Chain of Vapor
Instant
Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand. Then that permanent's controller may sacrifice a land of their choice. If the player does, they may copy this spell and may choose a new target for that copy.
Why Play Chain of Vapor
At just one blue mana, this instant provides incredible tempo plays by bouncing key threats or problematic permanents at the perfect moment. Combo decks particularly value its ability to protect win conditions from removal or bounce opposing hate pieces like Trinisphere or Rule of Law. The sacrifice clause rarely matters when you're disrupting opponents since most players won't want to give you additional copies, making it essentially unconditional removal for one mana.Format Notes
Legacy sees the most competitive play, where fast combo decks use it to clear blockers or protection pieces before winning. Vintage applications are more niche due to the format's focus on restricted power cards, but it occasionally appears in combo sideboards. Commander players appreciate its flexibility and low cost, though the multiplayer nature means opponents might actually use the copy effect to their advantage.Combos & Synergies
Storm decks benefit tremendously since each copy increases storm count, potentially creating massive chains with willing opponents holding expendable lands. Pairing with Fastbond allows you to replay bounced lands immediately while generating additional spell triggers. Show and Tell strategies use it to clear blockers or remove opposing threats before deploying game-winning permanents, taking advantage of the low mana investment to maintain combo protection.Featured in These Decks
- Entropic Uprising Commander
