Duty-Bound Dead
Creature — Skeleton
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
: Regenerate this creature. (The next time this creature would be destroyed this turn, instead tap it, remove it from combat, and heal all damage on it.)
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Magic 2013
- Price
- $0.09
- EDHREC rank
- #18980
Duty-Bound Dead trades one toughness for exalted and regeneration on a one-drop, which is a fine deal in dedicated exalted shells but irrelevant everywhere else. Outside that specific synergy context, it's a 0/2 that does nothing.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Duty-Bound Dead is a niche piece in exalted-focused builds — primarily Rafiq of the Many or Ishai/Rofellos shells that want every exalted trigger they can stack. Elsewhere in the format it doesn't earn a slot: a 0/2 with regeneration is not a meaningful blocker at a table with Dragons and Eldrazi. In Pauper, the exalted synergy is more credible since the format is slower and one-drops with ongoing utility see more play, but it still competes with cheaper or more impactful one-drops in black. Legacy and Vintage have zero interest in this card.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.09 bulk tier
At $0.09, Duty-Bound Dead is deep bulk — pick it out of a common box rather than paying shipping for it. Price stability is irrelevant at this tier; it will sit at a dime indefinitely.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.