, whether that’s for attacking, defending, or as fodder for other card abilities.

Instant Speed: Although Elemental Bond is an enchantment that works at sorcery speed, the card-advantage it offers when creatures enter the battlefield can be triggered during either player’s turn. This includes creatures flashed in at instant speed, keeping you primed to respond with a fuller grip of options when it’s most beneficial.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Elemental Bond requires you to have creatures with power 3 or greater to trigger, which might be a hindrance if your deck runs a swarm of low-powered creatures or is control-oriented.

Specific Mana Cost: Elemental Bond demands a specific combination of green mana, potentially limiting its integration into multi-color decks that cannot reliably produce green mana or prefer a more flexible mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of three, including two generic and one green mana, Elemental Bond can be considered a significant investment in the early game, leaving less mana available for creatures or other spells during critical turns.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Elemental Bond fits into numerous deck archetypes that center around creatures entering the battlefield. This enchantment shines in decks that consistently play creatures with power 3 or greater, providing a steady stream of card draw to fuel your game plan.

Combo Potential: In decks that can create numerous large creatures rapidly or repeatedly, Elemental Bond becomes a pivotal engine for card draw. It’s especially potent in decks that can produce token creatures above the power threshold or have ways to bounce creatures to your hand to play them again.

Meta-Relevance: As many MTG players are always looking for ways to maintain card advantage, Elemental Bond is highly relevant in environments where large creatures are commonplace. In a creature-heavy meta, this card can keep your hand full and ensure you don’t run out of options.


How to Beat

Elemental Bond is a powerful enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that rewards players for playing creatures with significant power. The card offers players extra draw each time a creature with power 3 or greater enters the battlefield under their control. It’s a strong card in decks that are able to consistently play large creatures, as it provides ongoing card advantage which is key to winning games.

To counteract Elemental Bond, players should consider using spells that limit the opponent’s ability to play creatures or remove Elemental Bond directly from the battlefield. Enchantment removal like Disenchant or Naturalize can handle Elemental Bond effectively. Board control spells like Wrath of God or Doomskar are also potent, as they remove the creatures that trigger Elemental Bond’s effect. Additionally, employing counter-spells like Negate or Counterspell when the opponent attempts to cast Elemental Bond can prevent this advantage from ever taking shape on the board.

Ultimately, a well-rounded strategy that includes enchantment removal, creature control, and stack interaction will help you mitigate the card advantage that Elemental Bond can provide to your opponent. Managing these elements will increase your chances of outpacing the value-driven engine that Elemental Bond seeks to create.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG is about understanding the synergies and mechanics of cards like Elemental Bond. As we’ve navigated through the benefits of including this enchantment in creature-heavy decks, the downsides, and strategies to employ against it, here’s what stands out: Elemental Bond is a cornerstone for decks that thrive on a constant influx of creatures with power 3 or greater. Whether you’re hunting for combo enablers or seeking to maintain card advantage in a creature-dense meta, this card is a valuable asset. Keen to refine your deck-building strategy and optimize your gameplay with cards like Elemental Bond? Delve deeper with us and unfold the layers of strategic depth MTG offers.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Elemental Bond MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins and Commander 2017, 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 Elemental Bond and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Elemental Bond Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2015-07-17 and 2019-08-23. Illustrated by David Gaillet.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 1742015NormalBlackDavid Gaillet
22017-08-25Commander 2017C17 1482015NormalBlackDavid Gaillet
32019-08-23Commander 2019C19 1632015NormalBlackDavid Gaillet

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Elemental Bond has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2015-06-22 The creature must have power 3 or greater as it enters the battlefield, or Elemental Bond’s ability won’t trigger. Static abilities that raise (or lower) a creature’s power are taken into account. However, you can’t have a creature with power 2 or less enter the battlefield and try to raise its power with a spell, an activated ability, or a triggered ability.