A Beginners Guide To Commander

What is Commander? MTG’s Biggest Multiplayer Format

Want to know how to play Magic: The Gathering Commander? Then you’re in luck, this Commander guide has everything you need to get started. Let’s start at the beginning.

For a long time, Magic: The Gathering discourse and content focused on competitive, one-on-one formats, namely Standard. It was known that there was a large ‘kitchen table’ group of players who played casually with the cards they had (rather than being bound by formats or banned lists), but they were largely left to their own devices.

Then EDH (‘Elder Dragon Highlander’) emerged - a community format developed by the game’s judges, which was a highly casual four-player version of the game. It focused on variety over consistency with a singleton stipulation (i.e. no more than one copy of any card apart from basic lands), a larger life total of 40 to allow players the chance to get going (and fight off three opponents), and a legendary creature to act as a commander who you’d always have access too, like an extra card in your hand. Originally, these had to be the original elder dragons, hence the EDH name, but evolved into being any legendary creature.

It really took off, and eventually Wizards formally recognised it, renamed it Commander, and started releasing specific products for it. It’s now Wizards’ most played format, catering to a more casual and social player base who like the free-for-all nature of the format.

The Commander Deck Rules: 100 Cards, One Commander, Singleton

A key part of Commander is understanding the rules when it comes to deck building - which adds to the fun of the format.

Decks must have exactly 100 cards including the commander, and it is singleton, meaning no more than one copy of any card apart from basic lands. This really adds to the variety of the game, ensuring games often look very different even with the same deck.

The commander has to be a legendary creature, although some cards, like certain Planewalkers, also say they can be commanders. Typically, players choose commanders based on their abilities (e.g. a deck based around discarding cards will have a commander that facilitates that), and also the colour identity of the card (decks can only include cards that are one of the colours of the commander).

How a Game of Commander Works: Turns, Life and Commander Damage

Commander generally follows the same rules as a usual game of Magic: The Gathering, with a few small additions and changes:

• Each player starts at 40 life, rather than the usual 20. The reason for this is two-fold: one, it allows players a bit more time to enable their deck to get going and ‘do it’s thing’, while also allowing for the onslaught of fighting against three opponents
• You can cast your commander from ‘the command zone’, as if it was in your hand and with the same timing restrictions. If it dies, you may have it return to the command zone, where it can be cast again, but for an additional [2] mana each time (known as ‘commander tax’)
• 21 combat damage from a single commander also eliminates a player, known as commander damage. It doesn’t come up a lot, but it is central to some strategies. The 21 harkens back to the EDH days, which is exactly three attacks from one of the five 7/7 elder dragons

Colour Identity Explained (And How to Pick a Commander)

Colour identity is another unique feature to the format which adds to the fun of deckbuilding and helps ensure that decks remain unique and not homogenised.

Each card has a colour identity, which basically means the colour of the card based on the mana symbols that appear on it. For example, a creature may only cost blue mana to cast, but have an activated ability that costs a white - if so, its colour identity is blue/white.

For commander, each card in your deck must be in the colour identity of your commander, adding an interesting deck restriction. For example, if your commander is mono black, you can only run black cards! For that reason, two and three colour commanders can be especially popular, allowing to balance the weakness of any one colour while also keeping mana requirements contained.

Your First Commander Deck: Start With a Precon, Then Upgrade

Building a deck from scratch can be a little intimidating. That’s why the preconstructed commander decks that are typically released with every set are so great - you can find a Commander that speaks to you, play with it, and see the cards you like and don’t, and then upgrade it with singles. These pre-cons are ready to play 100-card decks, and there are usually a few to choose from with each release, meaning it's easy to find one that will speak to you. They are the cheapest and fastest way into the format. MTG starter kits are another easy way in too.

Commander Etiquette: Playing Well at a Four-Player Table

There is another unique feature to Commander; it’s a four player game. This means etiquette means a lot, from players assessing who the biggest threat is (and therefore requires the most attention), to general table politics and deal making.

It’s really important to keep things fun and not overstep boundaries in terms of commenting on other players’ plays, suggesting what they should do, playing slowly, or getting salty. Be a good loser and a gracious winner. For more information, check out our Toxic Commander Habits That Ruin MTG Game Night guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start playing Commander?
Buy a preconstructed Commander deck, sit down with three or four players, and play - the deck is complete and legal out of the box.

How many cards are in a Commander deck?
Exactly 100, including your commander.

Is Commander good for beginners?
Yes - a preconstructed deck lets you play a complete, balanced deck straight out of the box.

How many players do you need?
It’s best with three or four, but it plays fine with two.

What’s the difference between Commander and EDH?
They’re the same format; EDH (Elder Dragon Highlander) is the original community name before it was renamed ‘Commander’

How much life do you start with?
40 life per player.

Start Playing Commander at Magic Madhouse

Now you know how to play magic the gathering commander we have everything you need right here at Magic Madhouse to shop Magic: The Gathering; you can shop preconstructed commander decks and MTG starter kits that are perfect to just ‘pick and deck, sit down, play’, to MTG singles to upgrade your deck or start from scratch.