Custom Commander with wording issues

Custom Cards forum

Posted on Oct. 6, 2019, 7:55 a.m. by seshiro_of_the_orochi

Feather, the Redeemed gave Boros a whole new angle in Commander by making combat tricks a viable deck type. What if there were a commander that made a similar thing with Act of Treason type effects? I tried coming up with a card for this. So I present to you:

Feather, Eternal Recruiter

Legendary Creature - Zombie Angel

Flying

Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell that causes you to gain control of a creature you don't control, exile it instead of putting it into your graveyard as it resolves. If you do, return it to your hand at the beginning of the next end step.

3/4

So I see several issues with this card:

  • The wording is very obvious about what the card is meant to do. I generally don't like this very specific approach, but I don't know how to word it differently without making it too powerful. I thought about something like whenever you cast a spell that targets at least one creature you don't control, but this would just make spot removal the better choice for a deck around it.

  • It's a lot too similar to original Feather with both a mana cost shifted from Boros to Rakdos and the same stats and additional keywords.

What I like about the card is the flavour: What if Feather had fallen in War of the Spark and thus became an Eternal herself? She'd be the best recruiter the Dreadhorde could wish for.

My questions are:

  • Do you have ideas on how to word the ability less specific without making spot removal a more viable path than Act of Treason spells?

  • What would you do to have the card differ from original Feather a little more?

  • Do you like the general idea and flavour of the card or would you prefer another character to have this ability?

Thanks a lot for your answers.

pookypuppy6 says... #2

In terms of making the card differ from Feather (even just slightly), you could swap the power and toughness? That's both a flip and a distinction from the original Feather.

Thing is, W/R are well-known for combat tricks, but a double-black card I wouldn't naturally assume to be a Treason-type card (though that colour has dabbled in Mind Control before). I personally think the "a creature you don't control" is a nice-flip and makes sense for a BBR card, though it is significantly more powerful. I think that kind of commander can still have room for treason effects alongside its spot removal.

October 6, 2019 9:05 a.m.

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