Captain's Maneuver
Instant
The next X damage that would be dealt to target creature, planeswalker, or player this turn is dealt to another target creature, planeswalker, or player instead.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- RW
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Apocalypse
- Price
- $0.16
- EDHREC rank
- #23637
Captain's Maneuver redirects up to X damage from any target to any other target — protecting a key creature or commander while potentially lethal-ing an opponent's blocker in the same move. Three mana at instant speed for that kind of tempo swing is a fair rate, and the flexibility between offense and defense is what separates it from simpler protection spells.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Captain's Maneuver is a Commander card through and through — the format's multiplayer dynamics, commander damage rules, and creature-heavy boards create constant opportunities to redirect meaningful chunks of damage. Saving a commander from a lethal attack while pointing the redirected damage at another blocker or even a player is exactly the kind of two-for-one that thrives in 100-card singleton. In Legacy and Vintage it's legal but essentially invisible; those formats move too fast for a three-mana reactive spell with no immediate card advantage. Oathbreaker offers a smaller-scale version of the Commander experience where it's similarly playable, though the 20-life starting total compresses how often you'll find a high-impact redirection target.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.16 bulk tier
At $0.16, Captain's Maneuver is deep bulk — easy to pick up in any trade binder or as a throw-in. Bulk instants with niche applications rarely climb unless a specific commander or combo pushes demand, so treat this as a low-risk, low-cost slot rather than anything to acquire in volume.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.