Hands of Binding
Sorcery
Tap target creature an opponent controls. That creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Gatecrash
- Price
- $0.13
- EDHREC rank
- #15242
Hands of Binding taps a creature and keeps it tapped — but only for a turn, only against a player you've already hit with a cipher, and only if you jump through the encode-then-connect hoops first. The setup cost is too steep for the payoff, and blue has better ways to neutralize a single threat.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Hands of Binding fits a narrow niche: Dimir cipher decks that are already attacking the same player repeatedly with an encoded creature. Outside that shell, one temporary tap on one creature is too small an effect for a 99-card singleton format where threats come from all directions. Pauper is where the card has seen the most competitive attention, slotting into Dimir tempo lists that use unblockable creatures to tick the cipher trigger reliably every turn. In Modern, Pioneer, Legacy, and Vintage the card is legal but functionally absent — faster formats demand permanent answers, not a conditional tap that requires prior setup. If you're building a cipher-tribal list in any 60-card format, Hands of Binding is a cheap enabler, but it's not pulling weight in fair creature matchups.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.13 bulk tier
At $0.13, Hands of Binding is deep bulk — you're paying for cardboard, not demand. Price stability is essentially guaranteed because there's nowhere for it to go; it sees no competitive play and only niche Commander interest.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.