Involuntary Employment (SNC)

Involuntary Employment
Casting Cost: {3}{R}
Card Type: Sorcery
Card Text:
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. Create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")
Artist: Milivoj Ćeran

Strengths and Weaknesses:

• Strengths:

  • Allows for potentially game-changing swings by taking control of the most threatening creature on the board.
  • Gives the stolen creature haste, enabling immediate use for attacks or other abilities.
  • Generates a Treasure token, offering a mana boost for subsequent turns or synergizing with decks that utilize artifact mechanics.

• Weaknesses:

  • At a casting cost of 4 mana, it may be a bit slow for aggressive strategies that want to seize creatures early in the game.
  • Its effect lasts only until the end of the turn, requiring careful timing and strategy for maximum impact.

Deck Utility:

• Aggro and Midrange Decks: Can help push through the final points of damage by borrowing an opponent's blocker or taking their biggest threat for a turn.

• Combo and Ramp Decks: The additional Treasure token can be used as a mana source or combined with other cards that benefit from artifacts being created or sacrificed.

Interactions and Combos:

• Sacrifice Outlets: After taking control of an opponent's creature, it can be sacrificed to various outlets (e.g., [[Ashnod's Altar]], [[Goblin Bombardment]]) to prevent it from returning to the opponent.

• Artifact Synergy: The generated Treasure token can interact with cards that care about artifacts entering the battlefield, being sacrificed, or simply being present.

Flavor and Lore:

• The card's name and mechanics paint a vivid picture of a creature being forced into servitude, even if just for a short period, and the treasure perhaps being the payment or lure used to facilitate this.

• The artwork, as suggested by the artist's name, would likely depict a creature being coerced or compelled into service, with a gleaming treasure nearby to symbolize the fleeting reward or bribe.

Overall Impression:

"Involuntary Employment" offers a mix of aggressive play potential and utility. The ability to seize control of a creature, even temporarily, combined with a bonus in the form of a Treasure token, adds versatility and depth to this card. It can be a game-changer in the right situations, turning an opponent's strengths into a temporary advantage for the caster.