Magic: The Gathering Commander

Commander
Released June 17, 2011
Size Five 100-card decks, including 51 new cards
Designers Ken Nagle (Lead), Mark Gottlieb, Scott Larabee, Ryan Miller, Mark Purvis
Developers Mark Globus (Lead), Peter Knudson, Erik Lauer, Ryan Miller, Lee Sharpe
Development code Bedlam[1]

Commander is a series of supplemental Magic: the Gathering card game products, meant to be used in the variant format initially known as "Elder Dragon Highlander (EDH)".[2]

Gameplay

Commander is a format where players construct 100-card decks, with each card except basic lands appearing no more than once. Players also choose a legendary creature (or Planeswalker card in Commander 2014) to be their "Commander" (also known as a "General"), which begins the game in the "Command Zone". Each player's deck is based and built around their Commander's colors. In addition to the same losing conditions that exist in a normal game of Magic, a player may lose if he or she is dealt 21 total points of combat damage from a single Commander throughout the game.[3] Commander is most commonly played in groups of four, but larger groups do happen. A one-on-one variant on the Commander rule set has been rising in popularity. The Official 1v1 Commander Website contains a list of rulings and variant specific banned cards in .pdf format located here.

Commander also has its own "banned list" of cards, separate from any other format.[4] A list of the recommended banned cards in the format can be found on Wizard's official page here

Products

Commander (2011)

Magic: The Gathering Commander was released on June 17, 2011. It consisted of five preconstructed decks, each containing three foil oversized legendary creature cards. This set is notable in that it was the first set printed outside of the normal booster pack expansions to have functionally new cards. The set introduced 51 new cards,[5] made specifically for multi-player games.[6]

Each deck is built around a new legendary creature and a distinct mechanical theme. In addition to the intended Commander, they include two other new legendary creatures.[7]

Commander's Arsenal

Commander's Arsenal is a set with 18 premium foil cards, 10 oversized premium foil cards, card sleeves, a life counter, and tokens for keeping track of in-game effects. The set was released on November 2, 2012.[8] Each card in the set was the first edition of that card to receive premium foil treatment, the first to be printed in the modern frame, and/or received special art.[9]

Commander 2013

Commander 2013 was released on November 1, 2013. It introduced five new pre-constructed decks, each built around one of the three-colored "shards". 51 new cards were printed for Commander 2013, including five that introduced the mechanic Tempting offer, which allows opponents to duplicate the card's effect but at the cost of granting its controller a larger effect.

Commander 2014

Commander 2014 was released on November 7, 2014. It introduced five new pre-constructed decks, each built around one of the five colors. 61 new cards were printed for Commander 2014, including five that introduced the Lieutenent mechanic, which gives a bonus for the creature if you also control your Commander, and the first ever Planeswalkers that can be your Commander.

References

  1. ↑ Shawn Main (May 20, 2014). "Conspiring a Conspiracy". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  2. ↑ "EDH is now Commander". TCGplayer.com. December 2, 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Magic: The Gathering Commander Rules". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved June 21, 2011.,
  4. ↑ "Deck Construction Rules". MTGCommander.com. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Commander Spoiler". MTG Salvation. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  6. ↑ Ashley, Monty (December 2, 2010). "Announcing Magic: The Gathering Commander". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  7. ↑ Ashley, Monty (June 14, 2011). "Magic: The Gathering Commander Decklists". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  8. ↑ Ashley, Monty (August 10, 2012). "Commander's Arsenal". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
  9. ↑ http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/218c

External links