Using Jace’s Echoverse as a lens to explore the possibilities, Reality Fracture’s new cards offer plenty of twists on fan-favorite designs. While most of the cards that got a new twist were competitive staples from the past, some iconic Commander cards weren’t left out, either. Among the new cards, Teferi’s Reproach is one of the most interesting, turning a Commander Game Changer on its head.
MTG Teferi’s Reproach
Essentially Phasing Out an opponent alongside all their nonland permanents, Teferi’s Reproach is the exact opposite of the Game Changer
Teferi’s Protection
Teferi’s Protection
Until your next turn, your life total can't change and you gain protection from everything. All permanents you control phase out. (While they're phased out, they're treated as though they don't exist. They phase in before you untap during your untap step.)
Exile Teferi's Protection.
. Generally, you can use this card to give the table some time to find an answer to an opponent’s disastrous board state, or stop an alpha strike against you. Of course, you could also use this card politically, gaining an ally by saving an opponent’s board from a board wipe.
While these uses are interesting, the most diabolical way to use Teferi’s Reproach is to permanently Phase Out your opponent’s nonland permanents. Surprisingly, a few cards do this, but the only mono-white option is
Disciple of Caelus Nin
Disciple of Caelus Nin
When this creature enters, starting with you, each player chooses up to five permanents they control. All permanents other than this creature that weren't chosen this way phase out.
Permanents can't phase in.
.
With Disciple in play, after hitting an opponent with Teferi’s Reproach, their board will be held hostage, including their Commander if it’s in play. Since every other player’s board is relatively unaffected, this gives the table a chance to take that opponent out. Notably, you can take this combo further by using
Teferi’s Realm
Teferi’s Realm
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player chooses artifact, creature, land, or non-Aura enchantment. All nontoken permanents of that type phase out. (While they're phased out, they're treated as though they don't exist. Each one phases in before its controller untaps during their next untap step.)
to Phase Out all lands permanently, essentially locking one player out of the game. You can use the extremely niche card
Spatial Binding
Spatial Binding
Pay 1 life: Until your next upkeep, target permanent can't phase out.
to stop your cards from Phasing Out, too.
Of course, because Disciple of Caelus Nin is a creature, it’s susceptible to removal, but if you’ve Phased Out the Archenemy, the rest of the table will generally be on your side. You can also back this with protection of your own, like
Lightning Greaves
Lightning Greaves
Equipped creature has haste and shroud. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities.)
Equip {0}
or
Flawless Maneuver
Flawless Maneuver
If you control a commander, you may cast this spell without paying its mana cost.
Creatures you control gain indestructible until end of turn.
if needed.
If you’re in Orzhov, Teferi’s Reproach has yet another card that can hold an opponent hostage, this time with the upcoming Star Trek card
The City on the Edge of Forever
The City on the Edge of Forever
(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.)
I — All artifacts and creatures phase out. Create a 0/1 white Human creature token with "Permanents can't phase in." (Treat phased-out permanents and anything attached to them as though they don't exist.)
II — You draw two cards and each player loses 2 life.
III — Sacrifice a creature token. If you do, you gain 5 life.
. In this case, however, since all other creatures and artifacts will also be Phased Out, taking them out before they recover will be more difficult.
If you want to build a larger part of your deck around this strategy, you can also include a few other cards to lean into the theme, like
The Pandorica
The Pandorica
You may choose not to untap The Pandorica during your untap step.
{1}{W}, {T}: Untap another target nonland permanent, then it phases out. It can't phase in for as long as The Pandorica remains tapped. When The Pandorica becomes untapped or leaves the battlefield, that permanent phases in. Activate only as a sorcery.
, which can be used as repeatable removal to keep your targeted opponent down.
Talon Gates of Madara
Talon Gates of Madara
When this land enters, up to one target creature phases out.
{T}: Add {C}.
{1}, {T}: Add one mana of any color.
{4}: Put this card from your hand onto the battlefield.
can also essentially keep a Commander imprisoned with Disciple or City in play.
While it’s not the most powerful combo MTG has ever seen, Teferi’s Reproach is an interesting Commander piece that can become much nastier with the right cards. Just be warned that if you use the full lock with Teferi’s Realm and Disciple of Caelus Nin, you’re likely to become public enemy number one.
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