Is Lurrus Legal in Commander?
The ever-popular Lurrus of the Dream-Den has sparked a lot of debate in the Commander community. The cat from the Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths set has been banned in Historic, but is it legal to play in Commander? We’ll dive into the answer and explore some of the implications.
Direct Answer:
Yes, Lurrus of the Dream-Den is not banned in Commander. The card’s errata in October 2020 removed it from Historic, but Commander is not affected.
Why Isn’t Lurrus Banned in Commander?
There are a few key reasons why Lurrus remains legal in Commander. Firstly, Commander is not a constructed format, meaning players are not forced to build their decks around the same metagame or card availability. This lack of constraints allows for a more varied and diverse array of strategies and cards, making Lurrus’ potential for abuse less relevant.
Secondly, Lurrus’ ability only becomes problematic in very specific circumstances, such as when it’s paired with a huge number of low-cost artifacts or a plethora of early-game plays. In general, players in Commander take a more relaxed approach to deckbuilding, focusing on fun and interaction rather than raw power.
Lastly, the Magic: The Gathering community places a strong emphasis on balance and fairness, and Wizards of the Coast has explicitly stated that their goal is to maintain Commander’s health and competitiveness, rather than trying to punish players who want to have fun with Lurrus.
How Does Lurrus Work in Commander?
So, if Lurrus is not banned, how does it work in Commander? Let’s take a closer look at the card’s mechanics:
• During each of your turns, you may cast one permanent spell with converted mana cost 2 or less from your graveyard. This allows you to reuse low-toughness creatures, early-game burn spells, and other low-cost permanents from your graveyard.
Strategies for Playing with Lurrus
- Low-to-the-ground combo: Focus on playing small, efficient spells and creatures that can work together to generate a snowballing advantage.
- Artifact recursion: Use Lurrus to bring back artifacts like mana rocks, pump spells, or combo pieces to enable additional plays.
- Token-based ramp: Ramp into Lurrus as quickly as possible, using tokens and small creatures to generate a mana advantage and then replaying them using Lurrus.
Examples of Decks That Could Work with Lurrus
- G/R Ramp: A ramp-heavy deck using green and red to get to Lurrus as quickly as possible, with a focus on playing smaller creatures and replaying them with Lurrus.
- UB Control: A control-heavy deck using blue and black to recur removal spells and combo pieces, with a focus on generating card advantage and stalling the opponent.
- B/W Tokens: A token-focused deck using black and white to generate an early board presence and then using Lurrus to replay key tokens and generate additional board threats.
In Conclusion
Lurrus of the Dream-Den is a powerful card that can generate a significant advantage in Commander, but it’s not banned due to the unique format constraints. When built correctly, decks that incorporate Lurrus can be both fun and competitive, providing a unique twist on the traditional Commander experience. Just remember to always keep the golden rule of Commander in mind: "The goal of Commander is to have fun, and Lurrus is no exception!"