Is Fastbond Banned in Commander? The Green Mana Ramp Enigma
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Yes, Fastbond is indeed banned in the Commander format (also known as EDH, or Elder Dragon Highlander). This potent green enchantment allows players to play additional lands each turn, but at the cost of losing 1 life for each additional land beyond the first. While it appears innocuous on the surface, its potential for explosive mana acceleration has cemented its place on the Commander banlist. Let’s delve into why this deceptively simple card is considered too powerful for the format and explore some related questions that frequently arise among Commander players.
Why is Fastbond Banned in Commander?
The core reason behind Fastbond’s ban lies in its ability to generate overwhelming mana advantage extremely quickly. Commander is a format defined by big plays and powerful, game-altering spells. Fastbond allows players to circumvent the inherent limitations of land-per-turn progression, enabling them to cast these game-ending threats much earlier than intended.
Here’s a breakdown of the key factors contributing to its ban:
- Explosive Mana Ramp: The card’s primary function is to exponentially increase a player’s mana production. Combined with effects that allow for playing multiple lands from hand (like Exploration or Oracle of Mul Daya) or retrieving lands from the graveyard (like Crucible of Worlds), Fastbond can lead to an unmanageable mana advantage in the early game.
- Life Loss Mitigation: While the life loss is a significant drawback, many decks can mitigate or even negate it entirely. Cards that gain life, protect from damage, or allow you to pay life for powerful effects turn the downside into a negligible cost. In a 40 life format, aggressive early game plays are not as common, and opponents might not always be able to quickly apply pressure.
- Synergy with Landfall Effects: The ability to play multiple lands per turn synergizes powerfully with cards that trigger upon a land entering the battlefield. This leads to incredibly powerful and often overwhelming value. Creatures that get +1/+1 counters when a land enters the battlefield, or abilities that trigger when a land enters the battlefield can cause extreme board states very quickly with multiple lands entering the battlefield.
- Inconsistency in Power Level: Some decks can barely utilize Fastbond’s potential, while others can reliably and consistently break it. This discrepancy creates an uneven playing field where some players are at a significant disadvantage based on their deck composition.
- Format Health: The Commander Rules Committee aims to promote interactive and balanced gameplay. Fastbond, by accelerating certain strategies to an unacceptable degree, undermines this objective.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Fastbond and Commander Bans
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about Fastbond and related topics concerning banned cards in the Commander format:
Is Fastbond banned in other formats besides Commander?
No, Fastbond is legal in Vintage, where its immense power is balanced by the presence of equally powerful counter strategies and card advantage engines. It is banned in Legacy.
What are some alternatives to Fastbond for mana ramp in Commander?
There are many legal and effective ramp options in Commander, including:
- Mana dorks: Birds of Paradise, Llanowar Elves, Elves of Deep Shadow
- Ramp spells: Cultivate, Kodama’s Reach, Skyshroud Claim, Farseek
- Artifact ramp: Sol Ring, Mana Crypt (expensive but legal), Arcane Signet
- Land-based ramp: Exploration, Oracle of Mul Daya, Azusa, Lost but Seeking
Why aren’t all fast mana cards banned in Commander?
The Commander Rules Committee evaluates each card individually. While some fast mana sources like Sol Ring are extremely powerful, their impact is considered acceptable because they are widely available and generally accessible across all colors. Fastbond’s color restriction and potential for more explosive, synergistic plays make it more problematic.
How often does the Commander Rules Committee update the banlist?
The Commander Rules Committee updates the banlist periodically, typically several times per year. These updates are announced on their official website and various Magic: The Gathering news outlets.
What is the official website of the Commander Rules Committee?
The official website of the Commander Rules Committee is mtgcommander.net.
What criteria does the Commander Rules Committee use to ban cards?
The Commander Rules Committee considers several factors, including:
- Power level: Is the card significantly stronger than other comparable options?
- Consistency: How reliably can the card be utilized to its full potential?
- Format warping: Does the card force players to build decks or play in a specific way to counter it?
- Impact on gameplay: Does the card lead to unfun or non-interactive game states?
- Community feedback: The Rules Committee considers feedback from the Commander community.
What is the difference between “banned as a commander” and “banned”?
A card “banned as a commander” means that you cannot choose it as your commander, but it is still legal to include in the 99-card deck of another commander. A card that is simply “banned” is prohibited from being included in any Commander deck, regardless of whether it’s the commander or one of the 99 other cards.
Can I ask my playgroup to unban Fastbond for our games?
Absolutely! Commander is primarily a social format, and playgroups have the freedom to modify the rules and banlist as they see fit, as long as all players agree. This is known as rule zero. However, for games with strangers or at official events, the official banlist must be followed.
Is there a card that does something similar to Fastbond but is legal in Commander?
Not exactly. Exploration and similar cards allow you to play an additional land per turn, but they lack Fastbond’s explosive potential for playing multiple additional lands in a single turn. They are slower, but less risky.
How does Fastbond interact with effects that prevent life loss?
If you have an effect that prevents life loss (like Platinum Angel or Absorb), you will not lose life from playing additional lands with Fastbond. This significantly increases the card’s power level.
Why is Channel banned in Commander?
Channel, another green card known for its potent mana ramp capabilities, is banned for similar reasons to Fastbond. Channel allows you to pay life to add colorless mana to your mana pool. Combined with a high-cost spell, a player can easily kill the entire table.
What’s a good resource for learning more about the Commander format and banned cards?
Beyond the Commander Rules Committee website, the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ has many resources available and is also a great place to learn about the game.
Is Mana Crypt banned in Commander?
No, Mana Crypt is legal in Commander. While extremely powerful, its high cost and availability across all colors makes it less problematic than cards like Fastbond.
Are any land cards banned in Commander?
Yes, several land cards are banned in Commander, usually because they provide unfair mana advantages or create non-interactive gameplay. Some notable examples include:
- Tolarian Academy: Provides a massive mana advantage in artifact-heavy decks.
- Strip Mine: While not universally banned in house rules, often a target of house rules.
What other types of cards are commonly banned in Commander?
Besides cards that generate excessive mana or board advantage, other types of cards commonly found on the Commander banlist include:
- Cards that promote non-interactive gameplay: Cards that lock opponents out of the game or prevent them from playing.
- Cards that encourage infinite combos: While combos are a part of Magic, some are considered too easy to assemble and can lead to repetitive and unsatisfying gameplay.
- Cards that create unfair starting advantages: Cards that significantly benefit one player from the beginning of the game.