It was developed during the early years of MTG and was seen in multiple sets
I think it's fairly clear to see Smuggler's Share is on the weaker end of those cards but this card will see over-representative play for a couple of months as everyone tries it out, strangling both creativity and ease of play
(Mana value typically doesn't change, but your commander may become a copy of something else.) (4/12/2024) Desert is a land subtype with no special meaning
Such an effect is ideal for control or combo decks which include cards that can get around this ice-cold effect and win the game somehow
Likewise, Using it on a Lifelink creature will get you twice X life: once for the damage to itself, and once for the damage to the target
Its a little narrow and benefits your opponent, but the bird isnt always relevant, especially in Commander with such high life totals