Imprint in MTG: Rules, History, and FAQ

Last updated on October 3, 2024

Chrome Mox | Illustration by Kieran Yanner

Imprint is the complicated older cousin of cipher, which is itself a pretty complicated mechanic. It’s one of Mark Rosewater’s “all-time favorite mechanics,” but it has thus far topped out at a couple dozen cards, which means its overall popularity and/or design space is pretty limited.

But it’s on some much-played powerful cards that have seen reprints in Masters sets as well as recent Commander decks, and sporadic appearances. It is somewhat tied to the Phyrexian story arc so it seem a longshot to see imprint return to Standard any time soon.

Let’s see if we can figure out how these cards work!

How Does Imprint Work?

Dermotaxi | Illustration by Mark Zug

Imprint appears on permanents that care about attributes from one or more cards. The caster usually has the option to exile a card from a zone and that card is then referred to by that permanent.

That imprinting can either care about something simple, like the color of the exiled card, or something more complicated, like allowing the permanent to cast a copy of the exiled card.

Sounds like a lot? Just wait.

Here are a few more wrinkles. This ability also shows up on creatures and enchantments. For imprint cards with an ETB trigger, those are sometimes optional and sometimes not. Depending on the rules text of the card, the exiled card can be in your hand, the battlefield, or a graveyard. The imprint trigger can also be a static ability on the permanent once cast, and those triggers can be automatic in response to an event, or by the controller’s choice, or even as a tap ability.

If that seems like too much, just keep calm and take a look at Chrome Mox for a second to see why you might want to bother with this effect.

Okay. Ready for more? Let’s go!

The History of Imprint in MTG

Imprint was one of the key mechanics of the plane of Mirrodin. It started on nine artifact cards in the artifact set, Mirrodin, in 2003. Three more were in Darksteel, the follow-up in the block format in early 2004, and Fifth Dawn wound that block down with only one imprint card.

It came back with the return of the Mirrodin plane in 2010's Scars of Mirrodin with five cards. The follow-up set, Mirrodin Besieged, had another two. And the final set in that block, New Phyrexia, had three, but those three were the first to add the ability to non-artifact cards.

Modern Horizons 2 added one more with Dermotaxi, and the mechanic continues to get sprinkled in thanks to products like Dr. WHO, Jurassic World, and Modern Horizons 3.

What Does Imprinting Mean?

When a card or aspects of a card are imprinted onto a permanent, that permanent is altered in some way as long as the card exiled for the imprint remains in exile.

Chrome Mox can tap for the color of the imprinted card, Semblance Anvil reduces the cost of spells that share a type with the exiled card, Soul Foundry can tap to make token copies of an exiled creature card, etc.

Is Imprint a Triggered or Activated Ability?

Imprint can be either a triggered or activated ability depending on the card. Cards like Phyrexian Ingester trigger on ETB while cards like Death-Mask Duplicant have activated imprint abilities.

Can You Respond to Imprint?

As a triggered or activated ability, imprint can be responded to with Disallow-style effects. And, obviously, for imprint cards that trigger on ETB, those spells can be countered before the imprint ability even goes on the stack since no imprint abilities trigger on casting.

Can I Imprint an Opponent's Card?

Yes, as long as your imprint card allows you to choose an opponent's card. Look for the words “your hand” or “your graveyard” versus if it says “target card in a graveyard,” in that case, you may want to check what your opponent's side looks like.

What Happens if You Don’t Imprint?

In some ways, nothing happens when you don’t imprint.

Some imprint cards (including Exclusion Ritual) don’t let the caster choose not to imprint. But if the imprint target is removed before the Ritual resolves, the Ritual becomes a 6-mana enchantment with no abilities or effects.

For the imprint cards with an ETB-only trigger that allows the caster to choose whether or not to imprint, the caster can basically choose to not have the modification that imprint would have provided. For example, Chrome Mox would just be a 0-cost artifact with no abilities.

For cards with activated imprint abilities, like Panoptic Mirror, the controller can try again when they're able if the target of the imprint is removed before the ability resolves.

What if an Imprint Ability Has No Exiled Card to Refer to?

Without a card in exile to point to, the abilities granted to the card with imprint cease to exist. This would happen if an Oracle of Dust removes the card exiled by an imprint card.

What Happens if an Imprint Card is Flickered?

When the card with imprint changes zones with flicker or bounce, it returns as a different game object and loses connection to the previously exiled card or cards. But as most imprint cards have ETB effects, the card would then either automatically (or by the controller’s choice) exile another card for imprinting. This can be a good thing.

For example, flickering Invader Parasite will pick off another opponent’s land.

Can I Imprint Multiple Cards on a Single Permanent?

Yes, some imprint cards can have multiple cards imprinted on them, but many only have one, even if that one card has a repeatable effect.

What Happens if I Imprint a Land Card?

Imprint cards specify what kind of cards can be imprinted on them. The effect explains what characteristic you care about. Take a look at Strata Scythe, you exile a land from your library, and are only concerned with the name of that card. If you get an Island, don't expect the Scythe to count shock lands like Steam Vents.

Can You Imprint a Colorless Card on Chrome Mox?

Yes, you can imprint a colorless card on Chrome Mox, but it won't produce any mana.

What if the Imprint Trigger Ability is Doubled?

An ability doubler may cause additional triggers of an imprint, in this case, additional cards can add to the imprint card's ability.

What Happens if a Card Imprinted by Isochron Scepter Leaves That Exile Zone?

If the imprinted card leaves the exile zone while the Isochron Scepter‘s activated ability is on the stack, no copy will be made.

Gallery and List of Imprint Cards

Wrap Up

Prototype Portal | Illustration by Drew Baker

Most of these cards are overcosted and somewhere on the janky-clunky continuum. But if you’re like me, that’s the central space of your deckbuilding fun!

If I can play a weird hipster card that creates unexpected effects, great. If it wins me the game, that’s even better. If they have to ask to read the card to understand what’s happening, well, that’s just a boomer Magic player living their best life.

In all seriousness, though, as WotC prints more cards that make it easier to cast expensive, powerful artifacts ahead of your mana curve, these kinds of cards only get better. Alrund's Epiphany crushed in Kaldheim Standard because cards like Goldspan Dragon could pump it out quickly. Being able to repeat powerful effects, often for free or inexpensively, is really cool, so if you can get a good means of getting a sale on the sticker price, there's a great chance the best imprint cards make an imprint on your game.

What do you think of imprint? What is your favorite way to use it? Let me know in the comments below or join the discussion in the Draftsim Discord.

Have fun, brewers!