he Commander format acts as a perfect example of the interaction of Magic fans and Wizards of the Coast. Originally created by fans (and still maintained by an external group), Commander was adopted by Wizards as a fully supported format both in paper Magic and on Magic Online. Commander is a popular, high-powered, casual multiplayer format where huge creatures battle against powerful spells from throughout Magic's history.

Deck Construction Rules

The basic points of deck construction for Commander are:

A Commander deck is like no other. Instead of "at least sixty cards" (the norm for Constructed formats) you build a deck of exactly one hundred cards (no more, no less). Instead of being able to have "up to four copies" of any card (except basic lands) you may only have exactly one copy of each. One of those hundred cards must be a legendary creature (your commander), which defines your deck's color identity—i.e., the colors you can include in your deck (this isn't limited to just casting cost, but includes anywhere mana colors appear on a card).

Building a Commander deck on Magic Online is a slightly different experience as you build the deck by putting your deck's commander in the sideboard and the other 99 cards go in your main deck.

Finding Commander on Magic Online Wide Beta

Click to enlarge

Details and B&R List

Your commander resides in the command zone (where things like Planeswalker emblems also live), and may be cast at any time you have the mana. Whenever your commander would die or be exiled, you can send it to the command zone instead, but each time your commander returns to that zone its casting cost increases by .

Commander follows both the Vintage banned list and its own banned list.

The following cards are legal for use in decks, but can't be used as commanders:

The following cards are banned in Commander:

Recent Top Decks

We asked around Wizards of the Coast HQ for decks our friends have online they particularly enjoy. Here are some of our favorites. Enjoy!

WotC_Charles's Kresh the Savage Beatings

Commander – Kresh the Bloodbraided

Main Deck 99 cards		Commander
1  Badlands 1  Bayou 1  Blood Crypt 1  Bojuka Bog 1  Command Tower 1  Diamond Valley 1  Dragonskull Summit 1  Fire-Lit Thicket 5  Forest 1  Golgari Rot Farm 1  Graven Cairns 1  Grim Backwoods 1  Gruul Turf 1  Kessig Wolf Run 1  Lavaclaw Reaches 1  Maze of Ith 4  Mountain 1  Overgrown Tomb 1  Rakdos Carnarium 1  Reflecting Pool 1  Savage Lands 1  Stomping Ground 4  Swamp 1  Taiga 1  Temple of the False God 1  Twilight Mire 1  Verdant Catacombs 1  Wooded Foothills 38 lands 1  Anger 1  Avatar of Woe 1  Big Game Hunter 1  Brawn 1  Butcher of Malakir 1  Charnelhoard Wurm 1  Dimir House Guard 1  Dragon Broodmother 1  Duplicant 1  Eternal Witness 1  Fleshbag Marauder 1  Hellhole Flailer 1  Indrik Stomphowler 1  Kaervek the Merciless 1  Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker 1  Phyrexian Dreadnought 1  Shriekmaw 1  Silklash Spider 1  Solemn Simulacrum 1  Spike Weaver 1  Taurean Mauler 1  Urabrask the Hidden 1  Wood Elves 1  Woodfall Primus 1  Wurmcoil Engine 1  Yavimaya Elder 26 creatures	1  Animate Dead 1  Batterskull 1  Beacon of Unrest 1  Birthing Pod 1  Blasphemous Act 1  Buried Alive 1  Chain Reaction 1  Damnation 1  Death's Presence 1  Demonic Tutor 1  Exhume 1  Farseek 1  Fires of Yavimaya 1  Fling 1  Gratuitous Violence 1  Greater Good 1  Lavalanche 1  Living Death 1  Loxodon Warhammer 1  Mimic Vat 1  Nature's Lore 1  Phyrexian Arena 1  Rage Reflection 1  Rakdos Charm 1  Rancor 1  Reanimate 1  Savage Beating 1  Skullclamp 1  Sol Ring 1  Stranglehold 1  Survival of the Fittest 1  Sword of Light and Shadow 1  Syphon Flesh 1  Terminate 1  Wrecking Ball 35 other spells

smlarabee's Rakdos and his Vampires

Commander – Rakdos, Lord of Riots

Main Deck 100 cards		Commander
1  Badlands 1  Barren Moor 1  Blood Crypt 1  Bloodstained Mire 1  Bojuka Bog 1  Cabal Coffers 1  Command Tower 1  Crypt of Agadeem 1  Dragonskull Summit 1  Evolving Wilds 1  Forgotten Cave 1  Graven Cairns 1  Marsh Flats 1  Maze of Ith 3  Mountain 1  Phyrexian Tower 1  Polluted Delta 1  Rakdos Carnarium 1  Reliquary Tower 1  Scalding Tarn 11  Swamp 1  Temple of the False God 1  Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 1  Verdant Catacombs 1  Vesuva 1  Wasteland 38 lands 1  Anathemancer 1  Ascendant Evincar 1  Blood Artist 1  Bloodghast 1  Bloodgift Demon 1  Bloodline Keeper 1  Butcher of Malakir 1  Captivating Vampire 1  Chancellor of the Dross 1  Disciple of Bolas 1  Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief 1  Falkenrath Aristocrat 1  Falkenrath Noble 1  Filth 1  Fleshbag Marauder 1  Grave Titan 1  Harvester of Souls 1  Kokusho, the Evening Star 1  Maga, Traitor to Mortals 1  Malakir Bloodwitch 1  Massacre Wurm 1  Mephidross Vampire 1  Mikaeus, the Unhallowed 1  Necropolis Regent 1  Netherborn Phalanx 1  Nirkana Revenant 1  Olivia Voldaren 1  Rakdos, Lord of Riots 1  Solemn Simulacrum 1  Stromkirk Captain 1  Urabrask the Hidden 1  Vampire Hexmage 1  Vampire Nighthawk 1  Vampire Nocturnus 1  Viscera Seer 1  Withered Wretch 1  Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed 37 creatures	1  Ambition's Cost 1  Beacon of Unrest 1  Black Market 1  Blood Tribute 1  Bloodchief Ascension 1  Corrupt 1  Damnation 1  Decree of Pain 1  Demonic Tutor 1  Expedition Map 1  Exsanguinate 1  Grave Pact 1  Grim Discovery 1  Living Death 1  Mimic Vat 1  Necropotence 1  Nevinyrral's Disk 1  Phyrexian Arena 1  Rakdos Charm 1  Sensei's Divining Top 1  Sol Ring 1  Syphon Mind 1  Wound Reflection 23 other spells 1  Liliana of the Dark Realms 1  Sorin Markov 2 planeswalkers

Monty_A's Kaalia

Commander – Kaalia of the Vast

Main Deck 100 cards		Commander
1  Badlands 1  Barren Moor 1  Blackcleave Cliffs 1  Blasted Landscape 1  Blood Crypt 1  Boros Garrison 1  City of Brass 1  Dragonskull Summit 1  Drifting Meadow 1  Gemstone Mine 1  Godless Shrine 4  Mountain 10  Plains 1  Plateau 1  Rakdos Guildgate 1  Sacred Foundry 1  Scrubland 1  Smoldering Crater 8  Swamp 1  Urborg Volcano 39 lands 1  Admonition Angel 1  Akroma, Angel of Fury 1  Akroma, Angel of Wrath 1  Angel of Despair 1  Angel of Glory's Rise 1  Angel of Retribution 1  Angel of Salvation 1  Angelic Arbiter 1  Avacyn, Angel of Hope 1  Balefire Dragon 1  Bladewing the Risen 1  Brimstone Dragon 1  Chancellor of the Annex 1  Dragon Tyrant 1  Dread Cacodemon 1  Eternal Dragon 1  Fire Dragon 1  Firemane Angel 1  Furyborn Hellkite 1  Gisela, Blade of Goldnight 1  Harvester of Souls 1  Havoc Demon 1  Imperial Hellkite 1  Iona, Shield of Emeria 1  Kaalia of the Vast 1  Kokusho, the Evening Star 1  Lady Orca 1  Luminous Angel 1  Moonveil Dragon 1  Ob Nixilis, the Fallen 1  Oros, the Avenger 1  Pestilence Demon 1  Razia, Boros Archangel 1  Reya Dawnbringer 1  Rune-Scarred Demon 1  Ryusei, the Falling Star 1  Scourge of Kher Ridges 1  Shivan Hellkite 1  Silver Seraph 1  Spirit of the Night 1  Steel Hellkite 1  Stronghold Overseer 1  Sunblast Angel 1  Tariel, Reckoner of Souls 1  Two-Headed Dragon 1  Utvara Hellkite 1  Vampiric Dragon 1  Yosei, the Morning Star 1  Zodiac Dragon 49 creatures	1  Cloak and Dagger 1  Demonic Tutor 1  Diabolic Tutor 1  Grim Tutor 1  Lightning Greaves 1  Sol Ring 1  Swords to Plowshares 1  Terror 1  Vampiric Tutor 1  Wheel of Fortune 1  Whispersilk Cloak 1  Wrath of God 12 other spells

WotC_Trick's Odric and His Rebels

Commander – Odric, Master Tactician

Main Deck 99 cards		Commander
1  Emeria, the Sky Ruin 1  Homeward Path 1  Maze of Ith 35  Plains 1  Temple of the False God 1  Vesuva 1  Windbrisk Heights 41 lands 1  Adaptive Automaton 1  Baneslayer Angel 1  Darien, King of Kjeldor 1  Duplicant 1  Eight-and-a-Half-Tails 1  Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite 1  Eternal Dragon 1  Hero of Bladehold 1  Karmic Guide 1  Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero 1  Magus of the Disk 1  Mirror Entity 1  Pianna, Nomad Captain 1  Precinct Captain 1  Ramosian Captain 1  Ramosian Commander 1  Ramosian Lieutenant 1  Ramosian Revivalist 1  Ramosian Sky Marshal 1  Reveille Squad 1  Seht's Tiger 1  Solemn Simulacrum 1  Soltari Champion 1  Windbrisk Raptor 1  Wurmcoil Engine 25 creatures	1  Austere Command 1  Cathars' Crusade 1  Coat of Arms 1  Coldsteel Heart 1  Darksteel Ingot 1  Day of Judgment 1  Disenchant 1  Dispeller's Capsule 1  Elixir of Immortality 1  Endless Horizons 1  Gerrard's Battle Cry 1  Glorious Anthem 1  Konda's Banner 1  Land Tax 1  Lightning Greaves 1  Martial Coup 1  Oblivion Ring 1  Oblivion Stone 1  Path to Exile 1  Prison Term 1  Rout 1  Scrabbling Claws 1  Skullclamp 1  Sol Ring 1  Spectral Procession 1  Swiftfoot Boots 1  Sword of Fire and Ice 1  Swords to Plowshares 1  Umezawa's Jitte 1  Vow of Duty 1  Wrath of God 31 other spells 1  Elspeth, Knight-Errant 1  Gideon Jura 2 planeswalkers

John_St Eternal Dragon

Commander - Scion of the Ur-Dragon

Main Deck 99 cards		Commander
1  Akoum Refuge 1  Badlands 1  Bayou 1  Bojuka Bog 1  Boros Garrison 1  Cabal Coffers 1  Elfhame Palace 1  Exotic Orchard 1  Fire-Lit Thicket 1  Forest 1  Gemstone Caverns 1  Gilt-Leaf Palace 1  Graven Cairns 1  Graypelt Refuge 1  Gruul Turf 1  Izzet Boilerworks 1  Jwar Isle Refuge 1  Kazandu Refuge 1  Molten Slagheap 1  Mosswort Bridge 1  Mountain 1  Rakdos Carnarium 1  Rupture Spire 1  Savage Lands 1  Savannah 1  Sejiri Refuge 1  Shadowblood Ridge 1  Shivan Oasis 1  Simic Growth Chamber 1  Swamp 1  Tropical Island 1  Underground Sea 1  Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 1  Vivid Grove 34 lands 1  Akroma, Angel of Fury 1  Arcades Sabboth 1  Ashling, the Extinguisher 1  Balefire Dragon 1  Bladewing the Risen 1  Cromat 1  Darigaaz, the Igniter 1  Elvish Piper 1  Flameblast Dragon 1  Hellkite Overlord 1  Intet, the Dreamer 1  Jenara, Asura of War 1  Knacksaw Clique 1  Knollspine Dragon 1  Maelstrom Archangel 1  Mordant Dragon 1  Mul Daya Channelers 1  Myojin of Cleansing Fire 1  Myojin of Infinite Rage 1  Myojin of Night's Reach 1  Myojin of Seeing Winds 1  Nicol Bolas 1  Numot, the Devastator 1  Reki, the History of Kamigawa 1  Reya Dawnbringer 1  Rith, the Awakener 1  Skyward Eye Prophets 1  Teneb, the Harvester 1  Treva, the Renewer 1  Utvara Hellkite 1  Vorosh, the Hunter 31 creatures	1  Beacon of Unrest 1  Breath of Life 1  Brilliant Ultimatum 1  Celestial Dawn 1  Chromatic Lantern 1  Conflux 1  Cruel Ultimatum 1  Darksteel Ingot 1  Demonic Tutor 1  Diabolic Tutor 1  Eon Hub 1  False Dawn 1  Feldon's Cane 1  Hero's Demise 1  Icy Manipulator 1  Legacy Weapon 1  Lurking Predators 1  Maelstrom Nexus 1  Mystical Tutor 1  Naked Singularity 1  Nettlevine Blight 1  Praetor's Counsel 1  Primal Command 1  Primeval Light 1  Prismatic Omen 1  Regrowth 1  Resurrection 1  Sensei's Divining Top 1  Sol Ring 1  That Which Was Taken 1  Time Warp 1  Viridian Longbow 32 other spells 1  Garruk Wildspeaker 1  Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 2 planeswalkers