Do Tokens of Your Commander Do Commander Damage?
In Magic: The Gathering, commanders are powerful cards that can define the entire strategy of a deck. When playing with a commander, it’s crucial to understand how they interact with the game, including the damage they can inflict. One common question that arises is whether tokens of your commander can deal commander damage. In this article, we’ll delve into the world of commanders and answer this question once and for all.
What is Commander Damage?
Before we dive into the main question, it’s essential to understand what commander damage is. Commander damage is a unique damage type that occurs when a commander (either a physical card or its token) deals damage to a player. This type of damage is separate from regular combat damage and has distinct rules and interactions.
Do Tokens of Your Commander Do Commander Damage?
Accepted Answer #1: They Will Not****
A permanent that’s copying a commander (such as a Body Double, for example, copying a commander in a player’s graveyard) is not a commander. [bold]Commander-ness is an aspect of a physical card.[/bold] This means that tokens of your commander are not considered commanders and therefore cannot deal commander damage.
Important Considerations
- Tokens of your commander are not considered commanders, which means they cannot deal commander damage.
- Commander damage only occurs when a commander (physical card or its token) deals damage to a player.
- Token copying effects, such as Body Double, do not change the fact that the copied card is not a commander.
Does Mutate Count as Commander Damage?
Some players may be tempted to use mutate effects to create a token of their commander. However, this will not result in commander damage. Mutate effects change the characteristics of the attacking creature, but they do not turn a token into a commander.
What About Worship?
Another important question is whether Worship, an ability that makes some damage unable to lower life totals, can affect commander damage. The answer is no, Worship does not prevent commander damage. Worship affects the way damage is handled, but it does not change the fact that a token of your commander is not a commander and therefore cannot deal commander damage.
Commander Damage Tracking
Finally, it’s worth noting that commander damage is tracked separately for each player. When a player sees the commander damage tracking mode, the damage counts they see are only from their opponents.
In Summary
Tokens of your commander do not deal commander damage. Commander damage only occurs when a commander (physical card or its token) deals damage to a player, and tokens of your commander are not considered commanders. Remember to carefully read the rules and interactions of your commander and tokens to ensure you’re making the most of your game.
Conclusion
Understanding the nuances of commander damage is crucial for success in Commander EDH. By grasping the distinction between commander damage and regular combat damage, you can optimize your deck-building and playmaking strategies. Remember to track commander damage separately for each player, and don’t rely on mutate effects to turn tokens into commanders. With these tips and the information in this article, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of commander damage.