Is a Copy of Your Commander Considered a Commander?
A copy of your commander is not considered a commander because only the original commander possesses the properties of a commander, as stated in rule 903.3, which means that copies of your commander don’t deal commander damage. This distinction is crucial in understanding how commander mechanics work in Magic: the Gathering, especially when dealing with copy effects from cards like Cytoshape or Body Double.
Understanding Commander Mechanics
To delve deeper into the world of Magic: the Gathering and the role of commanders, it’s essential to address frequently asked questions that players may have about commanders and their interactions with other game mechanics.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What happens if you copy your commander? Only the original commander has the properties of a commander, which means copies of your commander don’t deal commander damage.
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Can you copy your own commander? No, because your commander is the specific card(s) that have been designated as your commander, not instances of that creature you create.
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What counts as a commander? A card must be a legendary creature or state, “This card can be your Commander” to be considered a commander.
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Can I have a copy of my commander in my commander deck? No, because tracking which creature is your Commander can be annoying and unfair to opponents.
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Does your commander count as a card? A Commander deck must contain exactly 100 cards, including the commander, which is effectively a 101st card but not part of the deck.
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Can a Commander deck have two commanders? Yes, if both commanders have the partner ability, with each commander treated individually for all other Commander rules.
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What makes a commander a commander? Being a commander is not a characteristic but a property of the card, designated as the central card of a Commander deck.
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Is your commander part of your 100 cards? Each deck must contain exactly 100 cards, including the commander(s), with no cards having a color identity that doesn’t match or is not a subset of the commander(s).
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What is the commander rule 11? Commander Rule 11 tells you that the only cards allowed to be brought in from outside the game are Companions.
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Can you play your commander from your hand? The owner of the commander may choose to have it return to the command zone or go to hand, and if chosen to go to hand, it may be played without paying the tax.
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Can you only have one copy of a card in commander? Except for basic lands, you cannot have more than one copy of a card in your deck, with your deck having an exact number of cards.
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Can you give any commander a background? You can only use a Background as a commander if you already have a commander with the “Choose a Background” ability.
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Can you steal commanders from graveyards? Yes, you can, as the owner of the commander can only move it from the graveyard to the command zone as a State-based action, which doesn’t apply while spells are resolving.
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What is illegal in commander? Everything is legal in Commander, except for Silver-bordered or Acorn cards and cards specifically banned in Commander.
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Can you return a commander to its owner’s hand? You can never return an opponent’s commander (or any other card) to your hand, as all cards that return cards to hands specify returning to the “owner’s hand“, and a card’s owner is not its controller.