Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch
Creature — Spirit
Defender (This creature can't attack.)
Whenever this creature blocks a creature, return that creature to its owner's hand at end of combat. (Return it only if it's on the battlefield.)
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Betrayers of Kamigawa
- Price
- $0.56
- EDHREC rank
- #22251
Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch is a 0/3 defender for two mana that bounces any creature that damages it back to its owner's hand — a rattlesnake that discourages attacks as long as it sits on the board. The effect is real, but a 0/3 with defender is irrelevant in any game where opponents are going wide or using non-combat damage to win.
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 | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch occupies a niche in pillowfort or tap-down control builds that want cheap, sticky deterrents — it discourages single large attackers but does nothing against go-wide token strategies or combo decks that never attack. Legacy and Vintage are non-starters; no competitive deck at those power levels is trading a creature into a 0/3 wall. Modern is equally uninterested — the card has no offensive presence and better defensive options exist at the same cost. It's a Commander-only card in practice, and even there it's fringe.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.56 bulk tier
At $0.56, Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch sits at the low end of bulk — this is a pick-a-copy-from-a-common-box card, not a purchase you plan. The price is unlikely to move in either direction; demand is too narrow to push it up, and there's no reprint risk that matters at this price floor.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.