Mox is analysing…
Act of TreasonutilityBudget$0.18A classic red control-change effect that temporarily steals a creature and can enable sacrifice or attack-based lines. It fills a similar “take your opponent’s creature” role, though only for one turn.Claim the FirstbornutilityBudget$0.31Cheap red creature theft with strong synergy around low-power creatures and sacrifice outlets. It’s not permanent like Custody Battle, but it serves a similar aggressive control-steal function at lower cost.ThreatenutilityBudget$0.27Directly gains control of a creature for a turn, often used to force attacks or sacrifice interactions. It is a straightforward functional cousin to Custody Battle’s red creature-stealing theme.Portent of BetrayalutilityBudget$0.03A red temporary theft spell that can also untap the stolen creature and give it trample, pushing damage through. It’s similar in role as a red way to swing combat by borrowing an opposing creature.WrangleutilityBudget$0.09Temporary theft of a smaller creature with added haste, often used in aggressive decks. It matches the same overall play pattern of taking control of an enemy attacker or blocker.Ray of CommandutilityBudget$0.29A flashier theft effect that steals a creature and can ambush attackers or blockers. While blue-red adjacent in play pattern, it’s one of the closest functional alternatives for gaining control of a creature at instant speed.Brandprotection$2.58Not theft itself, but a strong anti-theft tool that returns a permanent you control and can punish control-change strategies. It’s relevant as a budget-friendly hedge against the kind of game plan Custody Battle supports.Act of AggressionutilityBudget$0.35An instant-speed Phyrexian-red theft effect that can be cast for life instead of mana, making it highly flexible. It performs the same core job of borrowing an opposing creature for combat or sacrifice value.
