Do Backgrounds Have a Commander Tax?
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Backgrounds do not have a commander tax when cast from the command zone, as they are not considered commanders themselves but rather enchantments that provide additional abilities to your commander. The commander tax only applies to legendary creatures or cards that specifically state “this card can be your commander“, and since backgrounds are a type of enchantment, they do not incur this additional cost.
Understanding Commander Tax and Backgrounds
To delve deeper into how commander tax and backgrounds interact, it’s essential to understand the basics of both concepts. Commander tax is an additional cost of {2} for every time a commander is cast from the command zone, accumulating over the course of the game. On the other hand, backgrounds are enchantments designed to enhance your commander, changing its color identity and providing it with new abilities.
Key Differences and Interactions
The distinction between commanders and backgrounds is critical. While a background can effectively act as a secondary commander by modifying your primary commander’s abilities and color identity, it does not itself incur commander tax. This is because backgrounds are not legendary creatures nor do they have the specific wording that defines a card as a potential commander.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What are backgrounds in Commander? Backgrounds are a type of enchantment that can modify your commander’s abilities and color identity, introduced in Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate.
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Do backgrounds count as commanders? No, backgrounds do not count as commanders but can serve as a secondary commander, modifying the primary commander’s abilities and color identity.
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How does commander tax work? Commander tax is an additional cost of {2} for each previous time a commander has been cast from the command zone, accumulating over the game.
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Can backgrounds be played as normal enchantments? Yes, backgrounds can be played as normal enchantments if included in your deck, not as a commander or secondary commander.
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Can you have two commanders and a background? You can have a background as a secondary commander if your primary commander has the ability “Choose a Background”, but you cannot have two separate commanders and a background.
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What counts as a commander’s color identity? A commander’s color identity comes from its mana cost and any mana symbols in its text, and every card in your Commander deck must only use mana symbols that also appear on your commander.
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Can you reduce commander tax? Yes, commander tax can be reduced by cost reduction effects, such as affinity, which applies after the commander tax is added.
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Does commander tax affect both sides of a card? Yes, commander tax applies to the card itself, regardless of which face is cast, if the card is a legendary creature or has the “this card can be your commander” wording.
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Can you put your commander in the graveyard? Yes, you can put your commander in the graveyard, and it can be returned to the command zone as a state-based action.
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Does affinity reduce commander tax? Yes, affinity can reduce commander tax because it is a cost-reduction mechanic that applies after additional costs like commander tax.
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Do you pay commander tax when casting from hand? No, commander tax only applies when casting a commander from the command zone, not from your hand.
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Can you have partner commanders and a background? You cannot have both partner commanders and a background in the command zone, but you can choose one set for the command zone and include the others in your main deck.
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What makes an MTG card a commander? A card is considered a commander if it is a legendary creature or states “this card can be your commander”.
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Can backgrounds be customized? In the context of Commander, backgrounds are predetermined enchantments and do not have customizable options like some other aspects of Magic: The Gathering.
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Does Derevi bypass commander tax? Yes, Derevi’s ability to return to the battlefield does not incur commander tax because it is not casting Derevi as a spell from the command zone.