Act of Treason
Sorcery
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. (It can attack and 
this turn.)
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Magic 2014
- Price
- $0.03
- EDHREC rank
- #4685
Act of Treason steals a creature, gives you an attacker or blocker for the turn, then hands it back — the whole transaction costs three mana at sorcery speed. It's a fine role-player in decks that can exploit the stolen creature before the end step, and Brion Stoutarm and Ink-Treader Nephilim are the clearest examples of commanders that actually cash in on that window.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Brion Stoutarm
Brion Stoutarm's fling ability turns Act of Treason into a two-part removal spell — steal the biggest threat on the board, hurl it at its owner's face for lethal or near-lethal damage, and end the turn with the problem permanently gone.
Zidane, Tantalus Thief
Zidane, Tantalus Thief wants to attack with creatures it doesn't own, and Act of Treason fills that role cleanly — grab the most relevant creature at the table, swing in for Zidane's triggered payoff, and let the cleanup step do the rest.
Edea, Possessed Sorceress
Edea, Possessed Sorceress generates value off spells that target creatures, so Act of Treason does double duty: it borrows a threat and simultaneously feeds Edea's triggered abilities for extra resources.
Marchesa, the Black Rose
Marchesa, the Black Rose decks run Act of Treason to sacrifice the stolen creature before the end step — dying under Marchesa puts a +1/+1 counter on it, which means the creature returns to your side of the board permanently rather than reverting to its owner.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Act of Treason is a role-player rather than a staple — it earns its slot in decks built around the theft-then-sacrifice loop, but it's a do-nothing topdeck in most fair creature decks. Pauper is where Act of Treason has seen the most competitive friction, appearing in aggressive red shells that use the stolen creature to push through a lethal attack or fuel a sacrifice outlet. In Modern and Legacy it's essentially absent from serious lists; red has better tools at three mana, and the temporary nature of the effect rarely justifies a deck slot. Pioneer and Oathbreaker follow the same logic as Commander — synergy-dependent, not a generically good card.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Ink-Treader NephilimAct of TreasonCloudshiftNatural Affinity
Gain control of all creatures and lands; Mass Land Denial
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
$0.03 bulk tier
At $0.03, Act of Treason is deep bulk — you'll find copies in any common box or thrown into trade binders for free. That price reflects its limited competitive demand and near-infinite print run, and there's no meaningful floor lower than this for a single.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.