Commander is a multiplayer free-for-all format: each player builds around a legendary commander, starts with a large life total, and can attack any opponent. The familiar table has four players, while Wizards of the Coast’s current multiplayer description applies to games with three or more players. The commander begins in the command zone, can be cast again with an increasing additional cost, and creates a separate loss condition when one player receives enough combat damage from that same commander.
What a Commander multiplayer game is
Commander is a casual-oriented Magic: The Gathering format designed for a shared table rather than a head-to-head match. Players sit in a circle and take complete turns one at a time. In the free-for-all structure described by Wizards of the Coast, play proceeds clockwise, and every other player is an opponent unless a card effect changes that relationship.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
There are no teams in the standard multiplayer game. You may negotiate, make temporary deals, or choose attacks that affect the table politically, but those choices are social decisions rather than rules that bind players. A spell or ability can normally target any player when its wording permits it.
Wizards’ format overview presents Commander as a four-player format in its introductory overview, but its multiplayer rules describe games with three or more people. Four players is therefore the familiar table size, not a requirement for the free-for-all rules. Two-player Commander is a separate 1v1 format and should not automatically be assumed to use the same multiplayer setup or expectations.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
How to set up the game
Before shuffling, each player identifies a commander and prepares a deck that follows that commander’s color identity. In a normal multiplayer game, the commander is placed face up in the command zone rather than shuffled into the library.
| Setup item | Multiplayer Commander rule |
|---|---|
| Players | The cited free-for-all rules cover three or more players; four is the familiar table arrangement. |
| Starting life | Each player begins at 40 life. |
| Opening hand | Each player draws seven cards. |
| Deck size | Exactly 100 cards, including the commander. |
| Commander location | The commander starts face up in the command zone. |
| Turn direction | Players take turns clockwise around the table. |
After everyone has drawn seven cards, use the normal Magic mulligan procedure in effect for your event or play group. The commander is visible to the table, so opponents know the card that defines your deck before the first turn begins.
Building the 100-card deck
One commander plus 99 other cards
The deck total is 100 cards with the commander included. That means a single-commander deck normally contains one commander and 99 cards in the library. If a card or a specific Commander variant changes the number of commanders, follow that variant’s rules; the baseline construction described by Wizards is one commander included in the 100-card total.
Recommended Free Tools
Singleton construction
Except for basic lands, you normally may include only one card with a particular English name. “Four copies” of an ordinary constructed staple is therefore not legal in a normal Commander deck. Basic lands are the principal exception, allowing the repeated copies needed to produce mana.
Color identity, not just the mana cost
Your commander’s color identity determines which cards may be included. Color identity includes the colors in the commander’s mana cost and colored mana symbols that appear in its rules text, not merely the colors of the card’s frame. Every card in the 99 must stay within that identity. A card can be outside the deck’s identity even when its own casting cost appears colorless if a colored mana symbol in its rules text gives it a color.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Color-identity questions can become complicated with reminder text, hybrid symbols, back faces, and unusual mana abilities. For a legality decision, check the current official card information and the applicable Commander rules rather than relying on the card’s visual appearance. The material summarized here does not establish a current banned list, so tournament or organized-play legality should be verified separately.
Turn order and what you may attack
Clockwise turns
Once the starting player is determined, turns pass clockwise. Each turn still follows Magic’s normal phases and steps: untap, upkeep, draw, main phases, combat, and the ending phase. Multiplayer changes who can be attacked and how elimination affects the table; it does not remove the normal timing rules for casting spells or activating abilities.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Choose any opponent when attackers are declared
During combat, you may declare attackers against any opponent. You are not required to attack the player sitting next to you, the player with the most life, or the player who attacked you last turn. In a single combat, different creatures can be sent at different players. For example, one creature can attack the player on your left while another attacks the player across the table.
Planeswalkers and battles are chosen as attack destinations under their normal rules, and a creature attacking a player is blocked by that player’s creatures. Effects that restrict attacks, require a particular player to be attacked, or prevent a player from being attacked still work normally.
Targets are not limited to the active opponent
Spells and abilities can generally target any player when their text says “any target,” “target player,” or otherwise permits a player choice. You can cast a beneficial effect on an ally for the moment, remove a threat controlled by a different opponent, or use a political promise to decide who receives an effect. Card wording always takes precedence: if an effect says “target opponent,” you cannot choose yourself, and if it names a particular player or object, the normal targeting restrictions apply.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
The command zone and casting your commander again
Initial casting
Your commander begins face up in the command zone. You may cast it from that zone by paying its normal mana cost and following all normal timing and permission rules. A commander is a card, so effects that refer to casting a creature spell, paying an additional cost, or countering a spell can interact with it while it is on the stack.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe commander tax
Each time you previously cast that commander from the command zone during the game, its next cast from the command zone costs an additional two mana for each such previous cast. The additional amount is cumulative: the second command-zone cast costs two more mana, the third costs four more, and so on. This extra cost is added to the commander’s normal cost and is paid as part of casting the spell.
The count is tied to the number of times you cast the commander from the command zone, not to the number of times it died or changed zones. If you cast it once, return it to the command zone, and later cast it again, the additional cost applies. If you cast it from another zone by an effect that permits that play, that cast does not automatically increase the command-zone additional cost.
Moving the commander instead of letting it stay in another zone
Under the current Commander overview’s description, if your commander would go to its owner’s library, hand, graveyard, or exile, its owner may move it to the command zone instead. This replacement choice is made as the zone change would occur. Moving the card to the command zone can preserve access to it, but it can also matter to effects that count cards in a graveyard, exile, or library.
Rules interactions involving replacement effects, the stack, face-down cards, or a commander you do not own can be unusual. The official Comprehensive Rules and the exact wording of the cards involved control those cases; the overview is a practical starting point rather than a complete substitute for the rules document.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
Commander damage: the separate 21-point loss condition
Commander damage is combat damage dealt by a commander, tracked separately from ordinary life loss. If one player has been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same commander over the course of the game, that player loses the game. The rule is cumulative: damage from several attacks by that commander is added together.
Track each commander separately
Suppose Player A takes 8 combat damage from Player B’s commander, then 7 from that same commander several turns later. The total is 15, so the commander-damage threshold has not been reached. If a later attack deals 6 more combat damage from that commander, the total becomes 21 and Player A loses, even if Player A’s life total is still above zero.
Damage from two different commanders does not combine for this purpose. Ten combat damage from one commander and eleven from another is not 21 commander damage from either one. Keep a separate tally for every commander that deals combat damage to each player.
Only combat damage counts
The threshold uses combat damage, not every point of damage caused by a commander card. A triggered ability that deals damage, or damage from a noncombat effect while the commander is on the battlefield, is not commander combat damage unless the rules and card text make it combat damage. Normal prevention, replacement, lifelink, infect, and damage-modifying effects can change what is actually dealt and therefore what gets recorded.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Zone changes and control changes do not erase the tally
Changing zones does not reset the commander-damage total. If a commander leaves the battlefield, returns from the command zone, or is cast again, previously recorded combat damage from that same commander remains part of the game’s history. The same is true if another player temporarily gains control of the commander: damage from that commander is still tracked as damage dealt by that commander, not as a new tally created by the change of controller.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
What happens when a player loses
A multiplayer Commander game does not automatically end when one player loses. The remaining players continue until the normal win condition leaves only one player, or another effect ends the game.
When a player is eliminated, that player’s owned cards leave the game. This includes permanents, cards in hand, cards in graveyards and exile, spells, and other objects they own. The practical consequences can be easy to miss:
- Abilities the eliminated player controlled that were waiting to resolve cease to exist.
- Copies of spells controlled by that player also cease to exist.
- Control effects the player held over permanents owned by other players end.
- If ending a control effect does not give a permanent to another player who should control it, that permanent is exiled.
These points are summarized in Wizards’ Commander Legends release notes from November 6, 2020, and Commander Masters release notes. They are not a replacement for the comprehensive multiplayer rules in every unusual stack, control, or ownership interaction. If an eliminated player had stolen a creature, created a delayed trigger, or left an effect waiting on the stack, apply the relevant card text and comprehensive rule rather than assuming the object simply remains unchanged.
Pregame expectations and Commander brackets
Commander’s social nature makes the pregame conversation part of playing well. Wizards describes five optional brackets as a way to communicate the kind of experience players want, ranging from socially focused games to highly optimized or competitive ones. The framework is identified by Wizards as beta.
Brackets are matchmaking guidance, not a mandatory deck-building rule, a tournament legality system, or a universal numerical power rating. A bracket conversation is useful because the same table can contain a battlecruiser deck, a fast combo deck, and a tuned interaction-heavy deck that technically satisfy the same 100-card construction rules but produce very different games.
What to discuss before shuffling
- How quickly the deck usually tries to win.
- Whether it uses especially fast mana, compact combos, mass land destruction, or frequent extra turns.
- How much interaction the deck carries and whether it can reliably stop an early threat.
- Whether a particular commander creates a play pattern the group wants to avoid.
- Whether everyone is comfortable with the proposed bracket and game length.
Use the conversation to align expectations, not to pressure someone into changing a deck after the game starts. The baseline rules remain the same at every bracket; only the agreed style and strength of the decks change.
Quick Recap
A practical first-game checklist
- Choose the table format. Confirm that you are playing the three-or-more-player free-for-all rules, rather than a separate two-player Commander variant.
- Verify the commander. Put it face up in the command zone and check that every card in the deck fits its color identity.
- Count the deck. Confirm 100 cards total, including the commander, with no duplicate nonbasic card names unless a specific rule permits them.
- Set life totals. Each player starts at 40 life and draws seven cards.
- Agree on expectations. Use the optional bracket language or plain conversation to identify speed, combos, and themes that matter to the group.
- Track commander damage. Keep a separate tally for each commander that deals combat damage to each player.
- Announce attacks clearly. State which opponent each attacking creature is attacking; different creatures may attack different opponents in the same combat.
- Handle commander zone changes deliberately. When the commander would go to the library, hand, graveyard, or exile, decide whether to use the available move to the command zone before the zone change occurs.
- Apply elimination rules. Remove an eliminated player’s owned cards and check whether their control effects or waiting abilities leave the game with them.
Common rules mistakes to avoid
- Assuming every Commander game has four players. The familiar overview uses four players, while the cited free-for-all rules cover three or more; two-player Commander is separate.
- Attacking only the nearest opponent. You may choose any opponent and divide attackers among multiple opponents.
- Resetting commander damage when the commander changes zones. The tally belongs to that commander for the game and persists through zone changes and control changes.
- Combining damage from different commanders. The 21-point check is made separately for each commander.
- Treating all commander-caused damage as commander damage. The special loss condition uses combat damage from that commander.
- Counting the commander as an extra 101st card. The commander is included in the 100-card total.
- Using a bracket as a rules shortcut. Brackets are optional expectation-setting tools and do not replace card text, deck-construction rules, or the Comprehensive Rules.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
