Unleash the Legends: How Many Legendary Creatures Can You Really Have in Your MTG Deck?
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There’s no limit to the number of Legendary cards you can include in your Magic: The Gathering deck. The catch? The Legend Rule looms large, ready to shake things up! Let’s dive into the fascinating world of Legendary permanents, Commander decks, and the strategic implications of building a deck brimming with famous faces.
Understanding the Legendary Landscape
The allure of Legendary creatures is undeniable. They’re often powerful, flavorful, and central to the narratives of the Magic: The Gathering universe. Building a deck around them can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s crucial to understand the rules that govern them, particularly the Legend Rule.
The Legend Rule: A Double-Edged Sword
The Legend Rule is a state-based action, meaning it doesn’t use the stack and happens automatically. In short, it states that if you control two or more Legendary permanents with the exact same name, you must choose one to keep and send the rest to your graveyard. This applies to both creatures and planeswalkers that have the Legendary supertype.
Implications for Deckbuilding
The absence of any restrictions regarding the number of Legendary creatures you include in your deck does not grant you carte blanche. The Legend Rule compels you to carefully consider the pros and cons of each Legendary card you include. Will you reliably draw the one you want? What if you draw duplicates? Are there ways to mitigate the impact of the Legend Rule? These are all questions you must address as you craft your deck.
Legendary Creatures in Commander: A Special Case
The Commander format (also known as EDH, or Elder Dragon Highlander) has specific rules surrounding Legendary creatures.
The Commander Itself
Your Commander must be a single Legendary creature or a Planeswalker with text specifying it can be your commander. Some exceptions exist, such as Partner commanders that allow for two Legendary creatures to command your deck simultaneously.
The Singleton Rule
Commander decks follow the singleton rule: you can only have one copy of each card in your deck, aside from basic lands. This applies to all cards, including other Legendary creatures, but does not mean you can’t have multiples in your deck. If your commander is for example, a “Naru Meha, Master Wizard”, you cannot have an additional “Naru Meha, Master Wizard” in your deck.
Circumventing the Legend Rule: Cards that Help
While the Legend Rule can seem restrictive, several cards offer ways to bypass or mitigate its effects:
- Mirror Gallery: This enchantment completely removes the Legend Rule while it’s on the battlefield.
- Mirror Box: Similar to Mirror Gallery, this artifact allows you to control multiple Legendary permanents with the same name.
- Spark Double, Double Major, Helm of the Host: These cards create non-Legendary copies of creatures, sidestepping the Legend Rule entirely.
- Sakashima of a Thousand Faces: You can have multiple creatures with the same name on the battlefield.
- Cadric, Soul Kindler and The Master, Multiplied: Cancel the rule for tokens you control.
Advantages of Playing a Legendary-Heavy Deck
Despite the challenges posed by the Legend Rule, a deck packed with Legendary creatures offers several potential advantages:
- Synergy: Many cards reward you for playing Legendary permanents. These can provide value in terms of card draw, combat buffs, and other strategic benefits.
- Resilience: Having multiple powerful threats, even if some are temporarily sidelined by the Legend Rule, makes your deck more resilient to removal.
- Flavor: Building a deck around iconic Legendary creatures is incredibly flavorful and immersive, enhancing the overall playing experience.
- Political Advantage (in Commander): In Commander, a thematic, Legendary-heavy deck can be a conversation starter and potentially earn you allies.
Strategy and Risk Assessment
Before committing to a Legendary-heavy deck, carefully consider the potential risks and rewards:
- Redundancy vs. Variety: How many cards do you need for your strategy to work? If you need only one of them to be on the board at a time to function, packing multiples can be bad.
- Mana Curve: Ensure your deck has a smooth mana curve and isn’t overly reliant on expensive Legendary creatures.
- Removal: Be prepared for your opponents to target your Legendary permanents with removal spells. Consider including cards that offer protection or recursion.
- The Meta: In Commander, consider the strategies prevalent in your playgroup. Is your deck well-equipped to handle them?
Building a deck around Legendary creatures can be challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. By understanding the Legend Rule, strategically incorporating cards that mitigate its impact, and carefully assessing the risks and rewards, you can craft a deck that is both powerful and flavorful. The Games Learning Society explores the strategic depth of games like MTG, highlighting the cognitive skills they foster.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about Legendary creatures and the Legend Rule in Magic: The Gathering:
1. Can all Legendary creatures be a Commander?
No, only Legendary creatures (or planeswalkers with the appropriate text) can be your Commander.
2. Does the Legend Rule use the stack?
No, the Legend Rule is a state-based action and does not use the stack.
3. How many Commanders can you have in a deck?
Normally, you can only have one Commander. However, some cards have the Partner ability, allowing you to have two Commanders.
4. Can a Legendary Planeswalker be a Commander?
Yes, but only if the card explicitly states that it can be your Commander.
5. What is the Legend Rule?
The Legend Rule states that if a player controls two or more Legendary permanents with the same name, that player chooses one of them and immediately puts the others into their owners’ graveyards, without any player having an opportunity to respond.
6. What cards stop the Legend Rule?
Mirror Gallery, Mirror Box, and Sakashima of a Thousand Faces can negate the Legend Rule entirely. Also Cadric, Soul Kindler and The Master, Multiplied cancel the rule for tokens you control.
7. How do you avoid the Legend Rule in MTG?
You can avoid the Legend Rule by using cards that create non-Legendary copies of Legendary creatures.
8. What is a good Commander deck ratio?
A general rule of thumb for Commander decks is 33-42 lands, a decent amount of mana ramp, and a good balance of card draw, removal, and threats. This will vary based on your own commander and the commander you are facing.
9. Can you have a copy of your Commander in your deck?
No, the singleton rule in Commander prevents you from having a copy of your Commander (by the same name) within the 99 other cards of your deck (or 98 if you have partner commanders).
10. Why are all Planeswalkers Legendary?
To simplify the rules and make them more consistent, all planeswalkers gained the supertype Legendary and became subject to the Legend Rule. This replaced the previous “planeswalker uniqueness rule.”
11. Do planeswalkers count as legendary spells?
No, planeswalkers are permanents on the battlefield, not spells while they are on the battlefield. While in a deck, it is neither. All Planeswalkers have supertype “legendary” and are subject to the “legend rule”.
12. What is the legendary Planeswalker rule?
The Legendary Planeswalker Rule no longer exists, it is now just the Legend Rule. Since all planeswalkers are legendary, it now applies. If a player controls more than one Legendary planeswalker with the same name, that player chooses one and puts the others into their owner’s graveyard.
13. Is Legendary a creature type in MTG?
No, Legendary is a supertype, not a creature type.
14. Does the Legend Rule apply to opponents?
No, the Legend Rule only applies to a single player trying to control 2 copies of the same Legendary card.
15. Does the Legend Rule apply before ETB?
As the Legend Rule is a state-based action, the choice of which Legendary permanent will be kept will be made before the ETB (Enter the Battlefield) triggered abilities are put on the stack and resolve.
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