Can You Use a Legendary Artifact as a Commander? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, you absolutely can use a legendary artifact as a commander in Magic: The Gathering’s Commander format, but with a very important caveat: the artifact must explicitly state that it can be your commander. Unlike legendary creatures, which inherently qualify as potential commanders, a legendary artifact requires specific text on the card to override the default rules. This is often worded as “This card can be your commander.”
Understanding the Commander Rule
The Commander format, also known as EDH (Elder Dragon Highlander), has specific deckbuilding rules. The most fundamental rule is that your deck is led by a single commander, which dictates the color identity of all other cards in your deck. Typically, this commander must be a legendary creature. However, exceptions exist to broaden the possibilities and allow for more creative deckbuilding.
Exceptions to the Legendary Creature Rule
While legendary creatures are the standard for commanders, there are two primary ways around this restriction:
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Cards That State They Can Be Commanders: Certain cards, regardless of their card type, possess the explicit text, “This card can be your commander.” This allows Wizards of the Coast to design unique commanders that aren’t necessarily creatures. Legendary artifacts like Shorikai, Genesis Engine exemplify this exception.
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Partner Commanders: Certain legendary creatures have the “Partner” ability, allowing you to have two commanders instead of one. These commanders must both have the Partner ability, and their combined color identity determines the allowed colors in your deck.
Why This Distinction Matters
The requirement for legendary artifacts to specifically state they can be commanders prevents unintended interactions and maintains the integrity of the format. Without this rule, any legendary artifact could potentially lead a deck, which would significantly alter the deckbuilding landscape and potentially lead to unbalanced strategies.
The Appeal of Artifact Commanders
Artifact commanders offer unique deckbuilding challenges and strategic advantages:
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Colorless Options: Some artifact commanders are colorless, providing access to decks devoid of colored mana requirements. This allows you to focus on generic mana costs and unique colorless support cards.
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Unique Abilities: Artifact commanders often possess abilities that synergize with artifacts in general, leading to powerful artifact-centric strategies.
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Unpredictability: Artifact commanders can surprise opponents who are used to the typical creature-based commander strategies.
Deckbuilding Considerations
When building a deck around a legendary artifact commander, consider the following:
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Color Identity: The commander’s color identity (or lack thereof) dictates which cards can be included in the deck.
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Artifact Synergies: Focus on cards that specifically interact with and benefit from artifacts.
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Mana Ramp: Artifact-heavy decks often require efficient mana ramp to deploy expensive artifacts quickly.
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Protection: Protect your artifact commander from removal spells and other threats.
Notable Examples of Legendary Artifact Commanders
- Shorikai, Genesis Engine: A legendary Vehicle that generates creature tokens and draws cards. It perfectly exemplifies the rule as it specifically states it can be used as your commander.
The Future of Artifact Commanders
As Magic: The Gathering continues to evolve, we can expect to see more legendary artifacts designed with the intention of being commanders. These cards will likely continue to push the boundaries of deckbuilding and offer exciting new strategies for players to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What happens if a card is a legendary creature AND an artifact, but doesn’t say it can be a commander?
If a card is a legendary creature artifact but lacks the text “This card can be your commander,” it can still be your commander because it’s a legendary creature. The artifact type doesn’t negate its status as a legendary creature.
2. Can a legendary land be a commander?
No, legendary lands cannot be commanders unless a specific rule or ability states otherwise. Commanders must be legendary creatures or have the explicit text allowing them to be commanders.
3. Can I use two legendary artifacts as commanders if they both have the Partner ability?
Yes, if two legendary artifacts both have the Partner ability, they can be used as commanders together. Their combined color identity will determine the allowed colors in the deck.
4. What is the color identity of a colorless artifact commander?
A colorless artifact commander has a colorless color identity. This means your deck can only contain cards that are also colorless.
5. Are there any specific strategies that work particularly well with artifact commanders?
Yes, strategies that focus on artifact synergies, such as artifact recursion, token generation, and equipment strategies, tend to work well with artifact commanders. Decks that rely on artifact ramp to generate mana advantage are also common.
6. What happens if my artifact commander is destroyed?
When your artifact commander is destroyed, it goes to the graveyard. You can then choose to return it to the command zone instead. This incurs an increasing mana cost to recast your commander each time it returns to the command zone.
7. Can I change my commander’s type after the game has started?
No, your commander’s type is fixed at the beginning of the game and cannot be changed.
8. Are there any cards that specifically hate on artifact commanders?
Yes, cards that destroy or exile artifacts, or prevent you from casting artifacts, can be effective against artifact commander decks. Examples include Vandalblast, Stony Silence, and Collector Ouphe.
9. What is Commander tax?
Commander tax is the increasing mana cost you pay each time you recast your commander from the command zone after it has been removed from the battlefield. This cost increases by two generic mana for each previous time it has been cast from the command zone during that game.
10. Can I have more than one copy of an artifact card in my Commander deck if my commander is an artifact?
No, you can only have one copy of any non-basic land card in your Commander deck, regardless of whether your commander is an artifact.
11. If my artifact commander transforms into a non-artifact, does it remain my commander?
Yes, if your artifact commander transforms into a non-artifact (for example, through a transforming double-faced card), it remains your commander. The initial selection of the commander determines its status for the entire game.
12. Can a Background enchantment be my commander?
Yes, some Background enchantments have the text stating they can be your commander. If you select a Background enchantment as your commander, you also need a legendary creature with the ‘Choose a Background’ ability.
13. How does commander damage work if my commander is a vehicle that becomes a creature?
Commander damage is tracked based on the same permanent, even if it changes zones or card types. So, if your Vehicle commander becomes a creature and deals combat damage to a player, that damage counts towards the 21 commander damage threshold.
14. Are there any colorless commanders that are not artifacts?
Yes, there are colorless commanders that are not artifacts. For example, some Eldrazi creatures are colorless and lack the artifact type.
15. Where can I learn more about Commander deckbuilding strategies and rules?
You can find valuable information about Commander deckbuilding strategies and rules on the official Magic: The Gathering website and various community forums. Websites like EDHREC are invaluable resources for finding popular and effective cards for various commanders. You can also learn about the broader impact of games and learning at the Games Learning Society, found at GamesLearningSociety.org.
This comprehensive guide should equip you with the knowledge to navigate the world of legendary artifact commanders and build exciting and competitive Commander decks. Happy brewing!