Does Commander Tax Apply to Both Sides?
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The commander tax applies to the card itself, regardless of which face you cast, meaning that if you have a dual-sided commander, the commander tax will be applicable to both sides, and you will need to pay the additional cost based on the number of times you’ve previously cast the card from the command zone. This applies to Modal Double-Faced cards as well, where if a legendary creature is on the front face, the card can be your commander, and you may cast either face from the command zone, with the commander tax applying to the card itself.
Understanding Commander Tax
What is Commander Tax?
The commander tax is an additional cost of {2} for every time you’ve cast a commander from the command zone. This tax is applied individually to each commander, and is a key part of the Commander format.
How Does Commander Tax Work?
The commander tax is applied every time you cast a commander from the command zone, regardless of the method used to cast it. This means that if you have a commander with an alternate casting cost, such as blitz, you will still need to pay the commander tax.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Commander Tax Apply to Both Partners?
The commander tax applies to the two partners separately, and commander damage is also tracked separately. A player must deal the full 21 damage with just one partner or the other to knock out an opposing player; they cannot combine their damage.
Can You Proliferate Commander Tax?
The commander tax is an additional cost based on the number of times you’ve previously cast your commander from the command zone. Because proliferate only affects counters (as defined by the game rules), it doesn’t impact the commander tax.
Can You Reduce Commander Tax?
Commander Tax is a cost increase, and affinity is a cost reduction. Cost reductions are applied after cost increases, so it is possible to reduce the commander tax.
How Does Commander Tax Work with Background?
The commander tax applies separately to your Background.
Do You Pay Commander Tax with Geode Golem?
Yes, your commander is back in the command zone by the time you’re resolving the Golem’s ability, so you can cast it (just keep in mind that you still have to pay the commander tax, since the Golem only gets around the mana cost, not additional costs).
Does Commander Tax Apply to the Graveyard?
The commander tax defined in section 903.8 of the Magic The Gathering Comprehensive Rules only applies to the commanders cast from the command zone.
Does Commander Tax Apply to Ninjutsu?
Activating Yuriko’s commander ninjutsu ability isn’t the same as casting Yuriko as a spell. You won’t have to pay the commander tax to activate that ability, and activating that ability won’t increase the commander tax to pay later.
Does Commander Tax Apply to Blitz?
Because you only pay tax when casting from the command zone, this gets around it. Blitz is an alternate casting cost; commander tax is applied every time you cast the commander from the command zone; regardless of the method.
Do You Still Pay Commander Tax with Fist of Suns?
Fist of Suns doesn’t replace any additional costs or cost increases, so you still have to pay the Commander tax.
Does Commander Tax Apply to the Prismatic Bridge?
The commander tax is shared by both sides. Your commander will be Esika, but the deck will have a five-color color identity and you will also be able to cast the prismatic bridge from the command zone.
Does Dash Ignore Commander Tax?
It depends on the exact ability. If it makes you cast the card, additional costs such as the commander tax apply.
Does Leadership Vacuum Cause Commander Tax?
You’ll draw a card even if the target player controls no commanders as Leadership Vacuum resolves. The commander tax increases based on how many times a commander was cast from the command zone, not how many times it was put there as a result of Commander rules.
When Your Commander Dies, How Much Does It Cost?
The Commander tax is +2 mana for each time it’s been previously cast from the command zone.
Are 40K Decks Legal in Commander?
Warhammer 40,000 Commander cards with the 40K set code numbered 1–176 are permitted in the Commander, Legacy, and Vintage formats.
Are Unfinity Cards Illegal in Commander?
Unfinity is new and unique for an Un-set due to one key fact: many of its cards are legal in Eternal formats like Commander. Cards that do not feature an acorn stamp on the bottom of the card are entirely legal in Magic’s most popular format.
What is the Perfect Commander Deck Ratio?
MTG’s Commander decks, just like 60-card Constructed decks, should contain around 35% to 40% land cards — though Commander decks tend to have a slightly higher ratio of lands, just in case.
Is Land Tax Banned in Commander?
The top tournament decks in Legacy include Reanimator, RUG Delver, and Sneak and Show. Land Tax has been banned since 2004, doesn’t seem to directly add to the top decks, and could make the format even more diverse.