The Ever-Increasing Cost of Command: Recasting Your Commander in MTG
So, your commander has met an untimely end (again). The battlefield is a dangerous place, especially when everyone knows how potent your leader is. But fear not, the Command Zone awaits! Now, the burning question: how much will it actually cost to bring them back?
The answer is straightforward: Recasting your commander costs its mana cost plus an additional {2} (two generic mana) for each previous time you’ve cast it from the Command Zone this game. This additional cost is known far and wide as the “commander tax.” Understanding this tax is critical to effective Commander play. It affects deck construction, gameplay decisions, and long-term strategy.
Understanding the Commander Tax
The commander tax exists to prevent commanders from being too easily abused. Without it, powerful commanders could be repeatedly cast, dominating the game without significant resource investment. The tax forces players to consider the risks of putting their commander into harm’s way and incentivizes alternative strategies.
Let’s break down an example:
- Your commander, “Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait”, has a mana cost of {3}{G}{U}. This means three generic mana, one green mana, and one blue mana.
- The first time you cast Aesi, it costs you {3}{G}{U}.
- If Aesi is removed (destroyed, exiled, returned to your hand, etc.) and goes back to the Command Zone, the next time you cast it, it will cost {3}{G}{U}{2}.
- The third casting will cost {3}{G}{U}{4}, and so on.
The commander tax is a cumulative cost, growing with each subsequent casting from the Command Zone. This can quickly become a significant barrier, especially for commanders with already high mana costs.
Circumventing the Commander Tax: Strategies and Tactics
While the commander tax can be a burden, savvy players can mitigate its impact through several strategies:
- Bounce Effects: Cards that return your commander to your hand, like “Cyclonic Rift”, allow you to recast it without incurring the tax immediately. This provides tempo and delays the inevitable tax increase.
- Reanimation: Bringing your commander back from the graveyard with spells like “Reanimate” or “Animate Dead” bypasses the Command Zone entirely, avoiding the commander tax altogether. This strategy works best if you are willing to let the opponent put your commander in the graveyard.
- Cost Reduction: Effects that reduce the mana cost of your commander, such as “Urza’s Incubator”, are applied after the commander tax is added. Therefore they reduce its effect.
- Playing Smart: Sometimes, it’s best to simply not cast your commander if you anticipate it will be immediately removed. Holding it back until you have protection or a more favorable board state can save you valuable mana later.
- Commander Swaps: Some decks can function without the commander present. This gives players the option to hold the commander to avoid the tax.
Mana Ramp and Tax Mitigation: Deckbuilding Considerations
When building your Commander deck, consider the following:
- Mana Ramp: Include plenty of mana ramp, such as mana rocks (e.g., “Sol Ring,” “Arcane Signet”) and land ramp spells (e.g., “Rampant Growth,” “Cultivate”). This will help you afford your commander even with the increasing tax.
- Card Draw: Ensure you have sufficient card draw to maintain a steady stream of resources and options. This helps you find answers to threats and keep up with your opponents.
- Protection: Include spells and abilities that protect your commander from removal. This includes counterspells (e.g., “Counterspell,” “Swan Song”), indestructible effects (e.g., “Darksteel Plate,” “Swiftfoot Boots”), and hexproof abilities (e.g., “Lightning Greaves,” “Asceticism”).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is the commander tax part of the casting cost?
Yes and no. It’s added to the casting cost. You announce you are casting the commander, determine its base cost, then add the commander tax.
2. Does the commander tax apply to alternate casting costs?
Yes, the commander tax is always added on top of the casting cost, whether it’s the regular cost or an alternate cost like Dash, Mutate, or Blitz.
3. Can I cast my commander at instant speed?
Normally, no. However, if your commander has Flash, or you have an effect like “Prophet of Kruphix” that allows you to cast creatures as though they had flash, then yes, you can cast it any time you could cast an instant.
4. If my commander dies, can I put it in my hand instead of the Command Zone?
Only if a card specifically instructs you to return it to your hand. Otherwise, you choose between the graveyard and the Command Zone.
5. Can I keep my commander in the graveyard?
Yes, you absolutely can! The owner decides whether to move it to the Command Zone as a state-based action. This decision is made before anyone gains priority to cast spells or activate abilities. Sometimes letting it stay in the graveyard is tactically beneficial for reanimation strategies.
6. Can I counter someone casting their commander?
Yes, provided it is a spell. Standard counterspells like “Counterspell” or even a more narrow counter, such as “Negate” can counter the commander if it isn’t an artifact. It is important to note that if the spell is countered, it is removed, and returns to either the graveyard or the command zone.
7. Can I reduce the commander tax?
Yes, cost reduction effects like Affinity can be used to lower the overall cost of casting your commander, even after the commander tax has been applied. The reductions are applied after increases.
8. Does a background get commander tax?
Yes! If your Background is your commander, it will accrue its own commander tax, separate from any other commander you might have (like a creature partner).
9. Can I proliferate the commander tax?
No, proliferate only affects counters. The commander tax is an additional cost, not a counter.
10. Can I steal a commander?
Yes, you can take control of another player’s commander. If you control it, it doesn’t accrue commander tax for the opponent. When it would be exiled, returned to hand, graveyard, or library, they get to put it in the Command Zone.
11. What happens when my commander deals 21 combat damage to me?
You lose the game! Commander damage is commander damage, regardless of who is dealing it. If you are somehow attacking yourself with your own commander, and deal 21 combat damage to yourself, you lose the game, and the spell would be countered and the card would either go to the graveyard or back to the command zone if the opponent chooses.
12. Does commander tax apply to both sides of a double-faced commander?
No. While both sides of a double-faced commander can be cast from the Command Zone, the commander tax is tracked for the commander as a whole, not each individual face.
13. If I cast my commander with an alternate cost that doesn’t use mana, do I still pay the commander tax?
Yes. The commander tax is an additional cost, and it is always added to the total cost of casting your commander, regardless of how you are paying for it. This still applies even when using an alternate cost like Rooftop Storm.
14. What if my commander transforms while on the battlefield? Does it reset the commander tax?
No. Transforming your commander doesn’t affect the commander tax. The game tracks the commander as the same object, even if it transforms. The tax only resets when a new game begins.
15. Can I cast my commander from the command zone if it doesn’t have its color identity?
You can always cast your commander from the command zone regardless of its color identity as long as you pay the mana cost. You do not have to have the colors on the battlefield to cast a commander from the command zone.
Final Thoughts
Mastering the commander tax is fundamental to success in Commander. By understanding how it works and employing strategies to mitigate its impact, you can keep your commander on the battlefield and lead your army to victory. Remember to build a deck with ample mana ramp, card draw, and protection to ensure you can afford your commander, even after a few trips to the Command Zone. Happy commanding!
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