What it does
Imprint isn't a mechanic that does something on its own—it's a label that marks cards exiled by certain permanents (like Isochron Scepter, Mimic Vat, or Soul Foundry) so those permanents can reference them later. When a card is "imprinted," it's set aside in exile and the controlling permanent uses it for its ability, such as copying an instant with Isochron Scepter or churning out token copies with Mimic Vat.
The big nuance: the imprinted card stays in exile and is tied to that specific permanent. If the permanent leaves the battlefield, the imprinted card just remains in exile—you don't get it back, and you lose access to its effect. It's not removal you can undo.
In Commander, imprint engines like Isochron Scepter (with Dramatic Reversal for infinite mana) are notorious combo pieces. Protect the permanent, because destroying it strands your imprinted card permanently.
Iconic cards with Imprint
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