That said, there are some places where any strategy is acceptable. Some games are played at a high power level, “no holds barred”; if your potential opponents like that kind of game, great! Just recognize that most Commander players aren’t looking for that, and will choose not to play against it, so it’s a good idea to let people know what you’re planning before the game starts. Ask if they’re ok with it, and be prepared to play something else if they’re not. Communicate what you enjoy about Commander, what you’re hoping (or not) to see in that game (such as specific cards, length of games, or general strategies), then change plans a bit if necessary. Sometimes that’s pulling a few cards, sometimes swapping a deck, sometimes changing tables or deciding not to play.
Of course, you can make a jank deck with these good cards but it’s a nice rule of thumb. In my opinion, a win is only as fun as it is challenging. If you sit down with a fine-tuned, well-made deck and I’ve just got a pile of 100 cards I randomly pulled out of a drawer, you’ll probably win but it won’t be that fun. Battlebond already created a workaround with the “partner with” mechanic. Those cards can partner, but only specifically with one other creature. In this system, your deck would be defined by its highest-bracket card or cards.
As a celebration of the release of Unstable, silver-bordered cards were made legal From December 1, 2017, until January 15, 2018, by MTGCommander.net. In addition to the normal Magic loss conditions, if a player is dealt 21 points of combat damage from a single commander throughout the game, that player loses the game. This combat damage total is kept track of separately for each player’s commander and does not reduce if a player gains life. We also recommend getting in touch with your local game store to see if they have a dedicated night, or just regulars hosting games.
It’s not as elegant or refined as some of the more serious formats, but that’s the beauty of it. So, here’s what you need to know about Commander, and how you can get into it. Bolt the Bird is bringing you the latest news, advice, and decklists from the world of MTG. We also host The Bolt Zone podcast with advice for competitive players. I also included some board wipes as part of the overall removal package too.
Can Adventure Cards Be Your Commander?
Encourage them to have social contract conversations to make better matches, but don’t force it. Initially there may be a lot of watching of games and people figuring out where they belong, but that will eventually turn players who don’t know each other into trusted groups. Some groups ban both “accidental” and by-design infinite combo decks. Sit with the other players and discuss what can and can’t be played and make sure everyone has as much fun as possible.
Bloomburrow Tins Arrive This December with Special Promo Cards
Be patient with each other and if something ends the game, shuffle up and play again. After all, you often learn more playing three shorter games rather than one long one. If a commander is in a graveyard or in exile and that card was put into that zone since the last time state-based actions were checked, its owner may put it into the command zone. If a commander would be put into its owner’s hand or library from anywhere, its owner may put it into the command zone instead. This replacement effect may apply more than once to the same event.
The truth is that any and all Commander rules (official or not) can be modified. Especially when you’re playing with your friends, whether it be at a kitchen table or at a store. The main goal of this format is to have fun and make sure everyone else does, too.
We want to get it out on the board ASAP and keep it there. These forms of protection are also non-creature spells, so it lets us make some tokens in the process too. Clout of Dominus is basically free at one mana as the spirit Kykar creates will be sufficient to mtg card recoup the cost of playing it. Misdirection, Narset’s Reversal, and Silence are all great ways of stopping our opponents’ interaction and allow us to have some peace and quiet to cast our spells. A player that has been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same commander throughout the game loses the game. Note that gaining life won’t affect this total in any way.
In the card draw department, we see several Bident of Thassa effects, as well as Mentor of the Meek to essential turn our tokens into card draw, and Niv Mizzet Parum to achieve a similar end on a larger scale. We also have a couple of one-off card draw spells such as Faithless Looting and Frantic Search to help us dig independently of our commander. Strixhaven Stadium is also in here as a bit of a cute alternate win-con. However, I am not sure if it will fill that purpose too often. Something that I think can win us games regularly however is Shared Animosity, a three-mana enchantment that gives each attacking creature +1/+0 for each other attacking creature that shares a type. Nine spirits suddenly swinging for 90 power could definitely close out some games.
They can be cast as if they were in your hand from here and can be returned to the Command Zone if they were to die. It’s so popular, it’s actually become one of the company’s newest focuses with entire sets dedicated to it, and a fresh set of decks with each new set. This document represents the complete rules regarding Duel Commander rules. It is not designed to be read in one shot, especially for new players.
For example, Reclamation Sage is an elf that also destroys things. It’s not a question of “is Mind Stone underperforming” it is instead “is my ramp package underperforming.” This allows you to look holistically at your deck and see where the shortcomings are. Certain Universes Beyond products include partner with pairs as well. Jurassic World Collection includes a pair, Doctor Who includes a pair and a pair, Tales of Middle-Earth includes a pair and a pair, and Assassin’s Creed includes a pair.
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A lot of people thought these abilities were a bit broken thanks to the advantages they created. Yes, you’re allowed to have two legendary creatures in your command zone as long as both commanders have the partner keyword. If you happen to gain control of an opponent’s commander, that card also counts as a commander while under your control.