Rules
Comprehensive Rules
Search and browse the complete Magic: The Gathering rulebook
9 Sections147 chapters
Casual Variants6 chapters
903. Commander
903.1
In the Commander variant, a variant created and popularized by fans, each deck is led by a legendary creature designated as that deck’s commander. The Commander variant uses all the normal rules for a Magic game, with the following additions.
903.10
The Commander variant includes the following specification for winning and losing the game. All other rules for ending the game also apply. (See rule 104.)
903.11
Except via rules, special actions, and effects that specifically bring cards into Commander games from outside the game, traditional cards from outside the game cannot be brought into a Commander game.
903.12
Brawl Option
903.13
Commander Draft
903.2
A Commander game may be a two-player game or a multiplayer game. The default multiplayer setup is the Free-for-All variant with the attack multiple players option and without the limited range of influence option. See rule 806, “Free-for-All Variant.”
903.3
Each deck has a legendary card designated as its commander
903.4
The Commander variant uses color identity to determine what cards can be in a deck with a certain commander. The color identity of a card is the color or colors of any mana symbols in that card’s mana cost or rules text, plus any colors defined by its characteristic-defining abilities (see rule 604.3) or color indicator (see rule 204).
903.5
Each Commander deck is subject to the following deck construction rules.
903.6
At the start of the game, each player puts their commander from their deck face up into the command zone. Then each player shuffles the remaining cards of their deck so that the cards are in a random order. Those cards become the player’s library.
903.7
Once the starting player has been determined, each player sets their life total to 40 and draws a hand of seven cards.
903.8
A player may cast a commander they own from the command zone
903.9
A commander may return to the command zone during a Commander game.