First printed in Return to Ravnica (2012)
Sorcery
Detain target creature an opponent controls. (Until your next turn, that creature can't attack or block and its activated abilities can't be activated.)
Draw a card.
"To prevent action is to prevent transgression."
—Azorius Arrester motto
- Illustrated by
- Wayne Reynolds
- Watermark
- Azorius
Legality
- Legal in
- Pioneer, Modern, Legacy, Vintage, Pauper, Penny Dreadful, Commander, Duel Commander, Pauper Commander, Tiny Leaders, Oathbreaker
- Not legal in
- Standard, Future Standard, Historic, Timeless, Alchemy, Premodern, Old School 93/94, Gladiator, PreDH, Brawl, Standard Brawl, Competitive Brawl
Rulings (6)
- The static abilities of a detained permanent still apply. The triggered abilities of a detained permanent can still trigger.
- If a permanent’s activated ability is on the stack when that permanent is detained, the ability will be unaffected.
- When a player leaves a multiplayer game, any continuous effects with durations that last until that player’s next turn or until a specific point in that turn will last until that turn would have begun. They neither expire immediately nor last indefinitely.
- Activated abilities include a colon and are written in the form “[cost]: [effect].” No one can activate any activated abilities, including mana abilities, of a detained permanent.
- If a creature is already attacking or blocking when it’s detained, it won’t be removed from combat. It will continue to attack or block.
- If a noncreature permanent is detained and later turns into a creature, it won’t be able to attack or block.
Prices
MTGO price: 0.002 TIX, the cheapest non-foil print (average sell price on GoatBots, 30 Oct 2026).