Chains of Custody

Oracle Text

Enchant creature you control
When this Aura enters, exile target nonland permanent an opponent controls until this Aura leaves the battlefield.
Enchanted creature has ward {2}. (Whenever it becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays {2}.)

Card Details

-/-Power / Toughness

2WMana Cost

3Prints

Set

Secrets of Strixhaven Commander · View all prints →

Character Background

Chains of Custody is a clean white tempo-and-control tool that turns one of your creatures into both a bodyguard and a hostage-taker. On arrival, it temporarily exiles any nonland permanent an opponent controls, so even a modest creature can swing the board by removing a blocker, mana rock, planeswalker, or combo piece until the Aura is gone. The enchanted creature gaining ward {2} helps protect your investment, making spot removal and targeted tricks a little clumsier for the opponent. In play, this rewards decks that can reliably keep a creature on board—tokens, evasive threats, and resilient commanders are ideal—and it pairs especially well with sacrifice outlets or blink effects that can reuse the enter-the-battlefield exile trigger. In Commander, it fits best in white value-control shells that want interaction without giving up board presence, and it becomes much stronger when you can safely move the Aura onto a disposable token after the trigger has already resolved.

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