How background works when your commander is in opponent control

Asked by NTakamura 1 year ago

So if my commander is under an opponent control would my background Tavern Brawler still effect it or do I need to be controlling it during the upkeep?

legendofa says... Accepted answer #1

The "you" in any spell refers to its controller. If an opponent gains control of Tavern Brawler, then commanders that player owns will have the exile-pump effect while in play, whether or not they control the commander.

Let's say an Avarice Totem has been passed around. You now control an opponent's commander. That opponent controls your Tavern Brawler. When your upkeep starts, you will exile a card off their library, their commander (that you control) will get +X/+0, and you can play the card that you exiled.

If that opponent instead controls their own commander and your Tavern Brawler, that commander would get the exile-pump effect on their own upkeep.

Since Tavern Brawler grants the ability to a commander instead of having an independent effect, whoever controls the commander will gain the effect, regardless of who owns it, and every commander that Tavern Brawler's controller owns will have the effect, regardless of who controls it.

March 26, 2023 12:45 p.m.