Can a Legendary Enchantment Be Your Commander?
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Yes, a legendary enchantment can be your commander, but with a crucial caveat. It must explicitly state on the card, “This card can be your commander.” This exception to the general rule that commanders must be legendary creatures opens up a unique avenue for deck building, allowing players to center their strategy around a powerful and often game-defining enchantment. Without this specific text, however, a legendary enchantment cannot be your commander.
Diving into Enchantment Commanders
The traditional route for Commander focuses on legendary creatures as the pivotal card. These creatures often dictate deck strategies and synergies. However, the option of having a legendary enchantment as your commander brings a fresh perspective, often allowing for decks that are fundamentally different. These decks leverage the persistent nature of enchantments, which are often harder to remove than creatures, to control the game, generate value, or enable powerful combinations.
When you choose an enchantment commander, you’re usually leaning into a slower, more controlling playstyle. You’re less about swinging into opponents with large threats and more about building a resilient engine of value. This isn’t to say these decks lack power; instead, they accumulate it more steadily, often surprising opponents with their ability to overwhelm them in the late game.
Why Choose an Enchantment Commander?
- Resilience: Enchantments are typically more difficult to interact with compared to creatures, leading to a more stable board presence.
- Unique Synergies: Enchantment commanders often encourage building decks that are dedicated to specific themes, leading to creative and unexpected strategies.
- Strategic Control: Many enchantment commanders support control-based strategies, which allow players to dictate the pace of the game.
- Novelty: Playing an enchantment commander offers a distinct flavor, moving away from the more conventional legendary creature options.
Commonly Confused Topics
The concept of an enchantment commander can be a bit confusing, particularly for newer players. It’s important to differentiate between different types of permanent cards. Here are a few clarifications:
- Legendary Creatures: These are the most common type of commander and are always a valid option, unless otherwise specified.
- Legendary Artifact Creatures: These are also often used as commanders and bring artifact-focused strategies to the fore.
- Legendary Planeswalkers: Some planeswalkers can be commanders if they have the text “this card can be your commander.”
- Auras: These are enchantments that attach to other permanents and are not considered for commander unless they are also specifically printed to be legal commanders.
- Enchantment Creatures: These count as both creatures and enchantments. They can be commanders if they are legendary and also fulfill the “this card can be your commander” criteria.
It is also important to understand the Legend Rule. If you have two or more legendary permanents with the same name on the battlefield (regardless of whether they’re creatures, enchantments, artifacts, etc.), you must choose one to keep, and the rest are sacrificed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To further clarify the ins and outs of legendary enchantment commanders and related topics, here are 15 frequently asked questions:
Can a legendary artifact creature be a commander?
Yes, legendary artifact creatures are valid commanders. These commanders often care about artifact-related synergies and are the cornerstone of many potent artifact-focused decks.
Can a legendary planeswalker be a commander?
Yes, certain legendary planeswalkers can be your commander. The card must have the text stating, “[CARDNAME] can be your commander.” Not every legendary planeswalker meets this criterion.
Can all legendary planeswalkers be your commander?
No, not all legendary planeswalkers can be commanders. Only the ones with the specific “can be your commander” text on the card are eligible.
Can the Prismatic Bridge be your commander?
Yes, The Prismatic Bridge can be your commander, as it is specifically printed with the text that allows it. This allows for a unique strategy focused on its powerful flip side.
Can the Grand Calcutron be your commander?
Yes, The Grand Calcutron can be your commander. It offers a different play experience, fundamentally changing how cards are played.
Can commander decks have multiple legendary creatures?
Yes, commander decks can have multiple legendary creatures. The only restriction is that you can only have one copy of any specific card (other than basic lands).
What is the rule for legendary enchantments?
The Legend Rule applies to all legendary permanents, including enchantments. You can only control one legendary enchantment with the same name at a time.
Can a god be a commander in mtg?
Yes, a god can be your commander if it is a legendary creature, having the words “legendary” and “creature” present in its type line.
Is everything legal in Commander?
Generally, yes, everything is legal in Commander, except for cards banned in the format, and “joke cards” such as Silver-bordered or Acorn cards.
Can you have a Colorless commander?
Yes, you can have a colorless commander, although it usually means building a deck with a significant number of colorless cards.
Does my commander have to be legendary?
Your commander usually has to be a legendary creature, unless it has the text “This card can be your Commander,” like with the Prismatic Bridge or specific Planeswalkers.
What is legal in commander from Unfinity?
Unfinity eternal cards are legal in the Commander format. Common cards from the set are also legal in Pauper format.
Can Kenrith be a commander?
Yes, Rowan Kenrith can be your commander. As with other planeswalkers, it is only eligible if it has the text stating that it can be a commander.
Can you mutate a commander?
Yes, you can mutate a commander, and it still counts as your commander even after merging into a mutate pile.
Can you have 2 Prismatic Pipers as commander?
Yes, you can have two Prismatic Pipers as your commander if you choose two commanders with partner that are the same color or colors. In Commander Draft, you can even have two of the same.
Conclusion
The ability to use legendary enchantments as commanders adds another layer of depth and innovation to the Commander format. This rule, while specific and nuanced, opens up a world of new deck-building possibilities, encouraging players to explore different strategies and embrace new playstyles. If you’re drawn to the resilience and persistent nature of enchantments, choosing a legendary enchantment that can be a commander may be your ideal path to victory! Remember to always carefully check the card text to confirm its eligibility before you start building your new deck!