Command Zone Flickering?
Asked by Horthoren 5 years ago
It's an odd question, but can I cast a commander, have the creature not enter the battlefield but go back to the command zone, to then be recast again? Odd question, I know, but there's a few commanders that could benefit greatly from this kind of "flicker" effect.
To add to what enpc wrote, if you're really somehow looking to brew jank where you want to counter your commander to just get cast triggers, you could always run effects like Nether Void that counter spells. That way you get the cast trigger and can immediately send your commander back to the command zone.
For the record, I think that's a horrible idea, but it's doable if you really want some jank in your life.
Other than that, if you want to do something similar to benefit from enter the battlefield abilities, you may want to consider running free sac outlets like Viscera Seer, Phyrexian Altar, etc. That way you can kill your own commander whenever you want so that you can recast them.
May 14, 2018 9:36 a.m. Edited.
There's a few commanders that cost dictates their overall effectiveness. Cards like: Prossh, Skyraider of Kher, Marath, Will of the Wild, and Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge. Although letting them resolve FIRST then sacking the creature does work out quite a bit better for the overall effect.
May 14, 2018 12:17 p.m.
griffstick says... Accepted answer #4
It's not an odd question, if your CMDR were to change zones, and go to your hand, library, graveyard, or exile, you may instead put it back into the command zone. The CMDR rule doesn't state that if your CMDR were to change zones and go to the battlefield too.. You may instead put it in the command zone.
Now it's not a stupid question because if you were to cast your CMDR from the command zone and an opponent cast Aethersnatch, at this moment you think. (Since the rules say "if your CMDR were to change zones") but you can't put your CMDR back into the command zone from casting it. The CMDR rule only cares if it were to go anywhere but the battlefield for the rule to apply.
So for instance. You could put your CMDR back into the command zone from the graveyard if it were to be put back into your hand. Or if your CMDR were to be put into the graveyard from your hand you may instead put it into the command zone. This works because it's changing zones. This will always apply if your CMDR is going to any other zone except the battlefield. Any combination of the following zones, exile, hand, graveyard, library. And remember it's a may ability.
enpc says... #1
In a word, no. Unless a creature spell is countered, it will be put into the battlefield when it resolves.
On top of this, there are very few creatures which actually have an "on cast" trigger. Most creatures which benefit from being flickered have enter the battlefield effect anyway.
May 14, 2018 7:49 a.m.