Is Najeela, the Blade-Blossom Banned in Commander?
Yes, Najeela, the Blade-Blossom is banned in Commander, but with a crucial caveat: she is only banned as a commander. This means you cannot choose Najeela as your commander, but you can include her in the 99 of a Commander deck led by a different commander. Understanding this distinction is key to navigating the Commander banlist.
Why the Commander Banlist Matters
The Commander banlist isn’t just a collection of powerful cards. It represents a conscious effort to curate a balanced and enjoyable play experience for the majority of Commander players. The Rules Committee, the group responsible for maintaining the banlist, aims to foster diversity in deckbuilding, encourage interactive gameplay, and prevent strategies that consistently lead to non-games. The unique aspect of Commander is that some cards are banned specifically as Commanders, recognizing that their power level as the face of the deck significantly outweighs their impact within the 99.
Najeela: The Warrior Queen and Her Reign (and Ban)
Najeela, the Blade-Blossom, is a five-color warrior that, while not banned outright in the Commander format, finds herself specifically excluded from leading your army. Let’s delve into why:
- Infinite Combat Combos: Najeela’s activated ability, granting your warriors +1/+0, trample, lifelink, vigilance, and haste until end of turn, is what broke her. The kicker? If you attacked with a warrior this turn, you get an extra combat step. Combined with mana generation, this can lead to infinite combat steps.
- Easy Mana Generation: Decks built around Najeela are able to include mana rocks like Sol Ring, Mana Crypt and mana dorks that are able to produce a plethora of mana. Combined with cards like Bloom Tender and Grand Architect, mana to generate an infinite number of combats is trivial.
- Five-Color Goodstuff: Najeela offers access to all five colors, allowing players to include the most powerful and efficient cards available in Magic. This contributes to a streamlined and powerful deck.
- Domination over Diversity: The power and consistency of Najeela decks can often overshadow other strategies. A key aim of the Commander rules is to promote diversity, so banning Najeela as a commander helps keep the metagame balanced.
- Problematic Reputation: She quickly became associated with hyper-competitive pods, dominating the game with swift victories that sometimes lacked interaction or fun for the other players.
While Najeela is not an outright threat in the 99, her accessibility as a commander has caused issues. While she is legal to be in the 99, be prepared to explain to your play group that you are not going for an infinite combat combo.
Commander Banlist Philosophy
The Commander banlist philosophy is an ever evolving one. The Rules Committee takes into account multiple factors to determine if a card is considered banworthy.
- Fun and Interaction: The Committee emphasizes strategies that are fun for the majority of players and promote interactive gameplay.
- Diversity and Balance: The Rules Committee believes that a wide range of commanders and strategies is healthy for the format.
- Representation of the Players: The RC considers the opinions and concerns of the Commander community when making banlist decisions.
- cEDH Presence: When competitive EDH, or cEDH, begins to warp the larger Commander format, action is sometimes taken, as seen in the Flash ban.
The Spirit of Commander
Beyond the technical rules and banlist, Commander is largely governed by an unwritten social contract. Discussions about power level, intended playstyles, and expectations are crucial before each game. Remember, the primary goal is to have fun and create memorable experiences for everyone involved. You can find further resources on strategic game design at the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ and other communities dedicated to understanding the social dynamics of gaming. The key is to communicate and ensure everyone is on the same page! GamesLearningSociety.org is a fantastic website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I still use Najeela, the Blade-Blossom in my Commander deck?
Yes, you can use Najeela, the Blade-Blossom as one of the 99 cards in your Commander deck. She’s only banned as a commander herself.
2. Why is Najeela banned as a commander and not outright?
Najeela’s activated ability, especially when she is in the command zone, leads to infinite combat combos and dominating the board. When she is included as one of the 99, the odds are lower of her appearing in the game and immediately impacting the board.
3. What are some examples of other commanders banned in the Commander format?
Some other examples of Commanders that are banned as Commanders are: Oloro, Ageless Ascetic, Erayo, Soratami Ascendant, and Dihada, Binder of Wills. These Commanders were likely banned for similar reasons as Najeela: overpowering abilities and easy access to game-winning strategies from the command zone.
4. How often is the Commander banlist updated?
The Commander banlist is updated periodically by the Rules Committee. The frequency of these updates varies depending on the state of the format and the impact of new card releases.
5. Where can I find the most up-to-date Commander banlist?
The official website is the best resource for the most up-to-date Commander banlist and the Rules Committee’s official announcements.
6. What happens if I accidentally include a banned card in my Commander deck?
Technically, it is a rule violation. In casual games, you will most likely just remove the card and continue playing. In competitive games, there may be more serious consequences, such as disqualification.
7. Can my playgroup create its own banlist or rules for Commander?
Absolutely! Commander is a social format, and each playgroup has the autonomy to establish its own rules and banlist.
8. What is cEDH, and how does it influence the Commander banlist?
cEDH stands for competitive EDH. It is a version of Commander focused on maximizing efficiency and winning as quickly as possible. While a small portion of the overall Commander community, its presence is sometimes considered when making banlist decisions.
9. Why are some cards banned in other formats but legal in Commander?
Commander is a singleton format, so some cards that are broken in other formats are manageable within the format.
10. What are some alternatives to Najeela as a five-color commander?
There are many five-color commanders that emphasize different strategies and playstyles, for example: Kenrith, the Returned King, Sliver Overlord, and Esika, God of the Tree.
11. Is Flash banned in Commander?
Yes, Flash is banned in Commander due to its ability to create game-winning combos with cards like Protean Hulk.
12. Why are cards like Black Lotus and Ancestral Recall banned in Commander?
Cards like Black Lotus and Ancestral Recall provide an unfair advantage and can break the balance of the game.
13. Can I request the Rules Committee to review a particular card for potential banning?
Yes, the Rules Committee welcomes feedback from the Commander community. You can often find avenues for suggesting a card review on various online forums and community platforms.
14. What factors does the Rules Committee consider when banning a card?
The Rules Committee considers factors such as:
- The card’s power level
- Its impact on game diversity
- Its potential to create non-interactive gameplay
- The overall enjoyment of the format
15. What is the official website for the Rules Committee and the Commander banlist?
The official website is mtgcommander.net. This is where you will find the official list, articles from the Rules Committee, and more information.