What Is Commander? A Beginner’s Guide to MTG’s Most Popular Format
Commander rules at a glance
Your commander plus 99 other cards.
Singleton format. Basic lands are the exception.
Double a normal game, because games run longer.
Each time you cast your commander again, it costs two more.
Take 21 combat damage from one commander and you lose.
A free-for-all where everyone plays against everyone.
Commander is the most popular way to play Magic: The Gathering, and it’s easy to see why. Instead of a tight one-on-one duel, you sit down with three friends, each piloting a 100-card deck led by a legendary creature. Games are social, swingy and full of memorable moments.
This guide covers everything you need to know to sit down at your first Commander table.
The basics in one minute
- 100 cards, including your commander. Your deck has exactly 100 cards: 99 in the library and one commander.
- Singleton. Apart from basic lands, you can only run one copy of each card.
- Color identity. Every card in your deck must fit within the colors of your commander’s mana symbols, including symbols in its rules text.
- 40 life. Everyone starts at 40 life instead of 20.
- Usually four players. Commander is designed for multiplayer free-for-all, though it works with two to six players.
The command zone
Your commander starts the game face-up in the command zone, not in your library. You can cast it from there whenever you could normally cast it. If it dies or gets exiled, you may return it to the command zone instead.
Each time you cast your commander from the command zone, it costs 2 more generic mana for every previous time you’ve cast it from there. This is called the commander tax.
Commander damage
If a single commander deals 21 or more combat damage to you over the course of the game, you lose, no matter how much life you have left. This makes big, evasive commanders a real threat even at high life totals.
Power levels and brackets
Because Commander is mostly played casually, it helps to agree on how powerful your decks are before you shuffle up. Wizards of the Coast uses a bracket system that sorts decks into tiers, from precon-level casual decks up to fully optimised competitive builds. Telling your table which bracket your deck is in is the quickest way to get fair, fun games.
How to get started
- Buy a preconstructed deck. Commander precons are ready to play out of the box and are balanced against each other. They’re the best first step.
- Play a few games. Learn what your deck does well and where it struggles.
- Upgrade it gradually. Swap a handful of cards at a time. Our precon upgrade framework walks you through it.
- Build your own. Once you’ve got the hang of it, pick a commander you love and build a deck from scratch.
Table etiquette
- Talk about power level before the game starts.
- Explain what your cards do when asked, and be patient with new players.
- Keep turns moving. Shuffling and long searches add up with four players.
- Have fun. The best Commander games are the ones everyone talks about afterwards.
Ready for your first deck?
Start with a precon in colors that appeal to you, sleeve it up and get it to the table. When you’re ready to make it your own, check out our precon upgrade guides.
