What Happens to a Commander That Gets Exiled? A Comprehensive Guide
In the thrilling world of Commander, also known as EDH (Elder Dragon Highlander), the fate of your commander is a central concern. When your beloved leader faces exile, understanding the rules and options available is crucial for strategic gameplay. In short, when a commander is exiled, its owner has a choice. They can either allow the commander to remain in the exile zone, or they can choose to return it to the command zone. This decision is made the moment the exile effect would occur. If the owner chooses to move the commander to the command zone, it avoids the effect that would have exiled it.
Understanding the Commander Rules
The commander format is unique, with its own set of rules that govern how commanders interact with the game. It’s a casual multiplayer format where each player builds a 100-card deck around a legendary creature, planeswalker with the text “Can be your commander”, or, in rare cases, other specific cards allowed to be commanders. This commander dictates the color identity of the deck. The most pertinent rule regarding exile is this: If a commander would be put into the graveyard or exile from anywhere, its owner may choose to move it to the command zone instead.
Exile vs. Command Zone: A Critical Decision
When an opponent casts a spell like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile targeting your commander, you face a critical decision point. Do you allow your commander to be exiled, or do you return it to the command zone? The right choice depends heavily on the current board state, your deck strategy, and your opponent’s capabilities.
Choosing Exile: Leaving your commander in exile might seem like a bad idea at first glance. However, there are situations where it’s strategically advantageous. Perhaps you want to reset the commander tax, or maybe you have a way to retrieve cards from exile. Certain decks even thrive on having their commander in the exile zone, utilizing cards that interact with exiled cards.
Choosing the Command Zone: This is the more common choice. Returning your commander to the command zone ensures you can recast it later. However, each time you cast your commander from the command zone after it has been there previously, the commander tax increases by {2}. This is a crucial consideration, as a high commander tax can significantly hinder your ability to deploy your commander.
Replacement Effects and State-Based Actions
It’s important to understand that the decision to move your commander to the command zone is a replacement effect. It replaces the event of the commander entering the graveyard or exile. This decision is made as a state-based action, meaning it happens immediately and before any player can respond with spells or abilities. This timing is crucial to remember, as it doesn’t give your opponents a window to react before your commander is safely back in the command zone.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Exiled Commanders
1. If my commander is exiled, is it permanently gone?
Not necessarily. You have the option to return your commander to the command zone as a replacement effect when it would be exiled. If you choose to let it go to exile, some cards in Magic: The Gathering allow players to retrieve cards from the exile zone.
2. Does the commander tax apply if I let my commander stay in exile?
No. The commander tax only applies when you cast your commander from the command zone after it has been there. If your commander is in exile, and you find a way to get it back to your hand or directly onto the battlefield without casting it from the command zone, you avoid the commander tax.
3. Can my opponent exile my commander permanently?
While it’s difficult, it’s not entirely impossible. Some effects, like phasing out, can effectively remove a commander from the game permanently as long as that player is in the game, as the card can never phase back in. However, such effects are rare and often require specific and unusual circumstances. Most of the time, your commander will return to the command zone.
4. What if my commander is exiled face down?
Even if your commander is exiled face down, it is still your commander. The card retains this designation regardless of its status or zone. When it would be exiled, you can choose to put it in the command zone.
5. If my commander is exiled from the graveyard, can I still put it in the command zone?
Yes! The rule specifically states: “If a commander would be put into a graveyard or exile from anywhere, its owner may choose to move it to the command zone instead.” It doesn’t matter from which zone the commander is being moved.
6. Does exiling my commander count as it dying?
No. Exile and dying are distinct game actions. Dying specifically refers to a creature or planeswalker being put into the graveyard from the battlefield. When a permanent is exiled, it doesn’t trigger “dies” abilities.
7. Can I voluntarily exile my commander?
While you can’t explicitly choose to exile your commander without an effect doing so, you can choose to let it be exiled instead of returning it to the command zone when an effect would send it to the exile zone. This can be a strategic play, depending on your deck.
8. If I exile my commander, can I use cards that interact with exiled cards?
Yes, absolutely. Once your commander is in the exile zone, it interacts with any cards that have abilities related to exiled cards. This can open up new avenues for gameplay, especially if your deck is built around this strategy.
9. Does bouncing my commander to my hand increase the commander tax?
No. Returning your commander to your hand allows you to recast it later. If you choose to return it to your hand, you may cast it without paying the tax. However, if it instead goes back to the command zone, the tax does increase by 2 colourless mana.
10. What happens if my commander is copied, and then the copy is exiled?
If a copy of your commander is exiled, it simply goes to the exile zone, as it is not your actual commander. The commander replacement effect only applies to the actual commander card.
11. Is a commander a permanent?
Yes, if it is on the battlefield. A commander is a permanent once it is on the battlefield. An effect that refers to controlling a commander refers to a permanent on the battlefield that is a commander. However, when referring to casting a commander, it refers to a spell that is a commander.
12. Can I use a wish to get my commander back from exile?
Some “Wish” cards allow you to get cards from outside the game. The command zone and exile are considered within the game, so the card would have to be gotten from exile.
13. Does commander rank above captain in the military?
This is an interesting aside! In naval ranks, a Commander (CDR) ranks above a Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) and below a Captain (CAPT). It’s equivalent to a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army. So, in most cases, no, a commander does not outrank a captain. This, of course, is irrelevant to the Magic: The Gathering card game. You can find more information about the relationship between games and learning at the Games Learning Society (GamesLearningSociety.org).
14. What happens if my commander is exiled from a game I lose?
In a multiplayer game, if you lose and your commander is in the exile zone, it stays there until the game ends. The new controller of the commander would not be able to recast the commander.
15. Are there any cards that prevent me from putting my commander back in the command zone?
No, there are currently no cards that can prevent you from choosing to put your commander back into the command zone when it would be sent to the graveyard or exile. This is a fundamental rule of the Commander format.
Conclusion
The commander format offers layers of strategic depth, and understanding the nuances of how to handle your commander being exiled is paramount to success. By grasping the rules, replacement effects, and strategic considerations, you can navigate these situations effectively and ensure your commander remains a potent force on the battlefield. Always remember to evaluate the board state and your deck’s capabilities before making the crucial decision of whether to exile or return to the command zone.