Unsurprisingly, when players construct their Commander decks, it’s common to focus on maximizing the Commander at the helm. Unfortunately, dealing with these threats is easier said than done, as your opponents can easily replay them, plus tax, after removal. There are, however, alternative options to lock your opponent out of their Commander, such as stealing it.
Not only does your opponent’s game plan suffer without it, but you get to reap all the benefits that the legendary creature provides. If you’re tired of losing to absurdly strong Commanders that take over games, these steal effects can give your opponents a taste of their own medicine.
Ritual of the Machine
While it does come with a steep cost, all you really need to maximize Ritual of the Machine is some sacrifice fodder. Thankfully, black decks often have no shortage of this, especially those that produce tokens on their own. This makes Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia and Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder fantastic homes for this underplayed Sorcery.
Despite its potential, Ritual of the Machine only appears in 2,430 decks according to EDHREC. This is likely due to players being unfamiliar with it, since it’s only been printed once, 30 years ago. Thanks to this card’s age, it is somewhat expensive, selling for around $7, but it’s more than capable of pulling its weight at that price.
Enslave
In black, the closest thing to straight-up Mind Control is Enslave. While a bit mana-intensive, Enslave does come with the upside of pinging the creature’s own turn after turn. This isn’t hugely impactful on its own, but with payoffs like Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin in the command zone, the life loss can play an important role.
Enslave also shines in conjunction with Commanders like Killian, Ink Duelist and Aminatou, Veil Piercer that can reduce the aura’s cost significantly. Curiously, despite being a great fit for these decks, Enslave sees surprisingly little play in Commander. Appearing in just 3,252 decks, it’s hard to say players are getting the most out of this card. It’s not like its price is holding people back, either, as copies can be picked up for just $0.25.
Illicit Auction
Of all the Commander-stealing effects out there, Illicit Auction is certainly one of the most unique. Bidding isn’t a popular mechanic in MTG, as they’re typically too risky to be worth the cost. Illicit Auction follows this trend, as you may have to pay a huge amount of life to make it stick.
At the same time, this downside can easily be turned into an upside if you force an opponent to bid tons of life. While five mana is a lot for a burn spell, if you’ve got life to spare, you can really punish your opponents. Whether you’re running it in a burn deck or alongside tons of lifegain, this sorcery is a great way to pinch your opponent’s Commander. At around $5 in price, too, it’s not massively expensive, either.
Thalakos Deceiver
While you have to wait for it to attack, it’s incredibly easy to steal Commanders, or any threat, with Thalakos Deceiver. On its own, shutting down a Commander for four mana is fantastic value, but this card gets even better when copied. Alongside The Jolly Ballon Man or Marchesa, the Black Rose you can churn out copies, giving it tons of milage.
Seeing play in only 3,040 Commander decks right now, Thalakos Deceiver is definitely an underrated gem in Commander. This is pretty cheap, too, selling for just $1.50, despite only being printed once back in Stronghold. If you’ve got a spare spot in the 99 for some stealing shenanigans, this is definitely the card for the job.
Empress Galina
As soon as she lands on the table, Empress Galina is a must-kill threat. Her stats might be nothing to write home about, but having a cheap and repeatable steal effect is absolutely brutal. On her own, you’ll only need a couple of turns to steal every Commander permanently.
When combined with untap effects, like Freed from the Real, however, Empress Galina is absolutely brutal. The only downside with this is that you’re locked into a mono-blue deck, but she does make for a compelling Theft Typal Commander. Realistically, though, she’s often better in the 99, as she doesn’t need to be built around to be effective.
Thanks to having all this potential, Empress Galina is already somewhat well played in Commander. Appearing in just over 10,000 decks, according to EDHREC, this card often appears in Merfolk Typal decks. As a Commander, however, Empress Galina is seriously underrated, with only 837 decks using this card.
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