Apparently, Willbreaker is triggering when you target creature spells, not just creatures. A soft counter like Calculated Dismissal is behaving like a Commandeer for creatures with a Willbreaker in play.
I was playing a UG control deck against the AI, and I had Willbreaker+Disciple of the Ring as well as a stolen Alhammarret, High Arbiter, with 2 mana open. The AI flipped Jace, Vryn's Prodigy and then cast its own Willbreaker. Jace uses his +1 to steal my Willbreaker with his and ending the control effect on Alhammarret. In response, I untap his Willbreaker with Disciple to steal it with mine.
Because the duration of his Willbreaker's control-change effect ends before the ability even resolves, what should happen is that my Willbreaker never leaves my control, and I don't lose Alhammarret. Unfortunately what actually happened was that all three control effects ended, and the turn passed with both Willbreakers and the Alhammarret under their owners' control. At the end step, I used my remaining open mana to steal the second Willbreaker so none of that would be happening again, and then stole Alhammarret again on my turn.
On the AI's following turn, he tried to cast Kothophed, Soul Hoarder. I responded with Calculated Dismissal... and my two Willbreakers triggered, giving me control the spell. The game asked me if I wanted to pay the 3 to prevent Kotophed from being countered, but I let the spell go to the AI's graveyard, a bit confused.
A few turns later, the AI cast a second Alhammarret, and I targeted it with another Calcualted Dismissal. Again, my Willbreakers triggered. This time, I decided to try paying the mana to prevent the counter from occurring, and Alhammarret entered the battlefield under my control. (Of course, I had to send one of them to the graveyard.)
This is clearly a bug, as Willbreaker is only supposed to trigger when creature permanents are targeted, not creature spells. It does make the card more powerful, although Calculated Dismissal is currently the only card that works with it in this manner to accomplish anything useful (either steal the creature off the stack like Desertion or prevent your opponent from having the opportunity to pay the 3), as the other available cards that can target a creature spell are hard counters. Spell Shrivel will work, too, if it's included in the BFZ update.
Well, it would be Stainless Games responsible for fixing the problem, not Wizards, but it's a good point. I've made a detailed report on the Steam bug reports forum.
Oh, I assumed both steeless and wizards looks at that sub forum. I guess it technically doesn't matter, since Wizards will be relaying that information to them anyways.
I was playing a UG control deck against the AI, and I had Willbreaker+Disciple of the Ring as well as a stolen Alhammarret, High Arbiter, with 2 mana open. The AI flipped Jace, Vryn's Prodigy and then cast its own Willbreaker. Jace uses his +1 to steal my Willbreaker with his and ending the control effect on Alhammarret. In response, I untap his Willbreaker with Disciple to steal it with mine.
Because the duration of his Willbreaker's control-change effect ends before the ability even resolves, what should happen is that my Willbreaker never leaves my control, and I don't lose Alhammarret. Unfortunately what actually happened was that all three control effects ended, and the turn passed with both Willbreakers and the Alhammarret under their owners' control. At the end step, I used my remaining open mana to steal the second Willbreaker so none of that would be happening again, and then stole Alhammarret again on my turn.
On the AI's following turn, he tried to cast Kothophed, Soul Hoarder. I responded with Calculated Dismissal... and my two Willbreakers triggered, giving me control the spell. The game asked me if I wanted to pay the 3 to prevent Kotophed from being countered, but I let the spell go to the AI's graveyard, a bit confused.
A few turns later, the AI cast a second Alhammarret, and I targeted it with another Calcualted Dismissal. Again, my Willbreakers triggered. This time, I decided to try paying the mana to prevent the counter from occurring, and Alhammarret entered the battlefield under my control. (Of course, I had to send one of them to the graveyard.)
This is clearly a bug, as Willbreaker is only supposed to trigger when creature permanents are targeted, not creature spells. It does make the card more powerful, although Calculated Dismissal is currently the only card that works with it in this manner to accomplish anything useful (either steal the creature off the stack like Desertion or prevent your opponent from having the opportunity to pay the 3), as the other available cards that can target a creature spell are hard counters. Spell Shrivel will work, too, if it's included in the BFZ update.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
Special thanks to XenoNinja of Heroes of the Plane Studios for the awesome avy!
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
Special thanks to XenoNinja of Heroes of the Plane Studios for the awesome avy!