How Many Planeswalkers Can You Have in a Magic Deck?
The simple answer is: as many as you want, adhering to the “four-of” rule and format restrictions. You can have a deck filled with Planeswalkers, as long as you don’t exceed four copies of any single Planeswalker card (by name). Let’s delve deeper into the nuances of including Planeswalkers in your Magic: The Gathering decks.
Understanding the Basics
At its core, deck construction in Magic is governed by a few fundamental rules. Primarily, a constructed deck (for formats like Standard, Modern, Pioneer, etc.) must contain a minimum of 60 cards. Outside of basic lands, you are generally limited to having no more than four copies of any single card in your deck. This is the famous “four-of” rule. Planeswalkers are subject to this same restriction.
Planeswalkers and the “Four-Of” Rule
So, if you want to build a deck around your favorite Planeswalkers, you absolutely can. You could have a deck containing multiple different Planeswalkers, filling the deck with a diverse array of powerful walkers. The critical thing to remember is that you cannot have more than four copies of any single Planeswalker card by name.
For example, you could have four copies of “Jace, the Mind Sculptor,” four copies of “Teferi, Hero of Dominaria,” and four copies of “Liliana of the Veil” all within the same deck. However, you could not have five copies of “Jace, the Mind Sculptor.”
Commander Format: A Different Landscape
The Commander format (also known as Elder Dragon Highlander or EDH) operates under different deckbuilding constraints. In Commander, you have a 100-card singleton deck, meaning you can only have one copy of any card except basic lands. While some Planeswalkers can act as your Commander, most are included as support pieces within the 99-card deck.
Therefore, in Commander, you are limited to a maximum of one copy of each Planeswalker, but again, this is only restricted by card name. You could potentially have a deck with a wide variety of different Planeswalkers if you choose to build it that way.
The Planeswalker Uniqueness Rule (Sometimes Confused)
It’s easy to confuse the deckbuilding rules with the gameplay rule that governs how Planeswalkers function on the battlefield. There used to be a Planeswalker uniqueness rule that stated you could only have one Planeswalker of each type on the battlefield at any given time. This meant only one “Jace” could be present under your control. This rule was replaced by the “legend rule” as it applies to planeswalkers.
The current rule states that you cannot control two Planeswalkers with the exact same name. Thus, you could control both “Jace Beleren” and “Jace, the Mind Sculptor” simultaneously, because their names are different. This is distinct from the deckbuilding restriction, which concerns how many copies of a card you can include in your deck.
Examples of Planeswalker-Heavy Decks
To illustrate, consider a theoretical Standard deck:
- 4 Jace, the Perfected Mind
- 4 The Wandering Emperor
- 4 Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset
- 4 Narset, Parter of Veils
- 4 Chandra, Awakened Inferno
- + 40 other cards (lands and supporting spells)
This deck is legal, assuming all the cards are legal in the Standard format. Note that no individual Planeswalker card exceeds four copies.
In a Commander deck, you might have a similar selection of Planeswalkers, but each would only be present as a single copy. Your commander could be a creature, or one of the Planeswalkers that has the text: “[CARDNAME] can be your commander.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions about using Planeswalkers in your Magic: The Gathering decks:
1. Can you have 4 planeswalkers in a deck?
Yes, absolutely. You can have up to four copies of any Planeswalker card (by name) in your deck, following the standard “four-of” rule that applies to most card types in constructed formats.
2. Can you have multiple planeswalkers in a deck?
Of course! You can have as many different Planeswalkers as you like in a deck, provided you adhere to the “four-of” rule (or the singleton rule in Commander).
3. Can you have 2 planeswalkers out at the same time?
Yes! You can have multiple Planeswalkers on the battlefield simultaneously, as long as they don’t share the exact same name. For example, you can control “Teferi, Hero of Dominaria” and “Teferi, Time Raveler” at the same time, but you can’t have two copies of “Teferi, Hero of Dominaria.”
4. Can you put planeswalkers in a Commander deck?
Yes, Planeswalkers are a common and powerful addition to Commander decks. Just remember the singleton rule, which dictates that you can only have one copy of each card (except basic lands).
5. Can you have two planeswalkers with the same name in a commander deck?
No, due to the singleton nature of Commander, you cannot include two Planeswalkers with the exact same name in your deck. The only exceptions to this rule are basic lands.
6. Can you have two planeswalkers with the same name commander?
A Commander deck cannot have two cards with the exact same name, even if one of them is the Commander.
7. Does Deathtouch work on planeswalkers?
No, Deathtouch does not directly affect Planeswalkers. Deathtouch is an ability that causes damage from a source with Deathtouch to destroy a creature. Planeswalkers are not creatures, and damage dealt to a Planeswalker does not inherently destroy them.
8. What is the legend rule for planeswalkers?
The legend rule, as it applies to Planeswalkers, states that if you control two or more Planeswalkers with the same name, you must choose one to keep and put the others into your graveyard. This rule only applies to Planeswalkers you control that share the same name.
9. Can you have 2 legendary planeswalkers on the field?
Yes, you can have multiple legendary Planeswalkers on the battlefield simultaneously, as long as they don’t have the same name. The “legend rule” only applies to permanents with the exact same name.
10. What MTG set has the most planeswalkers?
Many sets have a strong planeswalker focus. M13 and M15 both have 6 planeswalkers.
11. Can a legendary planeswalker be a commander?
Yes, some Planeswalkers have the text “[CARDNAME] can be your commander.” These Planeswalkers can legally lead a Commander deck, bypassing the usual requirement that Commanders must be legendary creatures.
12. How many planeswalkers can be active at once?
You can have as many Planeswalkers on the battlefield as you can cast, provided they all have different names. There’s no upper limit to the number of Planeswalkers you can control simultaneously.
13. Can you activate multiple planeswalkers at once?
Yes, you can activate one loyalty ability from each Planeswalker you control during your main phase, as long as you could cast a sorcery. Each Planeswalker gets one activation per turn.
14. Can any planeswalker be a commander?
No, only Planeswalkers specifically printed with the text “[CARDNAME] can be your commander” can be used as Commanders. It is an exception to the normal Commander rules.
15. Can you bring planeswalker to 0?
Yes, damage can bring a planeswalker to 0 loyalty. When a planeswalker’s loyalty reaches 0, it is put into the graveyard as a state-based action.
Planeswalkers and Strategy
Planeswalkers are powerful additions to any Magic deck, offering continuous value and board control. Building a deck with a significant Planeswalker presence can be an effective strategy. Understanding the deckbuilding rules, the Planeswalker uniqueness rule (or lack thereof), and how these cards interact with other mechanics is essential for maximizing their potential.
Whether you’re building a control deck with a few key Planeswalkers, or an all-out Planeswalker extravaganza, knowing the rules will enable you to build your deck effectively.
Learning more about strategy in games and education can be found at the Games Learning Society, visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.