Do Partner Commanders Share Commander Damage? Unraveling the Rules
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No, partner commanders do not share commander damage. Each partner tracks its damage separately. This means that to defeat an opponent with commander damage, you must deal 21 or more combat damage with one specific partner, not a combined total from both. This distinction is fundamental to understanding how partner commanders function within the Commander (also known as EDH) format in Magic: The Gathering.
How Commander Damage Works with Partner Commanders
The concept of commander damage is a crucial element of the Commander format. A player loses the game when they have been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same commander over the course of the game. When dealing with partner commanders, this rule is applied to each commander individually. While your two partners function together as your overall commanders, sharing the command zone and being subjected to commander tax separately, their damage tallies remain completely distinct.
Essentially, each partner is treated as a separate entity when it comes to commander damage tracking. If a card or effect refers to “your commander,” you get to choose which partner that effect applies to. However, when it comes to delivering the fatal 21 points of commander damage, you must achieve this feat with a single partner, as their damage is not cumulative.
Tracking Individual Damage
Keeping track of commander damage with partner commanders can be more complex than with a single commander, as each player must monitor two separate damage totals. Damage counters are tracked individually for each player and each commander. When using an app or physical method to track damage, make sure to log damage inflicted by each partner separately. This approach is crucial to correctly determining the outcome of a game involving partner commanders.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To further clarify the rules surrounding partner commanders and commander damage, here are 15 FAQs that address common questions and concerns:
1. Do Partner Commanders Share Commander Tax?
No. The commander tax applies separately to each of your partner commanders. If you cast one of your partners for the third time this game from the command zone, it costs an additional (2) generic mana. If you then cast the other partner from the command zone for the third time it, too, will cost an additional (2) generic mana. This demonstrates they are taxed independently.
2. Is Commander Damage Tracked Separately for Each Player?
Yes. Each player keeps track of their own commander damage taken from each opponent separately. This way, even if multiple players use the same commander, the damage is still tracked individually based on who is dealing it, and who is receiving the damage.
3. Does a Copy of a Commander Deal Commander Damage?
No. A copy of a commander does not deal commander damage. This is because the aspect of being a commander is tied to the physical card itself, not its copy. Therefore, abilities that copy a commander (like a creature becoming a copy of a commander), do not inherit the ability to deal commander damage.
4. Can a Commander Copying Another Card Still Deal Commander Damage?
Yes, if a commander is copying another card due to an effect (like Cytoshape), it is still considered to be the same commander and will still deal commander damage. It’s the physical card that carries commander identity, not the copied form.
5. What Exactly is the Commander Damage Rule?
The commander damage rule states that a player loses the game if they are dealt 21 or more combat damage from the same commander over the course of the game. This damage is tracked across zone changes. If an opponent steals your commander and deals damage with it, you are still responsible for the damage total from that specific commander.
6. Does Commander Damage from Different Players Stack?
No. Commander damage from different players does not stack. Each player tracks the commander damage they receive from each opponent separately. Damage from one commander does not add onto the damage from another. If Player A has taken 10 commander damage from Commander X, and Player B’s Commander X hits them for 10, their totals will be 10 damage from one and 10 from the other.
7. Does Fog Stop Commander Damage?
Yes, Fog will prevent combat damage, including commander damage. Fog prevents all combat damage dealt that turn. Keep in mind that fog only stops the actual damage and not the damage counter from being applied.
8. Can I Steal an Opponent’s Commander?
Yes, you can steal an opponent’s commander. Once you gain control of it, any damage that commander already dealt is still counted towards that player’s total, even while they’re not in control of the commander. If the commander changes zones, the owner has the choice to send it back to the command zone instead.
9. How Do Partner Commanders Function Generally?
With partner, you are permitted to have two legendary creature cards as your commander. Both commanders start in the command zone. Each partner is treated as an individual commander for all other Commander rules, including commander tax and commander damage. If either leaves the battlefield, you can return it to the command zone rather than the graveyard.
10. Can Commanders with “Friends Forever” Partner with Partner Commanders?
No. “Friends forever” and partner are functionally the same mechanic, but they are not compatible with each other. Meaning you cannot pair a commander with partner with one that has “friends forever”.
11. Can You Use a Background as a Partner Commander?
Yes. The “choose a background” mechanic and partner use the same ruleset. An enchantment with the “background” subtype can act as a second commander, just as a creature with “partner” does. You could pair a legendary creature with the partner ability with a legendary enchantment with a background subtype as a commander.
12. Do Partner Commanders Have to Be the Same Color?
No, partner commanders do not need to be the same color. The color identity of your deck will be determined by the combined color identities of both commanders. So, you could pair a mono-red partner with a mono-white partner, for example.
13. Does Platinum Emperion Stop Commander Damage?
No. Platinum Emperion does not prevent damage; it changes the effects of that damage. While your life total can’t change, the damage is still dealt and is counted for commander damage purposes.
14. Does Worship Prevent Commander Damage?
No. Worship does not prevent damage. It ensures that you cannot lose life while you control it, but damage, including commander damage, is still dealt and is still counted towards commander damage totals.
15. What Happens When a Commander Dies?
When a commander “dies”, or would go to another zone, its owner (not the controller) has the option to move it back to the command zone instead. This occurs as a state-based action before players can respond.
Conclusion
Understanding how partner commanders interact with the rules of commander damage is crucial for any player in the Commander format. Each partner tracks damage separately, requiring careful monitoring and strategic planning. By keeping these nuances in mind, players can navigate the complexities of the Commander format with confidence, making the most out of their games with partners.