Can Devoid Creatures Be in a Colorless Deck? Unraveling MTG’s Color Identity Conundrum
The short answer is no, creatures with the devoid ability cannot be included in a Commander deck helmed by a truly colorless commander. While devoid makes a card colorless for gameplay purposes, it doesn’t alter its color identity, which is the key factor in Commander deck construction. This distinction often causes confusion, so let’s delve deeper into the rules and reasoning behind this.
Understanding Color vs. Color Identity
In Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the concepts of color and color identity are distinct. A card’s color refers to the color(s) indicated by the mana symbols in its mana cost and/or color indicators. Devoid changes a card’s color to colorless, regardless of its mana cost. This means that a card with devoid is treated as a colorless object during the game.
However, color identity is a broader concept, particularly relevant in the Commander format. A card’s color identity is determined by all the colored mana symbols present on the card, including those in its mana cost, rules text, and any color indicators. Importantly, devoid does not change a card’s color identity.
Commander Rules and Color Identity
Commander decks are built around a legendary creature or planeswalker designated as the commander. The core rule is that every card in the deck must share a color identity with the commander. If a commander has a colorless color identity (meaning it has no colored mana symbols anywhere on the card), then every card in the deck must also have a colorless color identity.
Since cards with devoid retain the color identity derived from the colored mana symbols in their mana costs, they cannot be included in a Commander deck led by a commander with a colorless color identity.
Why This Matters: A Practical Example
Consider a hypothetical scenario. Let’s say you’re building a Commander deck with Karn, Silver Golem as your commander. Karn has no colored mana symbols anywhere on his card, making his color identity colorless. You cannot include cards like Ulamog’s Crusher, which has a mana cost of {8}{C} and no colored mana symbols, however, you also can not include Abstruse Consription, a card with devoid that costs {3}{B}{B}. Even though Abstruse Consription is colorless thanks to its devoid ability, its mana cost contains black mana symbols ( {B}{B} ), giving it a black color identity. Therefore, it’s illegal in your Karn deck.
Addressing Common Misconceptions
The confusion arises from the seemingly contradictory nature of devoid: it makes a card colorless, yet it doesn’t alter its color identity. It’s important to remember that Commander rules focus on color identity, not the actual color of a card during gameplay. Games Learning Society promotes understanding complex rule interactions like this within games. You can learn more about the GamesLearningSociety.org and their mission on their website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What exactly does the devoid ability do?
Devoid is a defining characteristic that makes a card colorless, irrespective of its mana cost. It functions continuously, even when the card is in your hand, library, or graveyard.
2. Can I include basic lands in a colorless commander deck?
No. Basic lands (Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, Forest) have inherent mana abilities that produce colored mana. This gives them a colored color identity, making them ineligible for a truly colorless Commander deck.
3. Do lands count as colorless by default?
Generally, yes. Lands without colored mana symbols in their costs or rules text are colorless. The notable exception is Dryad Arbor, which has a color indicator making it green.
4. Can I use lands that produce colored mana in a colorless deck if they don’t have basic land types?
No. Even nonbasic lands that produce colored mana have those colors in their color identity, rendering them illegal in a colorless commander deck.
5. Is devoid a colorless spell when I cast it?
Yes. A card with devoid is always colorless, so when you cast it, it’s a colorless spell.
6. How does devoid interact with effects that care about colorless cards?
Effects that trigger or affect colorless cards will apply to cards with devoid, as they are, in fact, colorless.
7. What is the point of devoid if it doesn’t change color identity?
Devoid is valuable for synergizing with other cards or strategies that benefit from colorless permanents or spells, even if you’re not playing a fully colorless Commander deck. It’s a keyword that opens up design space.
8. Are Eldrazi creatures always colorless?
Not all Eldrazi are colorless. However, many Eldrazi, especially those with the devoid ability, are colorless to emphasize their alien nature. Some, like Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, are explicitly colorless without the devoid ability.
9. Can I choose colorless as a color for an effect that asks me to choose a color?
No. Colorless is not considered a color in MTG. You must choose one of the five colors: white, blue, black, red, or green.
10. Does Void Mirror counter spells with devoid?
Yes. Void Mirror counters spells with devoid because those spells are colorless.
11. Is a morph spell colorless?
Yes, a face-down morph spell is considered colorless because it has no mana cost visible while face down.
12. Does devoid work in my hand?
Yes, devoid functions even when a card is in your hand, library, or graveyard. The card is always considered colorless.
13. What happens if a card loses devoid after entering the battlefield?
Even if a card loses devoid on the battlefield, it doesn’t affect its color identity, which is determined during deck construction. The card simply becomes colored again, based on its mana cost or other effects.
14. If a card has devoid and a color indicator, what is its color identity?
The color identity would be determined by the color indicator. If the indicator is blue, for example, the card’s color identity is blue, regardless of the devoid ability.
15. What are some good strategies for building a colorless commander deck?
Focus on artifact synergies, mana rocks (artifacts that produce mana), and powerful colorless threats. Commanders like Karn, Liberated or Kozilek, the Great Distortion are popular choices for colorless decks.
Conclusion
While the nuances of color and color identity, especially in relation to the devoid ability, can be tricky, understanding these distinctions is crucial for building legal and effective Commander decks. Remember that devoid changes a card’s color, but not its color identity, and Commander deck construction relies heavily on the latter. So, while you can’t include devoid cards in a truly colorless Commander deck, this knowledge allows you to strategically utilize them in decks where their color identity aligns with your commander’s. The key is to focus on the mana symbols and color indicators, not just the absence of color during gameplay. This rule interaction enhances the strategic depth of MTG.