Commander Damage looks simple enough. Deal 21 damage with your Commander to a player and that player loses the game. But, there is a lot of nuance and confusion on exactly how that works.
If you’re wondering why the threshold is 21 damage and not 20 damage, it’s because Commander used to be called EDH or Elder Dragon Highlander. And originally, only the Elder Dragons could be your Commander. These Elder Dragons all had 7 power. So, 3 attacks with any of them equals 21 damage, and that number would win you the game.
In this article, we explain what Commander Damage is and the most common and frequently misunderstood rules around it. We reference and link to the official MTG rules so you can be confident in their accuracy.
The rules referenced here are updated and current as of 2024.
What is Commander Damage?
Commander Damage rules are simple. A player loses the game if they have been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same Commander. The rules explanation, as provided by MTG’s official website, are as follows:
Commander format official rules
A player that’s been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same commander over the course of the game loses the game. The commander is tracked across zone changes for this purpose (for example, if one player takes control of another player’s commander, any damage that commander already dealt is still counted).
The Commander format is also governed by the Commander Rules Committee. They explain Commander Damage rules as follows:
If a player has been dealt 21 points of combat damage by a particular Commander during the game, that player loses a game.
Being a commander is not a characteristic [MTG CR109.3], it is a property of the card and tied directly to the physical card. As such, “commander-ness” cannot be copied or overwritten by continuous effects. The card retains its commander-ness through any status changes, and is still a commander even when controlled by another player.
COMMANDER DAMAGE RULES VIA COMMANDER RC
The exact wording of the MTG Comprehensive Rules for Commander Damage are as follows:
903.10a A player that’s been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same commander over the course of the game loses the game. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)
MTG Comprehesnive RUles
That’s all there is to it! Of course, it can get a bit confusing at times, so we answer specific commonly asked questions around Commander Damage throughout the rest of this article.
Commander Damage From Non-Combat Damage & Abilities Rules
Commander Damage only counts “combat damage”. IE, the damage dealt through the power of your Commander in combat. Non-combat damage and abilities do not count as Commander Damage.
This means abilities like the draw trigger damage from Niv-Mizzet, Parun is NOT Commander Damage. The same is true for Nekusar, the Mindrazer, etc…
Commander Damage With Partner Rules
Partner Commanders do not share damage. Commander Damage looks at each individual Commander, not the player dealing the damage. If you have two Partner Commanders and one deals 10 damage to a player and the other deals 11 damage to a player, it does not cause the player to lose the game. A single Commander must deal 21 Commander Damage for that opponent to lose.
Commander Damage With Stolen Commander Rules
Commander Damage only cares about the Commander dealing the damage, not the player who controls it. So for instance, if your Commander is Rafiq of the Many and an opponent has control of it and deals 21 Commander Damage to a single player, that player loses the game. It doesn’t matter who controlled Rafiq when it dealt that damage.
Put another way, if you deal 14 damage to Player A with your Commander, and Player B steals your Commander and deals 7 Commander Damage to Player A with that Commander, that Commander has dealt 21 damage to Player A. Thus, Player A loses the game to Commander Damage.
Commander Damage From Copies of a Commander Rules
If a player copies a Commander, the copy is NOT a Commander. Only the original physical version of the Commander can deal Commander Damage.
If an opponent casts Clone on your Commander and attacks a player for 7, it is just a regular 7 damage. No Commander Damage applies.
Can You Lose to Your Own Commander Through Commander Damage?
Yes, you can lose the game to your own Commander. If an opponent gains control of your Commander and deals 21 Commander Damage to you with it, you lose. Per the rules, “A player that’s been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same commander over the course of the game loses the game.”
It doesn’t care whose Commander it is, even if it is yours.
Remember to have a talk with your Commander after the game for proper behavior and etiquette if this happens. Not cool.
Commander Damage When a Player Casts Teferi’s Protection or Platinum Emperion
Commander Damage only cares if combat damage occurred. It doesn’t care if life totals change.
The official rules around Platinum Emperion and when a player’s life total can’t change vs Commander Damage is as follows:
MTG Gatherer rules on platinum emperion
Neither player’s life total changes. In a Commander game, the damage dealt to you by commanders will still be counted, even if that damage doesn’t cause you to lose life.
So yes, you can deal Commander Damage even if a player’s life total can’t change.
However, if you attack with your Commander and your opponent cast Teferi’s Protection, you will not deal Commander Damage.
This is because Teferi’s Protection reads, “you gain protection from everything”. Per the official gatherer rules that means:
If a player has protection from everything, it means three things: 1) All damage that would be dealt to that player is prevented. 2) Auras can’t be attached to that player. 3) That player can’t be the target of spells or abilities.
Teferi’s Protection Rules via gatherer
So, Teferi’s Protection prevents all combat damage to that player. Ergo, your Commander will not deal combat damage. Ergo, it will not deal Commander Damage.
If you have a card in play that says damage can’t be prevented, such as Questing Beast, then yes, you could theoretically deal lethal Commander Damage through a Teferi’s Protection, because the life total can’t change clause does not stop Commander Damage.
Additionally, if a player has a Platinum Angel in play, they still take Commander Damage. However, Platinum Angel prevents the player from losing the game. If Platinum Angel leaves play, the player will then lose the game to previously dealt Commander Damage as a state-based action, per rule 704.
Can My Commander Deal Commander Damage if It Loses All Abilities?
A card is a Commander regardless of its abilities or card types. If an opponent uses Oko, Thief of Crowns to turn your Commander into an Elk and you deal combat damage with it, that damage still counts as Commander Damage. The same is true if a player uses Darksteel Mutation on your Commander, etc…
What if I take 21 Points of Commander Damage From Different Commanders?
You only lose if you take 21 points of Commander Damage from a single Commander. You could take 7 damage from 3 different Commanders and you would not lose the game.
Commander Damage Two-Headed Giant Rules
The rules for Commander Damage do not change for 2HG games in MTG. If a player takes 21 points of Commander Damage from a single Commander, that player/team loses the game. However, check with your local game store for instructions, as they may have their own house rules.
READ MORE: MTG 10 Best Board Wipes for Commander
