Deserter's Quarters
Artifact
You may choose not to untap this artifact during your untap step.
, 
: Tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controller's untap step for as long as this artifact remains tapped.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- C
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Journey into Nyx
- Price
- $0.11
- EDHREC rank
- #28746
Deserter's Quarters taps a creature and keeps it tapped every turn as long as the enchantment sticks — effective removal that never actually removes anything. The cost is that the affected player can pay four mana each upkeep to break free, making this a pressure piece that collapses against anyone with open mana.
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 | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Deserter's Quarters occupies the lowest tier of creature control: it answers one threat, it's trivially broken by the opponent, and it does nothing against non-creature problems. Competitive formats like Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer have far better options at the same mana cost, and the four-mana escape clause makes it unplayable in any context where efficiency matters. Oathbreaker shares Commander's multiplayer dynamic but not its tolerance for slow answers — it's still too fragile there. The card is legal almost everywhere and relevant nowhere.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.11 bulk tier
At $0.11, Deserter's Quarters is deep bulk — the price reflects the demand accurately. Don't expect it to climb; there's no competitive context that rehabilitates a tap effect this easy to answer.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.