WillbreakerHow it works & interactions with other cards

How Willbreaker Works

Willbreaker has a triggered ability that monitors all creatures controlled by your opponents. Whenever one of those creatures is targeted by a spell you cast or an ability you control, Willbreaker's ability triggers and goes on the stack. Crucially, the control-change effect lasts only as long as you control Willbreaker. If Willbreaker leaves the battlefield or if another player takes control of it, the effect immediately ends and the creature returns to its previous owner.

Resolution Step-by-Step

When you target an opponent's creature, Willbreaker's ability triggers and is placed on the stack above the spell or ability that caused it. This means the control-change happens first. If you lose control of Willbreaker before this ability resolves, the effect fails entirely, and you never gain control of the target. However, if it resolves successfully, you gain control of the creature immediately, and then your original spell or ability proceeds to resolve while you are now the controller of that creature.

Common Mistakes

A common misconception is that the effect persists if Willbreaker is blink or flickered. If Willbreaker leaves and then returns to the battlefield, it is considered a new object with no memory of its previous existence; therefore, all creatures previously stolen will return to their owners. Additionally, gaining control of a creature does not remove it from combat or untap it unless the ability specifically says so, though the creature will likely be unable to attack that turn due to summoning sickness.

When to Play Willbreaker

Willbreaker is best deployed when you have repeatable ways to target creatures, such as Equipment or activated abilities. Since it doesn't care if the spell or ability actually resolves, you can even target creatures with spells that are later countered, and you will still gain control of the creature as long as the initial targeting was legal.

Interaction examples

Double the Theft

Roaming ThroneSolemn Simulacrum

If you control Willbreaker and Roaming Throne (with 'Human' or 'Wizard' chosen), and your opponent controls Solemn Simulacrum, any spell you cast targeting the Simulacrum will trigger Willbreaker twice. While the second trigger is redundant for a single creature, this interaction highlights how Roaming Throne doubles the recruitment power of your targeting effects.

Targeting Without Effect

Solemn Simulacrum

If you target an opponent's Solemn Simulacrum with a spell, Willbreaker's ability triggers and resolves first. You gain control of the Solemn Simulacrum. The original spell then resolves; if that spell required the target to be 'a creature an opponent controls,' it may fizzle because you now control the target, but you still keep the creature thanks to Willbreaker's resolved ability.