Can Your Commander Do Commander Damage to Yourself?

The answer to the question Can your commander do commander damage to yourself? is yes, as the rule for commander damage doesn’t specify that an opponent’s commander had to deal the damage, just that a specific commander needs to deal damage. If you somehow take 21 or more points of combat damage from your own commander, you still lose the game, which can happen if your commander is stolen and used against you.

Understanding Commander Damage

To delve deeper into the mechanics of commander damage and related rules, let’s explore some frequently asked questions that can provide clarity and insights into the game.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the rules for commander damage?

• A player that’s been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same commander over the course of the game loses the game.

1. Does a stolen commander still do commander damage?

• Yes, any one specific commander card, including their own, can deal commander damage.

1. Can your commander go to your hand?

• The owner of the commander may choose to have it return to the command zone or go to hand, with the option to play it without paying the tax if chosen to go to hand.

1. What is illegal in Commander?

• Everything is legal in Commander, with the exception of Silver-bordered or Acorn cards and cards specifically banned in Commander.

1. What is the rule 0 in Commander?

• Rule 0 refers to decks or actions that break the normal rules of the game and require permission from the table to allow them.

1. Can you permanently destroy a commander?

• Yes, through specific card combinations, you can destroy a commander card, such as making it a copy of Chaos Confetti and then activating its ability.

1. Can a commander be killed?

• Yes, commanders can be killed, such as by Necromantic Selection, which destroys all creatures, but also allows the owner to return their commander to the battlefield.

1. Is commander damage tracked separately?

• Yes, damage is tracked separately for each player, with each player’s play area showing how much damage they’ve taken from their opponents.

1. How much commander damage can you take before you lose the game?

• If you get 21 or more “commander damage” you lose the game, regardless of your life points.

1. Can I exile a commander?

   • Yes, you can exile a commander with a spell or ability, but the owner gets to choose if they want to leave it in exile or send it back to the command zone.

2. Do commanders have summoning sickness?

   • Yes, any creature, including commanders, that enters the battlefield from anywhere suffers from summoning sickness unless otherwise stated.

3. Can you partner a commander with itself?

   • No, while the Partner ability does not explicitly prohibit it, the singleton rule of Commander formats prevents it.

4. Who keeps track of commander damage?

   • The responsibility of keeping track of commander dealt damage is generally considered to be that of the commander’s controller (the attacking player).

5. Does souls fire count as commander damage?

   • No, commander damage only counts combat damage, not damage dealt by abilities like Souls Fire.

6. Can a commander enter the graveyard?

   • Yes, if your commander moves to the graveyard or exile, you may choose to put it into the command zone as a state-based action, but abilities that trigger when a creature dies or is exiled work as normal.