MTG Salvation

So although blue gets ray of command, red also gets the same effect, though more often at sorcery speed in the form of threaten. And in fact there are a lot of different versions of this theme: word of seizing, traitorous blood, grab the reins, threaten, insurrection, molten primordial, and more.

I just wanted to see what people here thought of these cards. Are there some that are clearly the best? Is word of seizing's flexibility outweighed by grab the reins' giving you a sac outlet? Are these effects even worth running?

Thank you for your input

I think most people can agree that Insurrection is the most powerful of Red's threaten effects and in a lot of matches becomes a 1 card "I win" play in the late game. Because of that it's the one that gets the most attention, but I also personally like Grab the Reins for it's versatility (doubles as removal).

I don't know if most of the others non-creature ones get played that much. At least Molten Primordial swings for 6 also.

Word of Seizing is so versatile. The bigger cost is worth it as a goodstuff use of this effect. OR just use Zealous Conscripts since that ability is tough to counter (though blue gets its own Voidslime soon) and being on a creature is great.

I'm also a fan of Hijack from our latest set. Been trying it out in Jor. Probably should be limited to decks with an artifact focus.

As far as winning games, Insurrection almost always eliminates someone from the game (except in cases of Fog, but that negates most of these cards if you use them for face value).

What these combo with are sacrificing outlets. Altar of Dementia is the colorless go-to card, but my Commander running these Threaten cards is Tymaret, the Murder King. Having an ever present sac outlet makes these grabbing cards double as removal.
With that in mind, responding to threats is my goal, so Disharmony is great battle response removal, either just removing that damage or blocking and possible removing two creaures due to combat.
Malevolent Whispers grants a power boost and if discarded can be used at instant speed. This works great with Fling or Bloodshot Cyclops
Turn Against is on the expensive side but IS an instant and colorless. This means you can nab Iona mid attack. If Iona, Shield of Emeria isn't an issue, stick with Act of Aggression.
Fractured Loyalty is an amazingly fun card that in a multiplayer game allows everyone to pass that big scary creature around like the village bicycle. Disharmony is probably more useful, but this one is probably my favorite due to the ensuing chaos, though it should be noted that Besmirch is a great psychological card to play in a big game, as the aggression will be turned towards the turned towards the goaded creature's controller if the creature is sizable enough.
I haven't had it show up in a game yet, but I'm really excited to try Frenzied Fugue. Cheaply (in consideration to other recurring effects) nabbing a PERMANENT (not just creature) every turn looks crazy and like my new favorite way to deal with planeswalkers.

Whoa did not notice that frenzied fugue was for any permanent, that would be very good against a planeswalker (or really a lot of different things)

I like Word of Seizing, Act of Aggression, Hijack, and Grav the Reins as a player of mono-red control in casual.

The main criteria in multiplayer for me is instant-speed, which is why I like act of aggression over others. It's very nice to be able to block that 7/7 deathtouch with your opponent's 50/50 counter monster.

Beyond that, versatility is the main criteria. Hijack is the same 3 cmc as Threaten, but it can grab artifacts too. I would not pay more than 3 for one of these effects unless it is instant-speed or can grab noncreature permanents.

There is that 5CC mini-Insurrection where you get one creature from each opponent, forget the name though. Sometimes you don't need Insurrection when you get the 3 best creatures on the board three turns earlier, plus it can be copied by Fork, Reverberate etc.

Mass Mutiny

Unwilling Recruit
Besmirch

I think these are the most powerful creature-specific threatens.

I would then go Zealous Conscripts.

Mob Rule has really impressed me as an easier-to-cast Insurrection. It gets the job done a surprisingly large amount of the time.

Instant speed tricks are always best. That way instead of just taking a creature to attack with, you can steal something when you are being attacked. It can make for some nice 2-for-1 removal effects that mono-red doesn't have much of. Word of Seizing and Grab the Reins are my top-2 fav's, but my 3rd is Act of Aggression. Disharmony acts somewhat the same, just defensive.

blind with anger is another instant threaten with the only drawback being that it can't target legendary creatures

In theory, Frenzied Fugue seems great (as far as these effects go, not really cEDH material). I picked up two copies but I haven't cast them in a game yet.

Grab the Reins as always been solid for me.

Frenzied fugue does pretty good work. My best continual theft so far has been a cabal coffers when the same guy had out an urborg, tomb of yawgmoth.

One neat thing about Frenzied Fugue, Zealous Conscripts, and Word of Seizing is that you can use them to untap one of your own permanents in a pinch. This can sometimes net you mana with Cabal Coffers, Serra's Sanctum, Gaea's Cradle, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, and such.

You can use most Threaten effects to give haste to one of your creatures if needed. I saw somebody lose to Phage the Untouchable that way once.