As it is now, I don't like the idea of turning it into a permanent. An evolutionary step can't really be exploded off of you. Same would go for Feral Bond, but it's a permanent anyway.
Overall, I'd say I'm ok with it being a permanent, but I wouldn't be too fond of the idea.
Your thematic dislike easily rules out Permanents. It also implies you would prefer the effect to be attached to you rather than the creature. A player status effect seems thematically appropriate but I don't know how to make it reasonably reversible (like how it is currently vulnerable to the opponent removing their own creature). So I don't see any obvious answer between the 3 known options.
Poll
