Is Coalition Victory Legal in Commander? Understanding the Ban and Its Implications
The direct answer is no: Coalition Victory is not legal in Commander. This powerful card, which offers a seemingly straightforward path to victory, has been on the Commander ban list since the early days of the format. But why was it banned, and what are the implications for deck building and gameplay? Let’s delve into the reasons behind this decision and explore the related intricacies of the Commander format.
Why is Coalition Victory Banned?
The Rationale Behind the Ban
Coalition Victory was banned in Commander way back in 2007, a mere few years after the format’s ban list was established. In these formative years, the primary concern was the card’s ability to create an “instant win” scenario. The early philosophy of Commander emphasized long, drawn-out, and social gameplay, rather than abrupt, single-card victories. The Rules Committee felt that cards like Coalition Victory were anticlimactic, short-circuiting the natural progression of the game and reducing the fun for other players.
How Coalition Victory Works
The card itself is relatively simple, but its impact is immense. Coalition Victory requires a player to control both a permanent of each color (white, blue, black, red, and green) and a land of each basic land type (Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest). If you achieve this during your turn, you win the game outright. It doesn’t matter how many multiple types a card has, as long as a permanent has all the colors and lands all the basic types. This condition, while requiring careful planning, is not particularly difficult to achieve within a five-color deck in Commander.
Why It’s a Problem in Commander
The core issue lies in the ease with which a player can assemble the required components in Commander. The singleton nature of the format, coupled with its longer, grindier nature, often leads to players having a plethora of mana and card draw. This environment makes setting up Coalition Victory a realistic and frequently game-ending event. Its ability to simply end the game felt out of place and was deemed undesirable for the Commander play experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Coalition Victory and Commander Bans
1. What sets are legal in Commander?
Every Magic: The Gathering set, since the game’s inception, is legal in the Commander format. This inclusiveness is a major factor contributing to the format’s popularity and unpredictable nature.
2. What types of cards are specifically banned in Commander?
Aside from specific cards, 25 cards with the card type “Conspiracy”, and 9 cards that reference “playing for ante” are banned. Additionally, cards with racially or culturally offensive art, text, names, or any combination thereof are banned across all formats.
3. Are any Commanders banned specifically as commanders only?
Yes, certain cards are banned specifically from being used as a commander, though they are legal in the 99. Examples include Dihada, Binder of Wills, Edgar Markov, and Edric, Spymaster of Trest.
4. Why are some cards banned in Commander?
Cards are typically banned because they are deemed too powerful, too disruptive, or not aligned with the format’s social and fun-focused nature. These cards may create uninteractive play patterns, lead to unfun experiences, or are simply too dominant.
5. Can you explain why cards like Lutri, the Spellchaser are banned?
Lutri, the Spellchaser is banned because its “companion” condition is so trivially easy to meet in a Blue-Red Commander deck. This would give Blue-Red decks a significant and unfair advantage over other color combinations.
6. Why is Sylvan Primordial banned in Commander?
Sylvan Primordial is banned due to its powerful enter-the-battlefield (ETB) ability. Its ability can easily be abused by repeatedly triggering it through blink, reanimation, or clone effects, turning it into an engine of destruction and ramp that is deemed too powerful.
7. Why was Emrakul, the Aeons Torn banned in Commander?
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn was banned for being a card that would feel necessary for any deck to include due to it being too powerful. The format already tends to have a lot of ramp, making Emrakul far too easy to cast, potentially making every deck run it.
8. Why was Hullbreacher banned in Commander?
Hullbreacher was banned due to its disruptive impact on the game. Its ability to punish card draw and ramp was seen as overly oppressive and against the spirit of the format.
9. Are joke cards (Silver-bordered or Acorn cards) legal in Commander?
No, Silver-bordered or Acorn cards, which are primarily joke cards, are not legal in the Commander format.
10. Are sideboards legal in Commander?
Generally, no. The Commander format doesn’t typically use sideboards. However, a companion can reside there if its deck-building conditions are met.
11. Are The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth cards legal in Commander?
Yes, both the core set cards with the LTR set code and the commander cards with the LTC set code from The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth are legal in Commander.
12. Why is Mox Jet banned in Commander?
Mox Jet and other similar Mox cards are banned because they provide excessive mana ramp and can enable players to cast very powerful spells early in the game. It’s currently banned in Commander and Legacy, and restricted in Vintage.
13. Why is Sundering Titan banned in Commander?
Sundering Titan is banned due to its ability to be repeatedly abused through clone, blink, flicker, and reanimation effects. Repeated activations of the Titan could make the game nonfunctional with constantly blowing up lands.
14. Why is Timetwister legal in Commander?
While powerful, Timetwister isn’t as overwhelmingly dominant in a singleton format like Commander. Other cards, like Time Spiral, often provide more value and create different game dynamics, so this card is legal.
15. Is Mox Opal banned in Commander?
Mox Opal is not banned in Commander but is banned in Modern. Its potential to be used as a powerful enabler for artifact decks is why it is banned in other formats, but is currently allowed in the Commander format.
The Importance of the Ban List
The Commander ban list is a crucial component of the format’s health. It ensures a diverse and engaging play experience by preventing overly dominant or unfun strategies from becoming prevalent. While some players may lament the ban of certain cards, these decisions are generally made with the long-term well-being of the format in mind. The ban list helps to keep the spirit of Commander alive – encouraging social interaction, creative deck building, and enjoyable games.
Conclusion
So, to reiterate, Coalition Victory is not legal in Commander. Its ban stems from the desire to foster a more interactive and less sudden game, a core principle of Commander’s design. Understanding the reasons behind bans like this helps players navigate the complexities of the format and build decks that are both powerful and fun to play. The ban list is an evolving tool, aimed at making Commander the best it can be, and it’s a vital part of what makes this format so popular and enduring.