Bonds of Mortality MTG Card


Bonds of Mortality - Oath of the Gatewatch
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment
Released2016-01-22
Set symbol
Set nameOath of the Gatewatch
Set codeOGW
Number128
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byChris Rallis

Key Takeaways

  1. Grants card draw upon entry, providing immediate strategic advantage and hand replenishment.
  2. Enables strategic creature removal by nullifying hexproof and indestructible at instant speed.
  3. Demands discerning mana and hand management due to specific color and potential discard factors.

Text of card

When Bonds of Mortality enters the battlefield, draw a card. : Creatures your opponents control lose hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.

Jace discovered the leyline pattern needed to anchor Ulamog and Kozilek to reality, but it was Nissa who could trace it on her world.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Drawing a card upon entering the battlefield, Bonds of Mortality provides an immediate benefit and can help replenish your hand, keeping the flow of your game strategy moving forward.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct accelerant, this card can facilitate smoother gameplay by stripping away hexproof and indestructible from opposing creatures, allowing you to deal with threats more efficiently and maintain a better control of the board.

Instant Speed: The ability to activate its effect at instant speed grants the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s actions, ensuring that you can strip creatures of hexproof or indestructible right when it’s most advantageous for you, such as during combat or in response to a game-changing spell.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Bonds of Mortality itself does not force a discard, its effectiveness may necessitate holding cards that enable drawing or removal, potentially causing a discard to accommodate hand size limits or synergistic plays.

Specific Mana Cost: This enchantment requires both green and blue mana, which can be restrictive for players not running a deck that specifically accommodates this color combination, potentially limiting the card’s versatility in various deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its ability to strip away hexproof and indestructible from opponent’s creatures, the initial investment of two mana, followed by another mana to activate, may be steep considering the effect does not directly impact the board state and could allocate resources away from more pressing threats or developments in the game.


Reasons to Include Bonds of Mortality in Your Collection

Versatility: Bonds of Mortality is a unique enchantment that can seamlessly integrate into various deck strategies. It excels in environments where indestructible creatures or permanents with hexproof are prevalent, as it nullifies those abilities.

Combo Potential: This card shines when paired with targeted removal or damage spells, allowing you to deal with otherwise untouchable threats. It’s an essential combo piece for decks looking to bypass defensive abilities and push through critical damage or removal.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta dominated by creatures with hexproof or indestructible, having an answer like Bonds of Mortality could tilt matches in your favor. It ensures your deck has the tools to interact with key opponents’ strategies, maintaining a competitive edge.


How to beat

Bonds of Mortality is a unique enchantment card that has a specific focus on stripping creatures of indestructibility and other protective abilities in MTG. When encountered on the battlefield, it challenges players to rethink their strategies, especially if they rely heavily on shrouded or hexproof creatures. Yet, there are effective methods to navigate around this card’s influence. Players may consider using spell-based removal or board wipes that don’t target creatures directly, such as “Wrath of God” or “Damnation,” which bypass Bonds of Mortality’s effect. Alternatively, using instant-speed spells in response to the activation of Bonds of Mortality can save key creatures from being exposed. Lastly, countering enchantments before they hit the field or using enchantment destruction like “Naturalize” allows players to remain in control of the board. Managing the battlefield well and having answers ready in your deck to adapt to any situation are crucial to countering the effects of Bonds of Mortality in your matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Enhancing your MTG deck with strategic cards like Bonds of Mortality could be a game-changer, especially in a meta where elusive creatures roam free. By harnessing its potential, you can dictate the pace and outcome of your matches. Complementing Bonds of Mortality with the right mix of draw, removal, and mana fixing can unlock its full potential, offering you an edge over opponents who depend on indestructible and hexproof mechanics. Think your strategy could benefit from this addition? Dive deeper into the evolving world of MTG and discover new synergies that will sharpen your competitive spirit. Explore our resources and refine your deck with Bonds of Mortality, a versatile card poised to disrupt the battleground and carve a path to victory.


Cards like Bonds of Mortality

Bonds of Mortality stands out in the realm of enchantments by granting players a unique control over the battlefield. It bears some resemblance to cards like Arcane Lighthouse, which allows you to sidestep hexproof and shroud, giving your creatures or spells the possibility to target what was once untouchable. Where Bonds of Mortality differs is in its draw ability – for a mere two mana, you not only remove the veil from your opponent’s creatures, but you also draw a card, offering a subtle advantage in card economy.

Detection Tower operates on similar ground, providing a one-turn window to nullify abilities that prevent your opponents’ creatures from being targeted. Though instant in its effect, Detection Tower lacks the additional draw that Bonds of Mortality offers. Then there’s Glaring Spotlight, another card that shades comparison. It sabotages the protections that could fortify your opponent’s creatures, with the added bonus of enabling your creatures to slip through the enemy’s defenses. However, Glaring Spotlight doesn’t facilitate the card draw that can keep a player’s hand replenished.

Bonds of Mortality thus carves a niche within MTG, meshing the elements of control and advantage through its combined unveiling and drawing capabilities. Players seeking both utility and card flow have a potent tool in this enchantment.

Arcane Lighthouse - MTG Card versions
Detection Tower - MTG Card versions
Glaring Spotlight - MTG Card versions
Arcane Lighthouse - MTG Card versions
Detection Tower - MTG Card versions
Glaring Spotlight - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bonds of Mortality MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch, 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 Bonds of Mortality and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bonds of Mortality has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2016-01-22 Damage dealt to a creature with indestructible is still marked on that creature. If that creature loses indestructible, and the marked damage is lethal, it will be destroyed. However, if a creature with indestructible is dealt damage by a source with deathtouch and then later loses indestructible, that creature won’t be destroyed.
2016-01-22 The last ability causes creatures your opponents control to lose hexproof and indestructible as it resolves. Effects that cause those creatures to gain those abilities after that point will work normally.

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