Wizards Provides Official Commander Format Reference For Players

Wizards of the Coast’s official Commander format pages serve as the canonical source for players who want clear guidance on the format’s rules and structure. The reference explains core elements that affect every game and deck, from the 100 card singleton construction rule to the commander tax and commander damage alternate loss condition.

Deck construction is one of the most consequential details for builders. Commander decks must contain exactly 100 cards including the chosen commander, and except for basic lands no card may appear more than once by English name. A commander is typically a legendary creature, and some planeswalkers explicitly state they can be used as commanders. Color identity is strictly enforced. Every card in a deck must be legal within the commander’s color identity, which includes any mana symbols that appear in casting costs or rules text.

Gameplay mechanics that are unique to Commander are also clarified. The commander begins the game in the command zone and may be cast from there. Each time a commander is cast from the command zone after the first it costs an additional two generic mana more than the previous time. Typical multiplayer games start at 40 life, while 1v1 variants use different life totals. If a player receives 21 or more combat damage from a single commander over the course of a game that player loses.

The official pages also host the authoritative Banned and Restricted lists. Historically that list has been curated by the Commander Rules Committee or governed by Wizards’ published guidance during stewardship transitions. For up to date ban information and the exact wording of rules and event eligibility, the official pages are the place to check. They also include product specific notes and event guidance for Wizards Play Network events such as Commander Party, plus links to deeper rulings and clarifications that matter to players, judges, and store organizers.