Desertion
Instant
Counter target spell. If an artifact or creature spell is countered this way, put that card onto the battlefield under your control instead of into its owner's graveyard.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Magic Online Promos
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #7074
Desertion counters a spell and hands you the permanent — creature or artifact — if it resolves, turning one interaction into a two-for-one that swings tempo in both directions simultaneously. Five mana is real, but in Commander, where the threats you're stopping cost four to eight mana themselves, that cost is almost always worth paying; Melek, Reforged Researcher decks that copy it get the effect twice, which borders on obscene.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Melek, Reforged Researcher
Melek, Reforged Researcher copies instants and sorceries, so Desertion on the stack means two counters and potentially two stolen permanents — a single five-mana spell that can gut an opponent's board development while doubling your own.
Don Andres, the Renegade
Don Andres, the Renegade rewards stealing and pilfering opponents' cards at every turn, and Desertion fits that plan exactly — it counters the threat before it ever enters play and converts it directly into a resource under your control.
Sen Triplets
Sen Triplets already operates in the space of taking opponents' cards and using their resources against them, making Desertion a natural fit — countering a spell and acquiring the permanent keeps the theft theme running at instant speed.
Xanathar, Guild Kingpin
Xanathar, Guild Kingpin builds around controlling what opponents can do and exploiting their cards, and Desertion's ability to intercept and redirect a high-value artifact or creature aligns directly with that oppressive game plan.
Merieke Ri Berit
Merieke Ri Berit specializes in stealing creatures, and Desertion extends that reach to the stack — grabbing something before it even resolves is strictly better than waiting for it to hit the battlefield.
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 |
Desertion is a Commander card through and through — the format's multiplayer table and its parade of expensive, high-impact spells are exactly the environment where countering something and keeping it is backbreaking. In Legacy and Vintage, five mana is prohibitive in a landscape of one- and two-mana interaction, and there are cheaper, more efficient counterspells available at every turn, so Desertion rarely sees play there. Oathbreaker, like Commander, runs high-cost haymakers worth stealing, so it translates reasonably well in that format too. Anywhere else, Desertion is simply not legal, and even if it were, the mana cost would disqualify it from competitive consideration.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Pricing data for Desertion isn't currently available in our system, so check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for the most accurate current market price. It has seen multiple printings over the years, which typically keeps copies accessible, but confirmed pricing should come from a live source before you buy.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Melek, Reforged Researcher
- Don Andres, the Renegade
- Sen Triplets
- Xanathar, Guild Kingpin
- Merieke Ri Berit
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.