Cleric of Life's Bond is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Whenever another Cleric you control enters, you gain 1 life. Whenever you gain life for the first time each turn, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Complete guide
Cleric of Life's Bond is a cornerstone for life-gain decks, offering both utility and offensive pressure. This Vampire Cleric rewards you for expanding your board and turns every spark of life gained into permanent power. Understanding how its triggers stack is the key to mastering the white-black Cleric archetype.
What It Does
Cleric of Life's Bond has two distinct triggered abilities. The first is a tribal synergy that grants you 1 life whenever another Cleric enters the battlefield under your control. The second is a growth mechanic that puts a +1/+1 counter on the Cleric the first time you gain life during any turn.
Resolving the Triggers
When a Cleric enters the battlefield, the first ability triggers and goes on the stack. Once it resolves and you gain 1 life, the second ability checks if this is the first time you have gained life this turn. If it is, the second ability triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Cleric of Life's Bond. Note that if you gained life earlier in the turn through other means, the counter ability will not trigger again.
Common Mistakes
A common error involves the timing of the permanent's arrival. If you gain life and then cast Cleric of Life's Bond later in the same turn, its second ability will not trigger for any subsequent life-gain events that turn. Additionally, in multiplayer formats like Two-Headed Giant, life gained by a teammate does not count as you gaining life, so it will not trigger these abilities.
When to Play It
This creature is most effective when played early, ideally on turn two, to maximize the number of Cleric entries it can witness. Because it can trigger on opponents' turns—provided you have a way to gain life—it can grow much faster than cards that only trigger during your own upkeep or main phases.
Interaction examples
Blood ArtistIf a creature dies while both are on the battlefield, Blood Artist's ability triggers. When that ability resolves and you gain 1 life, Cleric of Life's Bond sees this life gain. If it is the first time you have gained life this turn, the Cleric receives a +1/+1 counter.
Esper SentinelWhile Esper Sentinel is not a Cleric, its power matters for its tax ability. If you gain life for the first time in a turn, Cleric of Life's Bond grows. This doesn't directly affect the Sentinel, but if the Cleric were to become the target of a spell that cares about your highest power, the synergy between life gain and board presence becomes clear.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Cleric of Life's Bond
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
An ability that triggers “whenever you gain life” triggers just once for each life-gaining event, no matter how much life you gain.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Each creature with lifelink dealing combat damage causes a separate life-gaining event. For example, if two creatures you control with lifelink deal combat damage at the same time, a “whenever you gain life” ability will trigger twice. However, if a single creature you control with lifelink deals combat damage to multiple creatures, players, and/or planeswalkers at the same time (perhaps because it has trample or was blocked by more than one creature), the ability will trigger only once.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you gain an amount of life “for each” of something, that life is gained as one event and the ability will trigger only once.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate won’t cause the ability to trigger, even though it caused your team’s life total to increase.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
An ability that triggers whenever you gain life “for the first time each turn” won’t trigger if you gain life during a turn before the permanent with that ability is on the battlefield, even if you gain life again later in the turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Cleric of Life's Bond
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.