What Counts as Commander Damage? A Comprehensive Guide
Commander damage is a crucial element of the Commander (EDH) format in Magic: The Gathering. In its simplest form, commander damage is defined as combat damage dealt by a Commander to a player. If a player receives 21 or more combat damage from a single commander over the course of a game, they lose, regardless of their remaining life total. Understanding the nuances of this rule is vital for both competitive and casual play.
Understanding the Commander Damage Rule
The core concept is straightforward: if your commander smacks an opponent enough times, they’re out of the game, even if they have plenty of life left. However, several factors can influence this, making it essential to understand what does and does not contribute to that 21-point threshold. It’s important to note that commander damage is tracked separately for each opponent and for each commander. So if two opponents are both attacking you with their commanders, you must keep track of the damage that you’ve taken from each of them individually.
The key things to remember are that only combat damage counts, and it must be from a permanent that is designated as a commander, even if it doesn’t start the game as a commander.
Combat Damage Only
The most critical aspect is the word “combat“. Only damage dealt during the combat phase counts as commander damage. This excludes any other form of damage, such as:
- Direct Damage Spells: Spells like Lightning Bolt or cards like Guttersnipe won’t contribute to commander damage, even if your commander is the one casting them.
- Activated or Triggered Abilities: Abilities that deal damage, such as the ability on Niv-Mizzet, Parun, do not count as commander damage.
- Deathtouch and Infect: While a commander with deathtouch will still only deal one point of damage regardless of the creature’s toughness, and while a commander with infect will deal damage in the form of poison counters, only the initial combat damage is what counts.
Damage from a Commander
The damage must originate from a card designated as a commander. This raises some important considerations:
- Token Copies: If you create a token that is a copy of your commander, the damage it deals does not count as commander damage. Being a commander is a property unique to the original card chosen at the beginning of the game.
- Stolen Commanders: If an opponent gains control of your commander and attacks you with it, the damage they deal does count as commander damage against you. You are essentially being defeated by your own strategic missteps.
- Commanders that are No Longer Commanders: Occasionally, a card might temporarily cease to be your commander due to game effects. However, any combat damage dealt while it was your commander still counts towards the total.
Prevention and Modification
Various effects can impact the delivery and calculation of commander damage:
- Damage Prevention: Effects that prevent damage will also prevent commander damage. For instance, a card with protection from a color will prevent combat damage from a commander of that color.
- Damage Redirection: If damage from a commander is redirected to another player or permanent, it becomes that other player or permanent’s damage, and is only commander damage if the first source was a commander.
- Doubling and Halving Effects: Effects that double or halve damage will affect commander damage as they would any other form of combat damage.
Commander Damage FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding commander damage, designed to clarify common points of confusion:
1. Does non-combat damage count as commander damage?
No. Only combat damage dealt by a commander contributes to the 21-point threshold.
2. If I deal 7 combat damage with my commander and then cast a spell that deals 4 damage from my commander, how much commander damage have I dealt?
You have only dealt 7 points of commander damage. The spell damage does not count.
3. Does commander damage count toward my life total loss?
Yes. Commander damage is still combat damage, so you lose life equal to the amount of commander damage you receive. Your life total decreases accordingly.
4. How do I track commander damage in a multiplayer game?
You must track commander damage separately for each opponent and for each commander. This ensures you know exactly how much damage you’ve taken from each individual commander.
5. Does commander damage accumulate even if I gain life?
Yes. Commander damage is cumulative throughout the game, and gaining life does not reduce the amount of commander damage you’ve taken.
6. If someone steals my commander, can they deal commander damage to me with it?
Yes. If an opponent controls your commander and attacks you with it, the combat damage dealt does count as commander damage against you.
7. How much commander damage do I need to take before I lose?
You lose the game when you’ve been dealt 21 or more combat damage from a single commander.
8. Do tokens that are copies of commanders deal commander damage?
No. Token copies of commanders do not deal commander damage.
9. Can commander damage be prevented?
Yes. Standard damage prevention effects apply to commander damage. If damage is prevented, it doesn’t count toward the 21-point total.
10. Can Planeswalkers deal commander damage?
Usually no, as planeswalkers can’t usually attack. However, if you use an effect like Luxior, Giada’s Gift to turn your planeswalker into a creature, it can deal commander damage as a creature.
11. Do poison counters count as commander damage?
No, poison counters are not the same as commander damage. Damage dealt by a creature with infect is in the form of poison counters. These are handled separately.
12. Is commander damage separate from my life total?
While commander damage reduces your life total like any other combat damage, it is also tracked separately for the purpose of the alternate win condition. The two totals are kept entirely distinct.
13. Does Lifelink with commander damage heal you?
Yes, combat damage is still damage. If a commander with Lifelink deals combat damage, the controller of the commander gains life equal to the damage dealt.
14. Can you do commander damage to yourself?
Yes. If you are somehow attacked by your own commander (e.g., an opponent gains control of it and attacks you), that commander’s damage counts against you.
15. Does my commander count toward the 100-card deck requirement?
Yes, Your commander is part of the 100-card deck. In most circumstances, your commander starts the game in the command zone, but that doesn’t exclude it from being part of your 100-card deck.
Strategic Implications
Understanding commander damage is crucial for deck building and gameplay. Some strategies revolve entirely around dealing 21 commander damage as quickly as possible, while others focus on preventing or mitigating commander damage from opponents. Commanders like Uril, the Miststalker are popular choices for commander damage focused builds due to their inherent ability to gain power and toughness quickly.
Ultimately, mastering the nuances of commander damage will enhance your overall understanding of the Commander format and improve your strategic decision-making.
By understanding the specific conditions under which damage counts as commander damage, and by tracking damage carefully, you can play more effectively and potentially secure more wins. Understanding the fundamentals of commander damage will help to enhance your Commander strategy. For more information on game design and the broader world of gaming, visit the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.