Commander (designation)

The commander (formerly general) is a designation to describe the central card of a Commander deck. It starts the game in, and is usually played from, the command zone. Being a commander is not a characteristic but a property of the card.

Description
A player's choice of commander determines which other cards can be played in the deck by determining that deck's color identity. Players may choose either a legendary creature or a planeswalker that has an ability allowing it to be chosen as a commander. Players may choose a pair of them if each has the partner ability. In Brawl, every planeswalker can be commander. The Mystery Booster test card You're in Command enables a player to change any of their creatures into their Commander (even if it is non-Legendary).

The commander's color identity restricts what cards may appear in the deck. If a player chooses to have two commanders, the color identity is the combined color identity of each.

While a commander is in the command zone, it may be cast. As an additional cost to cast a commander from the command zone, the player casting it must pay for each time that player has previously cast it from the command zone. This is called the commander tax. If a player chooses to have two commanders, each is counted separately. If a commander is put into its owner's graveyard, is exiled, or is returned to a player's hand or library from anywhere, that player may choose to put it into the command zone as a state-based action.

If a player has been dealt 21 points of combat damage by a particular commander during a game, that player loses the game. If a player chooses to have two commanders, each is counted separately.

Rules
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Commander tax
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Commander interaction cards
Some cards specifically interact with your commander. If a player has two commanders, then each is counted separately, except for abilities referring to their color identity, in which case the color identity of the commander is the combined color identity of each of that player's commanders.

• ; Lands

• Command Beacon

• Command Tower

• Forge of Heroes

• Opal Palace

• Path of Ancestry

• Sanctum of Eternity

• Study Hall

• War Room</c>

• Witch's Clinic</c>

• ; Artifacts

• Arcane Signet</c>

• Commander's Plate</c>

• Commander's Sphere</c>

• Geode Golem</c>

• Jeweled Lotus</c>

• ; White

• Akroma's Will</c>

• Bastion Protector</c>

• Commander's Insignia</c>

• Flawless Maneuver</c>

• Keleth, Sunmane Familiar</c>

• Timely Ward</c>

• ; Blue

• Commander's Insight</c>

• Esior, Wardwing Familiar</c>

• Fierce Guardianship</c>

• <c>Leadership Vacuum</c> (target player)

• <c>Sakashima's Will</c>

• ; Black

• <c>Deadly Rollick</c>

• <c>Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar</c>

• <c>Szat's Will</c>

• ; Red

• <c>Bloodsworn Steward</c>

• <c>Champions of Archery</c>

• <c>Crimson Honor Guard</c> (each player)

• <c>Deflecting Swat</c>

• <c>Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar</c>

• <c>Jeska's Will</c>

• <c>Hellkite Courser</c>

• <c>Flamekin Herald</c>

• <c>Skyfire Phoenix</c>

• ; Green

• <c>Anara, Wolvid Familiar</c>

• <c>Guardian Augmenter</c>

• <c>Kamahl's Will</c>

• <c>Myth Unbound</c>

• <c>Obscuring Haze</c>

• <c>Road of Return</c>

• <c>Stumpsquall Hydra</c>

• ; Multicolored

• <c>Captain Vargus Wrath</c>

Commander Storm
Cards with the commander storm mechanic, introduced in Commander 2018, can copy itself for each time the commander was cast from the command zone.

Lieutenant
Cards with the lieutenant ability word, introduced Commander 2014, have an effect if your commander is on the battlefield.