Hidden Strings 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
You may tap or untap target permanent, then you may tap or untap another target permanent. Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)
Complete guide
Hidden Strings is a versatile blue sorcery that offers tactical utility through its ability to manipulate the state of permanents on the battlefield. By utilizing the Cipher mechanic, this card provides ongoing value every time your creature connects with an opponent. It is a staple for decks looking to maintain tempo while keeping their mana or utility permanents ready for action.
What It Does
Hidden Strings allows you to choose up to two target permanents and decide whether to tap or untap each of them individually. Because it uses the Cipher keyword, you can exile the card as it resolves and 'encode' it onto a creature you control. This turns your creature into a repeatable source of this effect whenever it deals combat damage to a player.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, you cast the spell and choose two targets; these can be lands, creatures, or any other permanent. As the spell resolves, you choose to tap or untap the first target, then do the same for the second. Finally, the Cipher ability triggers: you may exile Hidden Strings and choose a creature you control to encode it onto. If the creature later deals combat damage, you create a copy of the card in exile and cast it immediately without paying its mana cost, following the same targeting rules as the original casting.
Common Mistakes
A common error is forgetting that the Cipher effect is tied to the creature. If the creature leaves the battlefield, the exiled Hidden Strings stays in exile and cannot be moved to another creature. Additionally, if Hidden Strings is countered or all its targets become illegal before resolution, the Cipher effect will not happen, and the card will go to the graveyard instead of exile.
When to Play It
Hidden Strings is most effective when you have an unblockable or flying creature to ensure the Cipher ability triggers consistently. It is excellent for 'pseudo-ramping' by untapping your own lands after your combat phase, or for removing blockers by tapping down an opponent's creatures before they can declare them as defenders.
Interaction examples
PonderYou cast Hidden Strings, targeting two of your tapped Islands to untap them. After the spell resolves and encodes onto your creature, you now have the mana available to cast Ponder to dig for answers before your creature attacks to trigger the Cipher effect again.
WindfallDuring your main phase, you cast Hidden Strings to tap down two of your opponent's blockers. You then attack with a creature encoded with a previous copy of Hidden Strings. Upon dealing damage, you cast the copy to untap two of your own lands, leaving mana open to cast Windfall and refresh everyone's hands while you have the board advantage.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Hidden Strings
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The spell with cipher is encoded on the creature as part of that spell’s resolution, just after the spell’s other effects. That card goes directly from the stack to exile. It never goes to the graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
You choose the creature as the spell resolves. The cipher ability doesn’t target that creature, although the spell with cipher may target that creature (or a different creature) because of its other abilities.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell with cipher doesn’t resolve, none of its effects will happen, including cipher. The card will go to its owner’s graveyard and won’t be encoded on a creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the creature leaves the battlefield, the exiled card will no longer be encoded on any creature. It will stay exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If you want to encode the card with cipher onto a noncreature permanent such as a Keyrune that can turn into a creature, that permanent has to be a creature before the spell with cipher starts resolving. You can choose only a creature to encode the card onto.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
The copy of the card with cipher is created in and cast from exile.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
You cast the copy of the card with cipher during the resolution of the triggered ability. Ignore timing restrictions based on the card’s type.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If you choose not to cast the copy, or you can’t cast it (perhaps because there are no legal targets available), the copy will cease to exist the next time state-based actions are performed. You won’t get a chance to cast the copy at a later time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
The exiled card with cipher grants a triggered ability to the creature it’s encoded on. If that creature loses that ability and subsequently deals combat damage to a player, the triggered ability won’t trigger. However, the exiled card will continue to be encoded on that creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
If another player gains control of the creature, that player will control the triggered ability. That player will create a copy of the encoded card and may cast it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature with an encoded card deals combat damage to more than one player simultaneously (perhaps because some of the combat damage was redirected), the triggered ability will trigger once for each player it deals combat damage to. Each ability will create a copy of the exiled card and allow you to cast it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Primal Amulet // Primal Wellspring + Hidden Strings + Narset's Reversal
- 1Activate Primal Wellspring and another mana-producing permanent by tapping them, adding at least
. - 2Cast Hidden Strings by paying , targeting Primal Wellspring and the mana-producing permanent.
- 3Primal Wellspring triggers, copying Hidden Strings, targeting Primal Wellspring and the mana-producing permanent.
- 4Resolve the copy of Hidden Strings, untapping Primal Wellspring and the mana-producing permanent.
- 5Activate Primal Wellspring and the mana-producing permanent by tapping them, adding at least .
- 6Cast Narset's Reversal by paying , targeting Hidden Strings.
- 7Primal Wellspring triggers, copying Narset's Reversal targeting the original Narset's Reversal.
- 8Resolve the copy of Narset's Reversal, copying the original Narset's Reversal targeting Hidden Strings, and returning the original Narset's Reversal to your hand.
Isochron Scepter + Narset's Reversal + Hidden Strings + Chromatic Orrery
- 1Activate Chromatic Orrery's first ability by tapping it, adding
. - 2Cast HIdden Strings by paying
, targeting any two applicable targets. - 3Activate Isochron Scepter by paying and tapping it, casting a copy of Narset's Reversal without paying its mana cost.
- 4Resolve Narset's Reversal, returning Hidden Strings to your hand and creating a copy of it, targeting Isochron Scepter and Chromatic Orrery.
- 5Resolve the copy of Hidden Strings, untapping Isochron Scepter and Chromatic Orrery.
- 6Repeat.
- 7Once you have infinite mana, you may use Chromatic Orrery's second ability if you control a colored permanent and/or untap any other permanent(s) you control.
Dual Casting + Hidden Strings + Twinning Staff
- 1Cast Hidden Strings with any targets.
- 2Pay
and tap the creature enchanted with Dual Casting to copy Hidden Strings, targeting the creature enchanted with Dual Casting and a permanent that can tap for . - 3Twinning Staff triggers, creating a copy of Hidden Strings.
- 4The copy targets at least the permanent.
- 5Allow the first copy of Hidden Strings to resolve.
- 6Tap the permanent for .
- 7Repeat steps 2-6.
Legal formats
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