Cryptic Command
Reprinted in Star Trek Commander (TRC), releasing November 13, 2026.
Cryptic Command: Instant, Iconic Masters. Choose two - • Counter target spell. • Return target permanent to its owner's hand. On Mana Grove.
- Mana cost
- {1}{U}{U}{U}
- Mana value
- 4
- Type
- Instant
- Colour identity
- Blue (U)
- Rarity
- Rare
- Set
- Iconic Masters (IMA)
- Released
- 2017-11-17
- Collector number
- 48
- Artist
- Jason Rainville
- Commander rank
- 1,612 (by how often it appears in Commander decks)
Build around this card with Grover
About Cryptic Command
Cryptic Command is a Magic: The Gathering card, a rare blue instant from Iconic Masters (IMA), a Masters set released in November 2017. It is collector number 48 in that set, with art by Jason Rainville. It costs {1}{U}{U}{U} (one generic and three blue mana) to cast, for a mana value of 4. Its colour identity is blue. It is legal in Modern, Legacy, Vintage, Commander, Duel Commander, Oathbreaker, PreDH, Brawl, Historic, Timeless and Gladiator. It has been printed in 12 sets, from Lorwyn (2007) to Final Fantasy: Through the Ages (2025). The latest aggregated market price for this printing is $6.46 (normal finish, as of 2026-11-01).
Card text
Choose two -
• Counter target spell.
• Return target permanent to its owner's hand.
• Tap all creatures your opponents control.
• Draw a card.
Market price
Latest aggregated market price for the normal finish of this printing: $6.46 (as of 2026-11-01).
The figure covers this printing only; other printings carry their own price on their own page.
Format legality
Legality of Cryptic Command by format. Formats in which it is not legal are not listed.
| Modern | Legal |
|---|---|
| Legacy | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Duel Commander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| PreDH | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
Other printings of Cryptic Command
Cryptic Command has been printed in 12 sets. The 12 most recent other printings are listed here, newest first, with the rarity and release year of each.
| Printing | Rarity | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Star Trek Commander (TRC) #252 | Rare | 2026 |
| Star Trek Commander (TRC) #435 | Rare | 2026 |
| Secret Lair Drop (SLD) #905 | Rare | 2025 |
| Final Fantasy: Through the Ages (FCA) #29 | Rare | 2025 |
| The List (PLST) #IMA-48 | Rare | 2024 |
| The List (PLST) #LRW-56 | Rare | 2020 |
| Pro Tour Promos (PPRO) #2020-1 | Rare | 2020 |
| Amonkhet Invocations (MP2) #11 | Special | 2017 |
| Modern Masters 2015 (MM2) #43 | Rare | 2015 |
| Modern Masters (MMA) #38 | Rare | 2013 |
| Magic Player Rewards 2009 (P09) #1 | Rare | 2009 |
| Lorwyn (LRW) #56 | Rare | 2007 |
Official rulings
Two official rulings apply to Cryptic Command, newest first.
- You choose both modes as you cast Cryptic Command. You must choose two different modes.
- Look at both chosen modes to determine how many targets Cryptic Command has, if any. If it has at least one target, and all its targets are illegal when it tries to resolve, then it won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. For example, if you choose the second and fourth modes, and the permanent is an illegal target when Cryptic Command tries to resolve, you won’t draw a card.
Similar cards
Other instant cards with a blue colour identity, ranked by how often they appear in Commander decks.
More cards from Star Trek Commander
In these card lists
These card lists include Cryptic Command.