Does Your Commander Count Towards Your 100 Cards?
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Yes, absolutely! In the Commander format of Magic: The Gathering, your commander unequivocally counts as one of the 100 cards in your deck. This is a fundamental rule of the format and often a point of confusion for new players. Your commander is not an ‘extra’ card, but a critical piece of your 100-card construction. The rule states that each deck must contain exactly 100 cards, including the commander (or commanders if you have partners). This means the rest of your library will consist of 99 cards alongside your singular legendary creature or planeswalker designated as your commander. Let’s delve into the nuances and clarify some frequently asked questions surrounding this core rule.
Understanding the 100-Card Rule in Commander
The Core Principle: 100 Cards Including the Commander
The first and most important thing to grasp is that your commander is not an add-on but an integral part of your 100-card Commander deck. The command zone, where your commander resides at the start of the game and can be returned to upon removal from the battlefield, is not separate from your deck’s size restrictions. Consequently, when you’re building your deck, you need to include your commander while keeping your total card count to exactly 100. This distinction is paramount to understanding deck construction within the Commander format.
Commanders with Partner
The rule gets a slight modification when we talk about commanders with the Partner ability. If your chosen commanders both have partner, you’re allowed to use both of them as commanders and these two cards count towards the 100 total. Therefore, you’ll start the game with only 98 cards in your deck, as the two commanders make up part of the total count. It’s important to note that each of these two commanders is treated individually for other Commander rules, including commander tax and commander damage.
Commander and Companions: A Special Case
Another aspect that frequently causes confusion is the role of Companions in the Commander format. Companions are cards that start outside your deck and have specific restrictions on deck construction to be used as a companion. Although a companion does have to adhere to the color identity of your commander, they do not count towards the 100-card deck limit. They’re an additional, 101st card that can be brought into the game by paying their mana cost. A companion is kept separate and not part of the 100 card deck. Keep in mind that the rules of your companion are not part of the 100 card total, it is a separate card that must follow specific deck construction rules such as color identity based on your commander’s color identity.
Commander’s Placement and Deck Composition
Your commander starts the game in the command zone, and this is part of the game start, not a card outside the game like companions. The 100-card requirement is a deck-building constraint, not a game-state constraint. Hence, while the commander isn’t physically among the other 99 cards in your library to begin with, it is considered part of your deck in terms of deck size. In addition to the 100 card requirement, no duplicate cards other than basic lands are allowed. This singleton rule adds an extra challenge to deck construction and encourages diverse strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some of the most common questions about the 100-card rule in Commander:
1. Do attractions count towards the 99 in commander?
No, Attractions do not count towards the 99 cards in your deck. They are part of a separate mechanic and have specific rules regarding their use in the game, they do not count towards deck construction.
2. Do commanders count towards companion?
Yes, Companions take into account your commander. This means you can’t use a companion that requires a specific mana value if your commander doesn’t meet the condition. For instance, if your commander has an odd mana value, you cannot use a companion such as Gyruda, Doom of Depths that requires all cards in your deck to have an even mana value, even if the other 99 cards in your deck meet the requirement.
3. What is the commander rule 11?
Commander rule 11 dictates that the only cards that can be brought into the game from outside the game are Companions. All other cards must start within your 100-card deck.
4. How does the commander work in Magic The Gathering?
Your commander starts in the command zone and can be cast from there. Each time it’s cast from the command zone, it costs an additional 2 mana. If it would be put in your hand, graveyard, or exile from anywhere, you may return it to the command zone instead.
5. What is the commander damage rule?
Commander damage is specific to each commander/player pairing. A player loses when they receive 21 points of combat damage from the same commander. This damage is tracked individually for each opponent’s commander.
6. Can a vehicle be your commander in Magic The Gathering?
Yes, a vehicle can be your commander if it is a legendary vehicle with an ability that states it can be your commander, such as Shorikai, Genesis Engine.
7. Is commander 100 or 101?
A Commander deck contains exactly 100 cards, including your commander(s). A companion is an extra card, effectively making it 101 total. The 101st card, however, is not part of the 100, but is kept outside your main deck, though it must follow your commander’s color identity.
8. What is the rule 0 in commander?
Rule 0 is an unofficial rule that allows players to modify the rules of a non-competitive game, provided that everyone participating agrees on the changes beforehand.
9. What is the commander 8×8 rule?
The 8×8 theory is a deck-building guideline that suggests choosing 8 effects you want in your deck and selecting 8 cards for each effect. This creates a structured 64 cards to build your deck around, not including your commander and lands.
10. Does your commander count as a card? Does your commander count as part of your deck?
Yes, your commander counts as a card and is part of your deck’s total. The 100 cards total in your Commander deck includes the commander.
11. Can you have 2 commanders?
Yes, you can have two commanders if they both have the partner ability. Both commanders count towards your 100-card limit.
12. Do commanders count towards deck size?
Yes, commanders count towards the 100-card deck size, meaning that your 99 cards and your commander (or commanders) equals 100 cards total.
13. Is Unfinity banned in commander?
No, Unfinity is not banned in Commander. Many of its cards are legal in Eternal formats including Commander, except for those with an acorn stamp.
14. Can any legendary creature be a commander?
Not all legendary creatures can be commanders. Your commander must be a legendary creature, or a planeswalker with an ability that explicitly states that it can be your commander. Additionally, two legendary creatures can be your commander if they both have the Partner ability.
15. Can your commander go to your hand?
Yes, your commander can go to your hand, but when this would happen, the owner of the commander can instead choose to put it back to the command zone. This rule applies any time your commander would go to hand, graveyard or exile.
Conclusion
Understanding that your commander is an integral part of your 100-card deck is fundamental to playing Commander. This single card shapes your strategy, deck building decisions, and overall experience. While the rules surrounding companions and partner commanders can introduce some intricacies, the core rule is always the same: your commander counts towards your deck’s 100-card limit. Remember to always adhere to the singleton rule and the color identity of your commander to ensure your deck is ready for action!