If I use Word of Command to force a player to Lightning Bolt their own commander, can I make them put it in the graveyard?

Asked by chosenone124 6 years ago

Also, what if I use Path to Exile instead of bolt?

Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #1

To answer this we need to draw on a both the comprehensive rules as well as the current oracle text of Word of Command.

Current Oracle text: Look at target opponent's hand and choose a card from it. You control that player until Word of Command finishes resolving. The player plays that card if able. While doing so, the player can activate mana abilities only if they're from lands he or she controls and only if mana they produce is spent to activate other mana abilities of lands he or she controls and/or play that card. If the chosen card is cast as a spell, you control the player while that spell is resolving.

714.5. While controlling another player, a player makes all choices and decisions the controlled player is allowed to make or is told to make by the rules or by any objects. This includes choices and decisions about what to play, and choices and decisions called for by spells and abilities.

According to the oracle text you control them while casting the spell and while it is resolving. So you get to make all choices that they would make during these times. For Path to Exile this would be whether their commander goes into exile or into the command zone since the creature is exiled as the spell is resolving. Lightning Bolt does not cause anything to change zones either during it's casting or resolution. Their commander would be destroyed as a state based action for having lethal damage marked on them the next time SBAs are checked. You do not control them at this point and will not make the decision if the commander will go to the graveyard or the command zone.

September 23, 2017 6:33 p.m.