Commander Tax: The Hand is Safe (Usually!)
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The short, sweet answer is: No, you do not pay commander tax when casting your Commander from your hand. The commander tax only applies when casting your Commander from the Command Zone. But as with everything in Magic: The Gathering, the devil’s in the details! Let’s break it down with some examples and explore common scenarios.
Why Only the Command Zone?
The commander tax exists to prevent players from repeatedly casting their powerful commanders turn after turn with no downside. By increasing the cost by {2} for each previous casting from the Command Zone, it forces strategic decisions about when and how often to deploy your leader. The rules specifically state that the tax only applies when casting from the Command Zone.
This is clearly stated in the official Magic: The Gathering rules. The game can be complex, however the Games Learning Society offers great ways to simplify complex games.
Exploiting the Loophole: Getting Your Commander into Your Hand
Since the commander tax only applies to casting from the Command Zone, savvy players often look for ways to get their Commanders into other zones – most often their hand – to avoid the escalating cost. Several cards and strategies can help with this:
- Bounce Effects: Spells and abilities that return a creature to its owner’s hand, like Cyclonic Rift or Displacement Wave, are a classic way to “reset” your Commander. When you recast it from your hand, no tax applies.
- Cards that Put Commanders into Your Hand: Some cards directly move your Commander to your hand. Command Beacon, for example, lets you return your Commander to your hand at instant speed. Recasting it from your hand will be tax-free.
- Graveyard Shenanigans (and Then Hand Shenanigans): While generally Commanders go back to the Command Zone if they go to the graveyard, there are ways to keep them there. Then, cards like Reanimate can bring them back to play. If they go to your hand at any point from the graveyard (perhaps via Rise of the Dark Realms), then recasting them from your hand won’t require you to pay the tax.
- Cards that Put Commanders into Exile (and Then Hand Shenanigans): Cards such as Oblivion Ring can banish your Commander from the battlefield, and your Commander will go to the Command Zone unless you choose otherwise. If it is exiled, you can use cards such as Riftsweeper to put them in your hand. Then, recasting them from your hand won’t require you to pay the tax.
- Cards that Cast Commanders from Other Zones: Some cards let you cast creatures directly from other zones, such as your graveyard or exile. If your commander ends up in one of those zones, a card like Geth, Lord of the Vault or Karn, the Great Creator can get it back on the battlefield without paying the commander tax.
Strategic Implications
Understanding this nuance of the commander tax is crucial for building and playing effective Commander decks. You might want to include cards specifically to get your commander into your hand, or to cast it from somewhere else.
Commander Tax FAQs: Demystifying the Rules
To solidify your understanding of the commander tax and its intricacies, let’s dive into some frequently asked questions:
FAQ 1: If my Commander is countered, and I choose to put it back in the Command Zone, does the tax increase?
Yes. The tax increases each time you cast your Commander from the Command Zone. If your spell is countered, it still counts as a cast, so the next time you cast it from the Command Zone, you’ll pay the additional {2}.
FAQ 2: What happens if my Commander is exiled?
If your Commander is exiled, you can choose to have it return to the Command Zone. If you do, the next time you cast it from the Command Zone, you’ll pay the additional {2}. However, you can also leave it in exile, and use cards to get your Commander into your hand from there, and recast your Commander from there without paying the tax.
FAQ 3: Does the commander tax apply to both sides of a double-faced card if my commander is a double-faced card?
Yes, the commander tax is shared by both sides of a double-faced card. Casting either side from the Command Zone incurs the tax.
FAQ 4: If my Commander is stolen and cast by another player, does my commander tax increase?
No. The commander tax is player-specific. It only increases when you cast your Commander from the Command Zone. If another player steals and casts your Commander, their commander tax wouldn’t change, and yours only increases when you cast it again from the Command Zone.
FAQ 5: If my Commander is a Background, does the tax work the same way?
Yes, Backgrounds that act as your second commander are subject to the commander tax. The tax for the Background is tracked separately from your main commander creature. So, you can cast your Commander from your Command Zone multiple times, without having to pay the tax for your Background.
FAQ 6: Does Fist of Suns let me avoid the commander tax?
No. Fist of Suns provides an alternative cost of {WUBRG} (one mana of each color) to cast your Commander. However, the commander tax is an additional cost that must still be paid, even if you use Fist of Suns to pay the base mana cost.
FAQ 7: Can I put my Commander into my graveyard or library?
Yes, you absolutely can allow your Commander to go to your graveyard or library. However, if your commander is placed in your graveyard, you can choose to return it to the Command Zone as a State-based action. Once it’s shuffled into your library it becomes indistinguishable from the other cards, making it difficult to recast!
FAQ 8: Does commander tax apply when copying a commander spell?
No, copying a spell does not incur the commander tax. The tax only applies when you cast your Commander from the Command Zone.
FAQ 9: If I use Command Beacon to put my Commander in my hand, do I have to pay the tax?
No, you don’t! Since you’re casting your Commander from your hand, the commander tax doesn’t apply.
FAQ 10: If I use Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow to cast my commander from the top of my library, do I need to pay commander tax?
No, you do not! Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow specifically allows you to cast the card, so the commander tax doesn’t apply.
FAQ 11: Does the commander tax stay if the commander goes to exile?
Yes, as long as you return the commander to the Command Zone when it goes to exile, the tax stays.
FAQ 12: Does paying more mana with Thrasios, Triton Hero prevent the Commander tax?
No, the commander tax is in addition to any costs that may be on the card, including Thrasios, Triton Hero’s cost.
FAQ 13: Does paying the Ward cost with my commander also prevent the Commander tax?
No, the commander tax is in addition to any costs that may be on the card, including ward’s cost.
FAQ 14: Can someone steal my Commander?
Yes, definitely! An opponent can steal your commander. The owner of the commander can only move it from the graveyard to the command zone as a Statebased action. If your commander is stolen, it can damage you.
FAQ 15: Can my Commander do commander damage to myself?
Yes, if an opponent steals your commander and deals combat damage to you, it will count towards commander damage. The way the rule is worded a player who takes 21 or more points of combat damage from a single commander loses the game. This includes their own commander should it be stolen and used against them. Remember it has to be 21 damage from a single commander, not a cumulative total.
Mastering the Commander Zone
Understanding when and how the commander tax applies (or doesn’t!) is a crucial skill for any Commander player. By strategically leveraging cards and abilities that can circumvent the tax, you can keep your powerful commander on the battlefield without breaking the bank. So go forth, build your decks, and command with confidence! The GamesLearningSociety.org website is a great resource for learning more about game stategy.