Is a Commander a Permanent in the Command Zone? Unpacking the Rules of Magic: The Gathering’s EDH

The short answer is no, a commander is not a permanent while it’s in the command zone. The command zone is a special area designated for cards like your commander that have a significant impact on the game but aren’t treated as permanents until they are moved onto the battlefield. When in the command zone, your commander is essentially in a state of suspended animation, waiting to be summoned. It’s a zone outside the normal flow of play, like being in exile or your hand, but with its own specific rules and implications.

Understanding Permanents, Zones, and Commanders

To fully grasp why a commander isn’t a permanent in the command zone, it’s important to understand the definitions of these terms in Magic: The Gathering.

• Permanent: A permanent is a card or token on the battlefield. This includes creatures, artifacts, enchantments, planeswalkers, and lands. Only cards on the battlefield are considered permanents.
• Zone: A zone is a location where cards can exist during a game of Magic. Common zones include the battlefield, graveyard, hand, library, exile, and, of course, the command zone.
• Commander: In the Commander (EDH) format, your commander is a legendary creature or planeswalker (with specific exceptions) that starts the game in the command zone and can be cast from there.

Since a permanent must reside on the battlefield, a commander in the command zone doesn’t meet this criterion. It’s a card waiting to enter the battlefield, but until it does, it remains outside the scope of being a permanent.

Implications of Being a Non-Permanent

The fact that your commander isn’t a permanent while in the command zone has several implications:

• Targeting: Spells and abilities that target permanents cannot target a commander in the command zone.
• Global Effects: Effects that affect all permanents in play do not affect a commander in the command zone.
• Interaction Restrictions: You cannot use abilities that interact with permanents to affect your commander while it’s in the command zone.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Commanders and the Command Zone

Here are some common questions related to commanders and the command zone to help you further understand this crucial aspect of the Commander format. The Games Learning Society offers educators and enthusiasts resources to better understand TCGs and many games. Check out GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.

1. Can my commander be exiled from the command zone?

No, your commander can’t be directly exiled from the command zone. If your commander is on the battlefield and would be exiled, you have the option to return it to the command zone instead. The command zone is essentially a safe haven.

2. Does my commander do anything in the command zone?

Generally, no. Unless a card specifically states that it has an effect while in the command zone, your commander does nothing until it’s cast onto the battlefield.

3. How does the commander tax work?

Each time you cast your commander from the command zone, it costs an additional two generic mana. This is known as the “commander tax.” This tax resets each game, but accumulates during a game.

4. What happens when my commander dies?

When your commander dies or is exiled, you can choose to return it to the command zone instead of leaving it in the graveyard or exile. This is a state-based action, so it happens immediately.

5. Can I steal a commander from the graveyard?

Yes, you can! The owner of the commander can choose to move it to the command zone as a state-based action, but state-based actions aren’t checked during spell resolution. This means you can resolve a spell to reanimate it before it goes back to the command zone.

6. Can my commander be countered when cast from the command zone?

Yes, casting your commander from the command zone is just like casting it from your hand. It can be countered using standard counterspells.

7. Can I return my commander to the command zone at any time?

Not exactly at any time, but under specific circumstances. If your commander is in your graveyard or exile, and it has been put there since the last time state-based actions were checked, you may put it into the command zone. This is a state-based action.

8. Do partner commanders both start in the command zone?

Yes, if you have two commanders with the partner ability, both start the game in the command zone.

9. Does sacrificing my commander count as dying?

Yes, in Magic: The Gathering, “dies” means “moves from the battlefield to the graveyard.” Sacrificing a permanent, including your commander, counts as it dying.

10. Can a planeswalker be a commander?

Yes, some planeswalkers have the text “[CARDNAME] can be your commander.” This is an exception to the usual rule requiring your commander to be a legendary creature.

11. If I mutate my commander, is it still my commander?

Yes, even if your commander has the mutate keyword ability or is mutated with another card, it remains your commander.

12. What is Rule 0 in Commander?

Rule 0 is an unofficial but widely accepted rule in Commander that allows players to modify the game’s rules before starting a non-competitive game, provided everyone agrees to the changes.

13. Can I have a commander and a companion?

Yes, you can have a companion in Commander, but your deck, including your commander, must meet the companion’s requirement.

14. Can my commander go to my hand?

Yes, your commander can go to your hand. If this happens, it does not automatically return to the command zone. It stays in your hand until you play it or choose to move it to the command zone instead of the graveyard or exile zone.

15. How can I permanently get rid of a commander?

There is a way to permanently get rid of a commander in the game. You would need to gain control of your opponent’s commander, then use a card with phasing or a token enchanted with vanishing. When the permanent with phasing leaves the battlefield, or the vanishing counters run out, the effect of your opponent’s stolen commander will be gone, so it will go into exile.

Mastering the Command Zone

Understanding the intricacies of the command zone and how your commander interacts with it is essential for playing Commander effectively. While your commander isn’t a permanent while nestled safely in the command zone, its presence there dictates much of your strategy and gameplay. Learn more about games and game design at the Games Learning Society.