Captivating Crew

Combos Browse all Suggest

Legality

Format Legality
1v1 Commander Legal
Archenemy Legal
Arena Legal
Block Constructed Legal
Canadian Highlander Legal
Casual Legal
Commander / EDH Legal
Commander: Rule 0 Legal
Custom Legal
Duel Commander Legal
Gladiator Legal
Highlander Legal
Historic Legal
Legacy Legal
Leviathan Legal
Limited Legal
Modern Legal
Oathbreaker Legal
Pioneer Legal
Planechase Legal
Quest Magic Legal
Vanguard Legal
Vintage Legal

Captivating Crew

Creature — Human Pirate

: Gain control of target creature an opponent controls until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. Activate this ability only at any time you could cast a sorcery.

DemonDragonJ on Fires of Purgatory

1 year ago

I have replaced Captivating Crew with Commissar Severina Raine, which reduced this deck's average converted mana cost from 3.97 to 3.95, because the crew's ability was simply too expensive to be reliable, whereas Raine's activated ability is far less expensive, and her triggered ability shall work with the combat sub-theme that this deck has.

Caerwyn on Captivating Crew or Commissar Severina …

1 year ago

I think you are dead on the money about Captivating Crew - the card costs four mana, which is generally when things start to feel a bit expensive to cast, made worse by a high activation cost.

Commissar Severina Raine is a solid card in a creature heavy deck that provides repeatable card draw. From a strict game stance, she is the better card, though she really belongs more in a token deck and doesn’t seem to be too synergistic with your Commander.

I should note that there is one non-game consideration to be taken into account. Severina Raine is explicitly designed to invoke Nazi imagery (her cap style and insignia thereon are designed to emulate Nazi symbolism) as she is basically part of the Space Nazis faction in Warhammer 40k. There are some folks who feel rather uncomfortable seeing such imagery in the game - I think most folks would be fine with the card, but you should consider your playgroup or LGS’ temperament before adding a controversial, not-overly-synergistic card.

DemonDragonJ on Captivating Crew or Commissar Severina …

1 year ago

I currently have a copy of Captivating Crew in my Tariel, Reckoner of Souls EDH deck, and they certainly work with the deck's main theme, but their ability is very expensive, and they do not do much, outside of that ability, so I am contemplating replacing them with another creature, and I am considering Commissar Severina Raine for that role, as she is less expensive, for both initial casting and activating her ability, she provides an additional sacrifice outlet, and her first ability fits into the combat sub-theme that this deck has. I would lose the ability to take control of my opponent's creatures, but that ability can be used only at any time that I could cast a sorcery, whereas Raine's ability can be used at any time, at all.

What does everyone else say about this? Should I replace Captivating Crew with Commissar Severina Raine?

DrukenReaps on Your Cheap Obscure Overperformers?

1 year ago

I only quickly perused EDHrec but pretty sure none of the following came up on the pages of the commanders I use them with. Each has done some impressive work at my table. I used sorting by Card Kingdom price on this website to find sub $2.

In Olivia, Crimson Bride I have Shifting Shadow. Since Olivia's attack reanimates Shifting Shadow ends up just giving me free creatures at effectively no cost to me. In a way it actually fuels the deck's plan.

In Ayara, First of Locthwain I have Aetherworks Marvel and Mimic Vat. This deck just loves getting more and more creatures into play. Both of the artifacts assist in doing that over and over again. Sometimes Aetherworks even drops in Plague of Vermin too, a finisher in that deck.

In Mairsil, the Pretender I have Captivating Crew, Chandra, Flamecaller, and Xathrid Gorgon. Seems to be a rare cheap commander to begin with... lol. Xathrid typically turns commanders off, highly effective card against the likes of Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind and Zacama, Primal Calamity. Chandra does an amazing job of filling up my graveyard. Every turn a new hand +1. Captivating Crew lets me "borrow" some pretty sweet attackers and other effects, there are instant versions of this effect but not on a stick to my knowledge. 1 or 2 activations often opens someone up to attacks too.

Strangelove on The Black Rose Grand Theft

1 year ago

Heyo happy to chime in! +1 m8

-allThreaten effects in favor of payoffs like Mob Rule, etc... or sticks like Big Game Hunter, Evil Twin, etc. Once you hit any of these you'll be doing the same thing (from your opponents' POV): soft-locking the board.

-1 Primordial Mist

+1 Sultai Emissary

+6-10 Dusk Legion Zealot, draw, ETC ...I feel like these are MVP and lend to an aristocrats style.

-1 Curse of Stalked Prey... too conditional in the late game

-1 Captivating Crew... too much mana

+1 Vigean Graftmage, or anything that can put counters on Marchesa

+1 Plaguecrafter, etc... these are oppressive engines

With a lot more draw + lower cmc removal/ removal-sticks this will slap!

builderboy7 on How does Najal interact with …

1 year ago

It's a funny thought experiment with cards like Najal, the Storm Runner with abilities that can be activated only anytime you could cast a sorcery like on the card Captivating Crew. The thought experiment becomes whether or not you could activate a card like Captivating Crew during an opponent's turn at instant speed?

I ask this because you could technically cast a sorcery during your opponent's turn. would that mean you could also activate the ability anytime since you could cast a sorcery at any time?

I know the likely answer is that you cannot activate Captivating Crew's ability during an opponent's turn but it just seemed like funny wording to me.

zretrareo27 on RW EDH Brion 2022

1 year ago

My 2016 EDH deck - revamped for 2022! use commander Brion Stoutarm to Fling your opponents creatures with cards like Act of Treason, and if you're lucky - use Bazaar Trader to keep them!

I've tried to keep this deck nearly 50% White and 50% Red.

I've narrowed the premise of this deck down to the following categories, 50 Cards to the first, and 10 cards to each other category, give or take.

50% of the Deck is the Commander, Land, Mana rocks, and Draw.
10% is Steal/Keep
10% is Removal/Wipe
10% is Bringing Cards Back
10% is Brion Fodder and Fetch cards
10% is Double Damage and Powerful Flyers

Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated. That being said, I will probably not be able to afford the more expensive cards Land Tax, Smothering Tithe, Lifeline, Smuggler's Share etc. that are not already in this deck. However - It's still fun to check them out! If you like it, up vote!


With this revision, I've cut many of the fancier, slower dual lands to opt for faster basic lands. I've also added Weathered Wayfarer.

I've removed cards that target artifacts and enchantments like Kami of Ancient Law, instead opting for better utility cards like Quarantine Field that target "nonland permanent".

I've made some recent changes to this deck, hopefully to address that mid game I am struggling with tempo, as well as running out of mana to cast the creature or steal spell and have enough to activate Brion's ability. Some cards like Deathrender and Thornbite Staff have been removed (even though they were good in concept) to add more playability.

I also found that after all the sacrificing, mid game I was running out of defense, so some additional creatures have been added with dual purpose, such as Angel of Sanctions and Emeria Shepherd.


Decksplanation:

Double Damage:
Fiery Emancipation gives me triple damage. Calamity Bearer works specifically to Brion's sac ability. Angrath's Marauders, Gisela, Blade of Goldnight, Gratuitous Violence all make the damage I do twice as effective.
When creatures I steal die, Stalking Vengeance beefs them. When I summon large creatures into play Warstorm Surge deals damage to my opponent, and when I sac those, Stalking Vengeance hits them on the way out.


Fodder:

Malignus, Serra Avatar, and Soul of Eternity all act as giant bombs to throw at the opponent.
Hofri Ghostforge allows for me to steal an opponents creature, fling it at them with brion, and then keep a spirit copy of that creature.


Draw:
Magus of the Wheel and Reforge the Soul provide the opportunity to get a fresh hand at my whim. Humble Defector is an easy and fun, card that helps me forge alliances with other players in multiplayer while getting me TWO extra cards per turn.
Skullclamp works perfect with the sacrifice ability and is easy to cast.
Well of Lost Dreams is insane when played late game for Brion's lifelink ability and can be fetched with Hoarding Dragon or Open the Armory Sin Prodder gives me a potential extra card per turn, or the chance for an opponent to take damage to the face... and then I can pull it out of my graveyard later with my other cards! Basically a win/win. Mangara, the Diplomat and Mila, Crafty Companion  Flip serve to deter attacks and draw.


Fetch:
Hoarding Dragon serves as a flyer, a sacrifice, and can grab any rocks, Skullclamp, or Well of Lost Dreams.
Open the Armory helps grab Skullclamp, Well of Lost Dreams, or Gift of Immortality.
Recruiter of the Guard is specifically to get Bazaar Trader for the huge advantage of keeping my opponents things, but can also grab Duergar Hedge-Mage for removal or Sin Prodder (amongst a few others). Weathered Wayfarer can grab any land, such as Buried Ruin or Arcane Lighthouse.


Mana Rocks:

Boros Cluestone, Commander's Sphere, and Mind Stone are all serving as early ramp and later card draw.
Sol Ring because Sol Ring.


Removal:

Archon of Justice is quite powerful in this deck, as it allows for a flying creature, then a source to sac, and remove a card permanently.
Angel of Serenity gives me the option of 3 recursion or 3 removal.
Duergar Hedge-Mage can be played and replayed in this deck for knocking off annoying enchantments or mana rocks.
Magus of the Disk is one of the board wipes.
Grasp of Fate, Oblivion Ring, and Banishing Light all allow for really flexible removal. Same for Quarantine Field except allows for extra targets for more mana. Chained to the Rocks works the same, but only for creatures. Angel of Sanctions works similarly, but is a creature. Ryusei, the Falling Star really just acts as weenie removal and a sac source from a flyer.


Bringing them Back (and sometimes keep it!):

Adarkar Valkyrie Sac an opponents creature, then get it permanently!
Bazaar Trader Take it with a steal and keep it!
Angelic Renewal Sac my own creature, get it back! Gift of Immortality Sac my own creature, get it back... again, and again!
Emeria Shepherd play a land, get a card! Play a Plains, get a creature to sac!
Mistmoon Griffin Flys, defends, and sac-able, then get back a creature from the graveyard!
Squee's Embrace fun and easy to play, and retrievable with Tragic Poet.
Tragic Poet, a low mana cost creature to get any enchantment in my deck back for any reason. Fun with Squee's Embrace, Angelic Renewal, etc. Returned Pastcaller a flyer that lets me grab a Threaten or Breath of Life. Angel of Serenity gives me the option of 3 recursion or 3 removal.


Stealing their Creatures:

Captivating Crew steals every turn! No wasted card space here, just a reusable sorcery.
Conquering Manticore powerful flyer, that steals!
Zealous Conscripts You can steal anything! Anything! Lands? Mine. Artifacts? Mine. Works great with Bazaar Trader.
Act of Treason, Portent of Betrayal, and Threaten are all basic steal spells.
Malevolent Whispers, Mark of Mutiny, and Traitorous Instinct all give me steal with buffs for Flinging.
Harness by Force allows for more than one thing to be taken if the extra cost is paid!


Powerful Creatures:

I'll be the first to admit, these don't reallllly fit in with the deck. But they're so awesome it's hard to remove. Akroma, Angel of Fury
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Aurelia, the Warleader

PaulMuadDib on

1 year ago

Take a look at other similar commander lists like Ilharg, the Raze-Boar and Etali, Primal Storm which also can be built to heavily utilize ETB triggers.

A. Sundial of the Infinite will prevent you from sacrificing creatures that you copy and not just the ones from your commander's effect.
B. Sneak Attack is great for putting something out to copy that you can't cast yet.
C. Captivating Crew repeated steal.
D. Chancellor of the Forge doubles the number of creatures on your board.
E. Emissary of Grudges can instantly counter an opponent's effect if you use your commander's ability in response.
D. Mindclaw Shaman repeated cast opponent's spell.
E. Ox of Agonas repeated draw 3 that can be gotten back if it's in your graveyard.

Load more