Lawmage's Binding MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant, Flash

Key Takeaways

  1. Lawmage’s Binding provides card advantage by disrupting opponent’s plays without card loss.
  2. Instant speed casting of Lawmage’s Binding offers strategic flexibility during play.
  3. Effective creature control makes it a worthwhile addition to MTG collections.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

Flash Enchant creature Enchanted creature can't attack or block, and its activated abilities can't be activated.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Lawmage’s Binding, players can effectively remove an opponent’s creature from the battlefield without losing a card in hand. This disruption can cause entities relying on that creature for combos or attacks to lose momentum, ultimately leading to a gain in card advantage as opponents struggle to recover.

Resource Acceleration: While Lawmage’s Binding itself does not directly accelerate resources, successfully binding a key creature can slow down your opponent’s resource acceleration. This relative shift can allow you to outpace your opponent’s mana development or board presence, giving you a competitive edge.

Instant Speed: Lawmage’s Binding can be cast at instant speed, giving players the flexibility to respond to threats on the fly. This allows you to navigate through your turn without committing mana preemptively, keeping your options open to react to your opponent’s moves, which can be a game changer during critical junctions of play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Lawmage’s Binding offers a reliable control option, it doesn’t necessitate discarding, thus it doesn’t deplete your hand, allowing you to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Lawmage’s Binding requires both white and blue mana, making it less flexible than generic or single-color options. This can restrict deck-building options and is less ideal for decks that run on a tight mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a cost of three mana, including two that are color-specific, it’s a commitment. In the early game, where quick responses are crucial, this could make a significant difference. Considering the array of lower-cost removal options available, this could be a deciding factor when optimizing your deck.


Reasons to Include Lawmage’s Binding in Your Collection

Versatility: Lawmage’s Binding is a flexible control card that can be incorporated into various deck archetypes, providing a reliable way to neutralize opposing creatures without committing to outright destruction.

Combo Potential: By freezing a key creature on the battlefield, this card can serve as part of a lockdown strategy or enable you to seize the moment for a win without worrying about blockers or activated abilities from your opponent.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where creatures with powerful effects dominate, Lawmage’s Binding shines by effectively removing a threat while still keeping the board state ripe for interactions and responses based on the current competitive trends.


How to beat

Lawmage’s Binding is a control card in MTG that locks down an opponent’s creature, preventing it from attacking or blocking, and more importantly, from utilizing any of its abilities. This enchantment can be a real stumbling block, especially when you’re facing a creature-heavy deck that relies on key creatures’ abilities to function effectively.

To outmaneuver Lawmage’s Binding, consider cards that can remove enchantments such as Naturalize or using bounce spells like Unsummon to return the affected creature to your hand, thereby dodging the binding’s effect. Countering it with spells like Negate when it’s cast is also efficient. Another strategy is shifting focus to untargetable or hexproof creatures, which are immune to such direct-control spells. Lastly, keep in mind that Lawmage’s Binding only affects one creature, so developing a wide board presence can minimize its impact on your overall strategy.

Understanding your deck’s strengths and planning for potential control elements are crucial for prevailing despite the obstacles cards like Lawmage’s Binding present. Flexibility in your approach and a good mix of protective and reactive cards will keep you one step ahead in the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic depth of MTG is highlighted by cards like Lawmage’s Binding, demonstrating the nuanced approach required to control the battlefield. As we’ve explored its pros and cons, the card’s ability to neutralize threats at instant speed offers a tactical advantage that can be pivotal to your gameplay. However, remember it’s one piece of a larger strategy. Are you looking to refine your deck, harness the synergy of new card combinations, or simply keep up with the competitive meta? Dive deeper with us. Deepen your MTG expertise and adapt your gameplay to seamlessly integrate powerful control cards like Lawmage’s Binding.


Cards like Lawmage's Binding

The Lawmage’s Binding card offers a unique approach to control in Magic: The Gathering, reminiscent of classic enchantments like Pacifism. Both cards impose restrictions on creatures, but Lawmage’s Binding goes a step further by preventing the use of activated abilities, something Pacifism doesn’t affect. This comprehensive lockdown can significantly hinder opponents relying on creature abilities to carry out their strategy.

In contrast, Arrest is another card that delivers similar restraining effects. While it also locks down abilities, it comes with a higher mana cost, showcasing Lawmage’s Binding as a more mana-efficient alternative. It’s crucial for players who prioritize pace and efficiency in their gameplay.

Furthermore, the Lawmage’s Binding is often compared to the more recent enchantment, Claustrophobia. Claustrophobia taps the enchanted creature in addition to preventing it from untapping, which can be critically effective in the right situation. However, Lawmage’s Binding’s ability to be cast at instant speed provides strategic flexibility that sorcery-speed alternatives cannot match.

Overall, Lawmage’s Binding holds its ground impressively among Magic: The Gathering’s creature control cards, valued for its cost-effectiveness and versatility in competitive play.

Pacifism - MTG Card versions
Arrest - MTG Card versions
Claustrophobia - MTG Card versions
Pacifism - Mirage (MIR)
Arrest - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Claustrophobia - Innistrad (ISD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lawmage's Binding MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance and Mystery Booster, 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 Lawmage's Binding and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Lawmage's Binding Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2019-01-25 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Mark Behm.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-01-25Ravnica AllegianceRNA 1902015normalblackMark Behm
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 14472015normalblackMark Behm
32020-07-17JumpstartJMP 4532015normalblackMark Behm
42020-09-26The ListPLST RNA-1902015normalblackMark Behm

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lawmage's Binding has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2019-01-25 Activated abilities contain a colon. They’re generally written “
-ost:
-ffect].” Some keyword abilities are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text. Triggered abilities (starting with “when,” “whenever,” or “at”) are unaffected by Lawmage’s Binding.
2019-01-25 Once a creature has attacked or blocked, casting Lawmage’s Binding won’t remove that creature from combat. Similarly, once a creature’s ability has been activated, casting Lawmage’s Binding won’t counter that ability.

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