Can a Colorless Commander Have Colored Cards? The Definitive Guide
No. If your commander has a colorless color identity, then all cards in your deck must also have a colorless color identity. This is a fundamental rule in Commander (also known as EDH – Elder Dragon Highlander), and deviating from it will render your deck illegal for sanctioned play. Understanding this principle is crucial for deck building and enjoying the format to its fullest.
Understanding Color Identity
Before diving deeper, let’s clarify what color identity means. In Commander, color identity isn’t simply the colors printed on a card. Instead, it’s a combination of three factors:
- Mana Cost: The colors of mana symbols in the casting cost of a card.
- Text Box Symbols: Any colored mana symbols that appear within the card’s text box.
- Color Indicators: Found on some cards, these explicitly state the card’s color.
Therefore, even a card with a colorless casting cost can have a color identity if its rules text contains colored mana symbols. Cards with devoid, for example, might be colorless, but their color identity can still include colors due to the mana symbols in their ability costs.
Why Colorless is Unique
A colorless commander, like [[Kozilek, the Great Distortion]] or [[Karn, Liberated]], has no colors in its color identity. This restriction is significant. It means your deck must contain only cards that also lack any color identity. This severely limits your card pool, primarily to artifacts and lands that produce colorless mana. You can’t even include basic lands like Plains, Islands, Swamps, Mountains, or Forests in a colorless commander deck because those have color identities.
Deckbuilding Challenges and Advantages
Building a colorless commander deck presents unique challenges. The card pool is significantly smaller than decks utilizing one or more colors, meaning you have fewer options for removal, card draw, and other essential components. However, this restriction also creates some advantages. Colorless decks don’t need to worry about mana-fixing, making them incredibly consistent at producing the mana they need. They also often rely on powerful, universally useful artifacts that can overwhelm opponents.
FAQs: Colorless Commander Decks
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the rules and nuances of building a colorless Commander deck.
1. Can you use basic lands in a colorless Commander deck?
No. Basic lands (Plains, Islands, Swamps, Mountains, and Forests) each have a color identity tied to the mana they produce. Since a colorless commander deck must contain only cards with a colorless identity, basic lands are prohibited.
2. Can you use devoid cards in a colorless Commander deck?
Generally, no. While cards with the devoid keyword are colorless, they often have colored mana symbols in their activated abilities, and that gives them a color identity. If a devoid card has a color identity, you cannot include it in a colorless Commander deck.
3. Can I generate colored mana with lands like Command Tower in a colorless Commander deck?
Officially, no. Command Tower specifies that it taps for one mana of any color in your commander’s color identity. If your commander has no color identity (i.e., is colorless), Command Tower cannot produce any mana. However, some playgroups might allow it to tap for {1} (one colorless mana) as a house rule. Always check with your group beforehand.
4. Is colorless a color?
No. In Magic: The Gathering, colorless is not considered a color. There are five colors: white, blue, black, red, and green. Colorless is distinct from these.
5. Can colorless mana be used to pay for any color requirement?
No. Colorless mana can be used to pay for generic mana costs (represented by a number in a gray circle), but not for colored mana costs (represented by specific colored mana symbols).
6. Does my Commander deck have to be exactly the same color as my Commander?
Your deck has to be within your commander’s color identity. If your commander’s color identity is only red, your deck can only contain cards with a red color identity, colorless cards or lands.
7. What is the purpose of colorless mana?
Colorless mana is a mana type that is not tied to a specific color and can often be used to pay the generic costs of spells and abilities. Colorless requirements is a different thing and require mana that isn’t affiliated with any of the five main colors of magic in Magic: The Gathering.
8. What are some good colorless commanders?
Some popular and powerful colorless commanders include:
- [[Karn, Legacy Reforged]]
- [[Kozilek, the Great Distortion]]
- [[Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger]]
- [[Liberator, Urza’s Battlethopter]]
These commanders offer different strategies and playstyles, so choose one that aligns with your preferences.
9. Can I use mana from Jeweled Lotus to cast a colorless commander?
Yes. [[Jeweled Lotus]] generates mana that can be used to cast your commander, regardless of its color or color identity. It provides a significant ramp boost early in the game.
10. If a card refers to “monocolored,” does that include colorless?
No. Monocolored refers to a card or object with exactly one color. Colorless objects have no color and are therefore not monocolored.
11. Can I use cards that generate colored mana, even if I can’t use it, to activate abilities?
Technically, you can generate colored mana, but you can’t cast any cards that require colored mana to be casted.
12. Does Commander’s Plate grant protection from colors to a colorless commander?
Yes. If your commander is colorless, [[Commander’s Plate]] grants protection from all colors. This is a significant defensive boon, making your commander much harder to remove.
13. Can I use artifacts that have activated abilities that require colored mana in a colorless Commander deck?
No. If the artifact card has a color identity, you cannot put it in the deck. This means if there is a colored mana symbol anywhere on the card, it has a color identity.
14. Are there any cards banned specifically for colorless Commander decks?
No, there are no cards specifically banned because of their synergy with Colorless Commanders. But always check the official banned list, located on the MTG website to ensure you don’t include any illegal cards.
15. Where can I learn more about game design and educational gaming?
To further expand your understanding of the intersection between games and learning, explore the Games Learning Society website. There, you’ll find valuable resources, research, and a community dedicated to advancing knowledge in this field. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org today!
Conclusion
Building a colorless Commander deck is a challenging but rewarding experience. While the card pool is restricted, the strategic depth and unique gameplay style offer a refreshing alternative to traditional color-based decks. By understanding the rules of color identity and leveraging the power of artifacts, you can create a formidable colorless deck that will surprise and challenge your opponents.