Martial Law
~$0.27 low · ~$0.34 high
White. Enchantment
Return to Ravnica #14 · Illustrated by Tyler Jacobson
Return to Ravnica #14 · Illustrated by Tyler JacobsonWhat is Martial Law worth?
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TCGplayer market prices in USD, updated October 14, 2026. Each price is for one printing and one finish.
Oracle text
At the beginning of your upkeep, 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.)
"The good of society matters much more than the inconvenience of a few." —Agmand Sarv, Azorius hussar
Format legality
The only printing of Martial Law
| Printing | Rarity | Non-foil | Foil | Cardmarket (EUR) | My collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Return to Ravnica rtr #14· 2012rare· Cardmarket €0.13 · €0.49 foil | rare | $0.27 | $0.34 | €0.13€0.49 foil |
Prices are TCGplayer market prices in USD for each printing and finish, via Scryfall. They are a guide, not an appraisal.
Where to buy Martial Law
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Card details
- First printed
- 2012
- Printings
- 1
- Mana value
- 4
- EDHREC rank
- #19,132 on EDHREC (Commander popularity)
- Keywords
- Detain
- Artist
- Tyler Jacobson
What the codes mean
The small print at the bottom of the Return to Ravnica card (#14).
14
- 14Collector number: this card's place in the set list. Main-set cards print it over the set's card count.
Cards from 1998 to mid-2014 print the collector number over the set's card count (like 90/383) next to the copyright line. They have no rarity letter, set code or language code: the set symbol and its colour show the set and rarity.
How to read a Magic card: every part and code, on real cards.
Card breakdown
The parts of Martial Law, read from the Return to Ravnica printing. How to read any Magic card.
- Name
- Martial Law. Rules use the English name in every language.
- Mana cost
- Mana value 4: the total mana in the cost, colors ignored.
- Type line
- Enchantment is the card type.
- Text box
- What the card does. Italic text in brackets is reminder text: it explains a rule and has no effect on the game.
- Flavor text
- Italic story text below the rules. It has no effect on the game, and it can differ between printings.
- Illustration
- By Tyler Jacobson. The art has no effect on the game.
- Set symbol
- Return to Ravnica. Gold means rare.
- Collector number
- 14 = collector number: this card's place in the set list. Main-set cards print it over the set's card count.
- Artist
- Tyler Jacobson, after the paintbrush.
- Copyright
- Wizards of the Coast's copyright notice, with the year.
Keywords
- DetainCR 701.35
- Defined in the Comprehensive Rules at the rule above.
Rule numbers from the Magic Comprehensive Rules, version of September 25, 2026.
Rulings (6)
2013-04-15
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.
2013-04-15
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.
2013-04-15
If a noncreature permanent is detained and later turns into a creature, it won’t be able to attack or block.
2013-04-15
The static abilities of a detained permanent still apply. The triggered abilities of a detained permanent can still trigger.
2013-04-15
If a permanent’s activated ability is on the stack when that permanent is detained, the ability will be unaffected.
2013-04-15
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.
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