Bind MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Instant
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Number	182
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mark Zug

Key Takeaways

Bind counters abilities, providing a strategic edge by disrupting opponent strategies in real-time.
Its instant speed allows for flexibility and surprise, bolstering defense and control tactics.
Though potent, Bind’s discard requirement and mana cost require careful hand and deck management.

Text of card

Counter target activated ability. (Mana abilities can't be countered.) Draw a card.

"The battlefield is cluttered enough. Be still." —Multani, maro-sorcerer

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bind provides a distinctive ability to interrupt opponents by countering activated or triggered abilities, which can unexpectedly swing the momentum in your favor and effectively disrupt their strategy, providing a subtle yet powerful form of card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While Bind itself doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, it preserves your resources by preventing potential loss of board presence or other valuable assets to an opponent’s triggered or activated abilities, allowing you to accelerate your game plan uninterrupted.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Bind is amplified by its instant speed, offering the agility to respond to an opponent’s threats in real-time. This adaptability gives you the upper hand, ensuring you can react at the most opportune moment to preserve your board state or to counter key plays from your opponent.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Bind requires you to let go of another card from your hand, which can be detrimental when you’re trying to maintain card advantage against your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Bind demands a precise combination of mana to cast, which could potentially strain the mana base of a deck not heavily invested in green.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Bind’s effect can be potent, its mana cost is on the higher side when compared to other instant-speed interruption options available in the game, potentially slowing down your gameplay tempo.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Bind can be a flexible addition to decks that are focused on control or tempo strategies. Its ability to interrupt opponents’ spells or abilities during crucial turns can protect your game plan and maintain the pacing.

Combo Potential: This card can work within combo decks as a safeguard, preventing opponents from disrupting your key plays. It can also serve as a disruptor in a pinch, giving you the upper hand by stopping your opponent’s combos in their tracks.

Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves and instant-speed interaction becomes more important, Bind has the potential to gain traction. It can be especially useful when facing decks that rely on activated abilities or casting spells during your turn, keeping you one step ahead in a reactive game state.

How to beat

Bind is a unique card that offers the ability to disrupt opponents’ strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Unlike typical counterplay cards that negate spells once they’re cast, Bind provides a niche form of interruption – by targeting activated abilities. This means it’s crucial for players to pick the right moment to play Bind, so understanding the timing and strategic value of abilities in a game is essential for maximizing its potential.

To overcome a card like Bind, it’s integral to recognize its limitations. Bind only works on abilities, not spells on the stack. Therefore, diversifying your strategy to include instants or triggering abilities at unexpected times can mitigate the risk that Bind poses. Additionally, planning for redundancy in your key abilities ensures that getting one ability Bind-bound doesn’t halt your game plan. By staying adaptable and prioritizing spells or investing in cards that protect your abilities from being targeted, you can effectively navigate and ultimately outmaneuver the control that Bind attempts to exert on the game.

Rounding out our perspective, while Bind can be a wrench in the gears of an opponent’s strategy, a well-rounded deck and a flexible approach to gameplay significantly diminish its impact. By staying one step ahead and carefully planning your plays, Bind becomes less of a threat and more of a minor obstacle on the path to victory in the complex and strategic environment of Magic: The Gathering.

Cards like Bind

Bind is a unique instant in the realm of interrupt spells within Magic: The Gathering. It is often compared to cards like Mana Leak, which also serves as a means to disrupt opponent’s plans. However, Bind distinguishes itself by allowing a player to interrupt activated or triggered abilities, not just spells, and even draws a card upon resolution. This is a key differential from Mana Leak that merely counters spells unless a specific cost is paid.

In contrast, Stifle is another card with a similar disruption effect, as it can counter activated or triggered abilities as well. It costs less mana, but unlike Bind, it doesn’t offer the card draw bonus. Then there is Trickbind, which not only counters abilities but also has split second, making it nearly impossible to react to. It comes at a higher mana cost compared to Bind and also doesn’t include the card draw.

Therefore, Bind stands as a versatile option within its category, providing the dual utility of disrupting and drawing, making it a solid choice for players who want to maintain pressure while advancing their own strategy.

Cards similar to Bind by color, type and mana cost

Might of the Nephilim - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bind MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bind has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2016-06-08	Activated abilities contain a colon. They’re generally written “ -ost: -ffect].” Some keywords are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text.