Within the Commander format of Magic: The Gathering, a participant loses the sport if they’ve been dealt 21 or extra fight harm by the identical commander over the course of the sport. This harm is tracked cumulatively throughout all video games inside a match. For example, if a participant takes 15 harm from a selected commander within the first sport after which 6 from the identical commander within the second, that participant loses the second sport. That is distinct from common fight harm, which solely wants to cut back a participant’s life complete to zero in a single sport.
This “commander harm” rule provides a novel strategic layer to the format. It presents a constant win situation even in opposition to lifegain methods, whereas additionally creating vulnerabilities for gamers relying closely on their commander. The rule encourages numerous deckbuilding decisions and cautious menace evaluation, resulting in extra dynamic gameplay. Launched to curb the dominance of sure methods involving voltron (constructing a deck targeted on boosting the commander’s energy and toughness), it has change into a cornerstone of the format, shaping its metagame and contributing considerably to Commander’s enduring recognition.
